Small Displacement, Big Adventure: Suzuki DR125SE from BCK Motorcycles…
Built from 1985 to 2001, the Suzuki DR125 was a simple air-cooled dual-sport popular as a learner’s machine in the UK and Continental Europe. The DR125S was the street-legal version, while the DR125SE added an electric start. Here in the North America, we received the 200cc version, the DR200S/SE, well into the 2020s. That incredibly long production run is a testament to the little bike’s nature as a rugged, ultra-reliable workhorse.
“The Suzuki DR125SE has a long history, after all and most of the basic mechanicals were carried through from the 1980s – but when it comes to rugged learner trailies there’s not much wrong with that.” –MCN
Our buddy Yann of BCK Motorcycles has Suzuki ties that go all the way back to his days working for the factory team in World Superbike. In recent years, he’s been earning a name for himself on the adventure side of the customs world. After a number of BMW Funduro and Suzuki DR650 builds, he began to think a bit smaller. Really, it came from noticing something of a cultural shift among riders and enthusiasts.
“Despite the heavyweight GS and T7 leading the commercials and industry sales, I noticed that people were less shy to agree that a small engine was worth going for a ride. We’re not all Pol Tarrés. Most don’t have the garage space, the budget, or the skills to go all out with a maxi-enduro.”
Yann is no stranger to small-cc fun. After all, he’s traveled all through the Spanish deserts of Spaghetti Western fame on his two-stroke Yamaha DT125R “Smoky Runner” and four-stroke Suzuki GN125 “El Jalapeño.”
“To tell you the truth, I’m really having fun getting just over 100 kph flat-out on a wide gravel track and feeling I’m not messing with death, as I need to…return back home safe as a good dad. Convinced of that, I suggested last summer to Mosko Moto Europe that maybe they add some lightweight ADVs on display in order to show they have luggage for all the bikes.”
The result is the ‘98 Suzuki DR125SE “Dusty Lizard Runner” you see here, named after the Basilisk Lizard of the Mosko Moto logo. It’s the first of a series of air-cooled, off-road capable DR125 restomods that Yann plans to build. In fact, he’s already gathering up donors in his workshop.
“The aim is to build…a small series, with the stock front fork prepared for off-road, full LED lights, nice stainless headers with the stock muffler for technical inspections, all the allow laser-cut parts, and rebuilt like new. So the customer will get a true Japanese reliable engine in a chassis set-up for real off-road and all necessary accessories he could need. Price will be decided soon and should be compared to the latest 125cc four-strokes on sale.”
This particular bike, built for the Mosko Moto stand, is running a ’99 YZ125 inverted fork matched with a firmer / taller YSS rear shock. Yann fabricated his own crashbars, rear rack, license plate holder, and a small instrument tower, giving the bike a factory look.
The headlight shroud is a rare 2017 CRF-L unit used on the SLR Honda Baja bikes, with an LED headlight from @doenduro. NCW Workshop upholstered the seat, and Yann added frame support plates perfect for mounting grip tape to keep the frame planted firmly between the rider’s legs…and reinforce the crashbars.
Yann modified a stainless CRF-230/300 aftermarket exhaust for the bike, and he has plans for a 200cc big-bore kit. Of course the bike is decked out in Mosko Moto luggage, including a Reckless 10L system, Gnat Handlebar bag, and more.
“The rest of the rebuild process has been strictly the same as usual: complete disassembly, the whole chassis and wheels sand-blasted and powder-coated, revised and rate-adjusted suspension, all new tyres, transmission and rebuilt brakes.”
If there was any lingering doubt that Yann was on the right path with this new DR125 series, his paint choice soon dispelled them, touched with an inarguable shade of destiny.
“Attending the Lyon Moto Show, I walked into the Suzuki display and there stood the new GSX-8R with its new Glass Blaze Orange…You’re kidding! It’s exactly the color I chose for my project, so now I can say I also have an official Suzuki 2026 color. I don’t believe in chance or coincidence. This must have been written somewhere and it happened.”
It seems the stars have aligned for the “Dusty Lizard Runner” and its descendants! Truly, we’re seeing a resurgence of interest in small-displacement dual-sports, from the Honda XR150L and Yamaha WR125R now available in the States to the booming popularity of Greg Gilson’s XL125 “War Machine,” which he’s raced in everything from the Baja 1000 to the FIM Rally of Morocco.
For the price of a new 125cc dual-sport, we’d much rather have a limited-edition, specially-prepped DR125SE from one of the best builders in the business. If you’re interested in one of these builds, you can contact Yann here: [email protected].
Below is our full interview with Yann about the build and forthcoming series, with many more details and photos.
Suzuki DR125 Restomod: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
After some glorious years in WSBK Suzuki factory racing, I opened a motorcycle workshop in 2010 for friends to come and work on projects. After releasing an XS650-based bobber on year one, I spent a few years releasing some authentic projects which are now milestones of my working history.
The 2017 Hooligan Sportster didn’t leave anybody indifferent. Nearly 10 years later, a Google search for ‘sportster flat track’ will still leave you admiring the beast which has now retired and will now operate as a showbike.
The 600 XLR ‘Bone Destroyer’ also built in 2017 has punched well into the Flat Track scene. Sold five years ago, it is still doing great job, taking 2025 Newbie Title in German Championship.
The year 2020 broke the momentum gained over the past 10 years. As 2019 was looking like the safety checklist of a glorious entry into the season to come, the workshop now turning into an official business, a pangolin-based recipe ruined a lot of that dream. Locked down with few parts and an old F650 Funduro, I leveraged my experience and time to build the next step of my workshop’s story. Motivated like never before by @olivierdevaulx‘s awesome photos in the monthly @upshift_online magazine, I built the “Dezert Runner” as, officially, my first ADV restomod project despite an Elsinore XLR 600 and XL125 built previously.
That new bike allowed me to get into that ADV world, earning straight away nice words and the first shipment from Mosko Moto HQ to put on. The DR650RS “Nomad Runner” became a new milestone in 2021 — a legendary DR650 with an RMZ front end, a complete instrument tower built from scratch, and a hammered alloy aux fuel tank.
Over the last six years, I’ve been gaining credit and many ADV projects have left the workshop with the Runner nickname, like the 125 DTR “Smoky Runner” or the second DR650RS built as a pure “Baja Runner.”
• Why was this bike built?
Since 2020, I have spent a good bit of time speaking with customers, ADV riders, motorcycle owners, and newbies willing to go on an adventure off-road. Slowly, as I collected information, I gained the conviction that the wind was turning.
Despite the heavyweight GS and T7 leading the commercials and industry sales, I noticed that people were less shy to agree that a small engine was worth going for a ride. We’re not all Pol Tarrés. Most don’t have the garage space, the budget, or the skills to go all out with a maxi-enduro.
We’re not Greg Gilson, either, but he is proving every day that an old 125 XLS can do world-class rallies, including the famous Baja 1000, jump big gaps in SX, or surf the sand dunes of Morocco. Just insane!
Desert Ironman: Racing the Baja 1000 on a 1980 Honda XL125S!
Myself, while I love my Rotax 650 single cylinder, I had a lot of fun traveling Andalusia three years in a row with light motorcycles, a two-stroke DTR and a GN125 based desert sled, “El Jalapeño.”
To tell the truth, I’m really having fun getting just over 100 kph flat-out on a wide gravel track and feeling I’m not messing with death as I need to finish the promotional images I’m here for and return back home safe as a good dad. Convinced of that, I suggested last summer to Mosko Moto Europe that maybe they add some lightweight ADVs on display in order to show they have luggage for all the bikes.
Three weeks later, Yamaha was releasing the new WR125R, Euro5 adapted version of the previous model. So my proposal made more sense. The moment had now come to build a four-stoke 125cc project, adventure-dedicated with all the requisite equipment and world-known reliability.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?
Why should I look elsewhere than Suzuki to find the right donor bike after all those years spent together? I know a bit about the Hamamatsu based company and loved to work with all those dedicated people back in the days at the Ryuyo Race department.
After a Suz-Husky DR125 project done and, at least, four additional GN125 builds, I also already knew what to look for and where to look to find the spare parts to restore these bikes, even complete new engines.
There’s no need to go back over the legendary reliability of this ‘little’ motorcycle, which gave a lot of good service and even more fun to millions of owners across the world. Those lucky enough to have the normal (non-learner) motorcycle license could go bigger with the DR200 still on sale in North America.
In this case, the original bike was a ‘98 Suzuki DR125SE with the electric starter — the last version sold until 2002. Despite all the parts added for that electric starter, it’s quite useful when the track gets narrow and you need to restart the bike in various situations. Don’t even think about kick-starting in some cases. So I chose the electric option.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
Trail motorcycles have changed a lot since the first Dakar-inspired models back in the early 80s. Inspired also by the design of its biggest brothers, the little DR has always looked like a nice bike. After four decades, I think the late DR-SE design didn’t suffer much from time and still reminds me of the DR650 still on sale after all those years in North America and Canada where pollution restrictions are less. Lucky you are!
So the 125 looks like a legend and just suffers from a 70s front face design, which didn’t change over the years with that rectangular headlight and that too big rear fender. So I knew what to change first.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
Having agreed that this bike would be a showstopper for event visitors, I needed to add some visual elements which would tune the bike the right way without erasing the original design. That’s one of the reasons I hesitate to change the original fuel tank for a plastic Acerbis from the 650 I could have adapted. As people needed to identify the original bike, I decided to keep the fuel tank, the side panels, and that OEM seat shape.
I also thought about going with a rear disc brake. Thinking about the small series to come, I finally chose to keep the original equipment drum, which is really enough and hard to damage. It’s not the best visual option but it’s less expensive. This may change later on my bike but won’t about the next bikes.
The biggest mover aesthetically have been the front end and the rear fender. I needed to get a pretty common inverted front fork to fit in and the ‘99 YZ125 unit I got was the right model I was looking for. Raising the front required a rear shock modification. In the YSS Europe catalogue, I found a BMW measurement-correct part to fit the DR. With different springs available, the adjustment went easy for me to get a firmer setup.
After using various headlight shrouds over the years, I had an eye on the aggressive 2017 CRF-L front plate, nearly only used and seen on Baja and desert races by top teams like Mark Samuel’s SLR Team or the legendary Johnny Campbell son Preston’s race bikes. Found one in Japan!
Next step was to add the best headlight I could find. Lucky for me, I’ve been working since 2023 with Alex at @doenduro who 3D prints and prepares the best enduro lights on the market at the best price. He didn’t have that Honda shroud in his collection and kindly agreed to prepare one for me, a special one for my project. And the result is really great.
About the rear section design, just removing the original fender assembly and the luggage rack gives you a lot to imagine. Unable to find a correct DR350 or 650SE original fender, I decided to go with a ‘00 XR250 rear fender which, for me, gives the best combo between racing and road designs.
The rest of the rebuild process has been strictly the same as usual: complete disassembly, the whole chassis and wheels sand-blasted and powder-coated, revised and rate-adjusted suspension, all new tyres, transmission and rebuilt brakes.
I went to KCP Designs for a full reddish orange paint which I completed with stickers which can be changed on demand.
A new super nice upholstery at @ncw_workshop was done. He kept on developing the concept we initiated and tested new materials.
About the engine, I was running out of time to do better than a complete check including clutch and cable changes. I have plans for later with a complete engine rebuild possibly including a 200cc big bore kit from the OEM DR200s. As I collected the appropriate bigger carburetor, it’s now just about finding time. That’s also because I got a hand on a CRF stainless exhaust which allows increased gas flow.
So combining all elements, I may get up to… 20 hp! Let’s dream! Who knows? Haha!
• Does the bike have a nickname?
After naming the 2021 DR650 bike the “Nomad Runner” in reference to the Mosko Moto blog writers, I decided to go along with the event series they host in the US and now in Europe. So, the nickname came to “Dusty Lizard Runner.”
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
With that increased ground clearance and the longer suspension travel, the bike has now turned into a real ADV or light enduro with correct off-road abilities, helped with proper off-road tyres. Still lightweight and easy to ride, the sound of that MX stainless exhaust adds the final touch to this quiet commuter. The great point is that the expansion chamber effectively brings a bit more torque mid RPM. It’s not huge but you can feel it. Bonus is that the system also turns the nearly stealth OEM sound into a hoarse one.
The most incredible remains the fuel range with that stock 15 hp engine which allows over 300 kilometers/200 miles offroad, nearly full throttle. You get it? So yes, the two extra fuel bottles were more here for display, to show how versatile the Mosko Moto Reckless 10 luggage is. I would add that I love the new luggage in Triple Black colors.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
I love to build exhausts, to cut and weld tubes and find a 3D way on the bike to stay as close as possible to the engine without burning all surrounding elements including legs. Starting from an aftermarket stainless CRF-230/300 exhaust, the parts were already there and just needed to be adapted to fit those tiny spaces around the engine. The results give that racing detail to the bike which means a lot visually.
Also the crash bars were made at home as no such product has ever been released for the DR125. Inspired by the well known Outback Motortek design on their CRF products, I found a way to adapt this first version of my protections on the bike. A second version is already under construction with a rear shortened bracket that requires no drilling or welding.
Ran out of time to finish it, but a full alloy bash plate is being prepared to replace the KTM plastic element I’ve been adding. I already made some for the Funduro and my GN125. So, in the end, from the small instrument tower, the rear luggage rack, the license plate holder, and the engine protection will be made of the same material, giving the assembly a kind of factory finish.
The frame was looking a bit skinny in some places and I knew I wanted some grip added to keep the bike correctly between the rider’s legs. The seat has some anti-slip surface on sides and the footpegs and brake pedal are built to stick to your feet. Was just missing an enlarged frame area to mount some grippy stickers. So I hammered some stainless sheets to build some extended surfaces — frame protections which allowed me also to create anchor points for the crash bars without drilling into the frame tubes.
The space left between the bar and the headlight shroud was enough to place a lightly bent alloy plate, which is a mini instrument tower housing a waterproof/shockproof mobile phone case plus the ignition lock and a twin USB/voltmeter socket just underneath. It’s a nice part, nearly hidden. Sad.
To go along with the mobile/navigation, I tested various remote controllers. In searching the web for the most compact one I found @7solid_, an Italian company that builds a Bluetooth assembly that works really well under your fingers. A super product.
Because the best luggage company thought about everything, they have this “must have” Gnat Handlebar bag, which keeps your most important goods right in front of you, like my DJI Osmo 4 and Osmo 360 when not in use, the spare batteries and necessary accessories going with them. You add your keys and glasses and your small bag is ready.
Last but not least is the color I chose. Trying to get closer to the Mosko Moto’s Red Dust, I decided to go to a reddish orange which would be more luminous outside but also on display under spotlights. No way! Attending the Lyon Moto Show, I walked into the Suzuki display and there, the new GSX-8R with its new Glass Blaze Orange…You’re kidding! It’s exactly the color I chose for my project, so now I can say I also have an official Suzuki 2026 color. I don’t believe in chance or coincidence. This must have been written somewhere and it happened.
I’ve already started gathering DR-SE bikes at the workshop. The aim is to build some other ones, a small series, with the stock front fork prepared for off-road, full LED lights, nice stainless headers with the stock muffler for technical inspections, all the allow laser-cut parts, and rebuilt like new. So the customer will get a true Japanese reliable engine in a chassis set-up for real off-road and all necessary accessories he could need. Price will be decided soon and should be compared to the latest 125cc four-strokes on sale. Any people interested? Send me a message.
• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
Special Thanks to all locals helpers and craftsmen who responded really quick to my requests:
Engine rebuild and upgrade to come with Master Gougou, IOMTT racing wizard
Upholstery by the only Nikau, The Man at @NCW_Workshop
Best custom paint from airbrush world know artist and master builder @kriss.kcppeintre.9
Stainless welding Master @jefracfrac at @t2xc.creation
Sandblasting and powdercoating at SARL LE PAGE
And big thanks to the companies who helped me to give that project a go:
Mosko Moto, the best motorcycle luggage with a Gnat handlebar bag and a Reckless 10 kit storing a Pannier Tool Roll and combined with moto straps to secure the fuel bottles. Huge thanks Pete, Roel, Jeremy, and all the Mosko Moto Crew and @moskomotoeu for such a longtime support with the best available products on the market. You guys rock !
All lubricants and fluids including the Road Trip Kit on the rear rack by @iponelube
Super enduro LED hi/lo headlights from Alex at @doenduro
Rear shock with harder spring from @ysseurope
GPS Bluetooth remote controller supplied by @7solid_
Restoration products issued by @wd40_france
All finishing products from @noline.france
Very big thanks to my photo artist:
My son, the one and only, Theo, 10 years old, who spent hours of his precious gamepad time to come with me and double, using my cell phone, the shots I made for social networks use and backstage memories. Love you.
Follow the Builder
Website: www.bckustoms.com
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @bckustoms
Facebook: BCK Motorcycles
More BCKustoms
Sunset Runner: BMW F650 Funduro - ’99 BMW F650 Funduro “Sunset Runner” by BCK Motorcycles… Strange as it may seem, the BMW F650 Funduro, powered not by a boxer-twin but a four-valve dual-plug Rotax single, was destined to become one of […]
Battle Runner: BMW F650 Funduro Rally Bike - ‘99 BMW F650 Funduro “Battle Runner” by BCK Motorcycles… In the 1990s, some 50,000 BMW F650 Funduros were produced in partnership with Aprilia and Rotax before BMW brought production in-house in 2000. A bike with […]
Ténéré Runner: Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténere - ’89 Yamaha XTZ750 “Ténéré Runner” from BCK Motorcycles… In 1989, Yamaha released their latest desert racer clone, the Yamaha XTZ750 Super Ténere. Styled after the company’s Paris Dakar race bikes, the Super Ten boasted […]
Black Ops Runner: Honda Dominator 650 Adventure Bike - “NX650RX” from BCK Motorcycles… Introduced all the way back in 1988, the Honda Dominator 650 (NX650) placed an electric-start RFVC single-cylinder engine into a light adventure package with bikini fairing, plastic bodywork, heavy-duty sump guard, […]
Mushman Runner: Yamaha XS650 Desert Sled - What if Steve McQueen aka Harvey Mushman decided to build and race an XS650? In a strange twist of fate, the Yamaha XS650, introduced in 1969, took up the standard of the British twins […]
El Jalapeño: Suzuki GN125 Desert Sled - A 125cc Desert Sled from BCKustoms, perfect for the Spanish desert… The quintessential desert sled is a post-war British twin stripped to the barest essentials with a high exhaust, skid plate, metal fenders, fat […]
On Any Suzusky: Suzuki DR125 Scrambler - Husky-inspired DR125 from BCKustoms… The Suzuki DR125 was a dual-sport “trailie” once popular among learners in Europe, especially the UK. These 125cc enduros were seen most often in the era between the “legally questionable” two-stroke […]
Smoky Runner: Yamaha DT125R Restomod - BCKustoms returns to his two-stroke roots… The original Yamaha DT-1 250 Enduro and the long line of successors it spawned remain some of the most popular, influential motorcycles to come out of the 1960s. Here […]
Baja Runner: Suzuki DR650 - BCKustoms builds a Baja-inspired DR650… Where we are in our lives has a big influence on the types of motorcycles to which we’re drawn. Former WSBK team coordinator and MotoGP journalist Yann Le Douche of […]
Honda CB300R Street Tracker - From Roadster to Street Tracker… The Honda CB300R is a lightweight, single-cylinder roadster from the company’s “Neo Sports Café” range, which includes the mighty CB1000R. Weighing in at just 313 pounds wet (317 with ABS), […]
Island Runner: BMW F650 Funduro - BCKustoms builds a black Bavarian rally raider… Back in 1993, BMW launched the F650 Funduro, a lighter single-cylinder sibling to the mighty R1150GS. The Funduro was BMW’s first single-cylinder motorcycle since the 1960s, jointly designed […]
“Leah” 1975 Honda CB125 Flat Tracker - BCKustoms builds his daughter a flat tracker inspired by Leah Tokelove… Introduced in 1971, the Honda CB125 would remain in production well into the 1980s. The single-cylinder version had a 122-124cc air-cooled OHC engine that […]
The Nomad: Suzuki DR650 Rally Bike - BCKustoms builds a DR650RS rally bike… In 1990, Suzuki introduced the DR650, a big-single dual-purpose machine destined to become one of the most versatile and bulletproof do-anything bikes in modern history. The DR has the […]
To The Rescue: “Unexpected” CX500 Cafe Racer by BCKustoms - Honda cafe racer built for a French Coast Guard rescue diver… Yann Le Douche of BCKustoms (Breizh Coast Kustoms) has an enviable pedigree for a custom bike builder. In his long career, he’s worked as […]
Dezert Runner: BMW F650 GS Funduro by BCKustoms - A #coronavirusbikebuildoff rally raider… The BMW F650 Funduro, introduced in 1993, aimed at a new sector of the motorcycle market. It was a single-cylinder, chain-drive, 48-hp dual-purpose machine that cost only $200 more than a […]
I had an 1982 SP 125 as a kid it was my first bike. It was the street legal sister to the Dr 125. It was a great bike and damn near perfect. At 14 having rode the smaller bikes of other kids and being tall the SP was a ”real bike” with classic good looks. The gearing was perfect for the engine I could touch hwy speed in a tuck and lug down and out of just about anything. It was a real Swiss army knife.
Ah ah Taylor !
The more the time goes, the longer are the articles we share !
Always amused when reading to see the other articles emerging in the page. It’s been quite a lot now !
Let’s work on the next one. I’ll keep BikeBound posted first, as usual.
Cheers Mister Brown,