In the early 2000's i worked as a pizza delivery guy with a 125cc bike, i was allowed to keep the bike as my own and take it home, i gained a lot of respect for Honda 125 bikes after having used them extensively both at work and privately beating the living hell out of it every single day with 100% zero care for maintenance or its well being, and it never gave me 1 single problem, not 1, it wasn't a fluke because at some point i got a diferent job and a few years later i returned to the same pizzeria and they had diferent bikes, still Hondas 125 and i once again massacred the bike that i worked and kept at home, and the damn thing never once failed me, i had more expensive bikes fail on me despite being very well taken care of and having maintenance up to date but the little Hondas never even a drop of oil i gave it let alone any maintenance and no issues ever, i miss that job and the little 125cc warriors.
I got a 2024 less than a month ago and have clocked up 1400 miles already commuting to work. I love this bike as my first one and was worried about piling miles on it. Thanks for the review
i bought a 2021 black one 18 months old with 300 miles on the clock, and did 10,000 trouble free touring miles (no commuting) on it in the next year, and now ive got a bigger bike still can't part with it lol, i regularly did 200+ miles in a day no problems, including 1500 miles in a week in scotland, averaging a true 134mpg over all that time year round (ignore the onboard mpg display it's useless). it's been well maintained & cleaned, had all it's services, a new chain and sprockets, 2 sets of tyres, and the engine is running better now that it has ever done, i really love this bike, and one of the few things i don't like is that it struggles getting my 19st and 6' frame up steep hills, but it is what it is and you get used to taking your time. IMHO you don't need a rev counter or ABS or riding modes, different tyres or anything like that, it's not perfect, no bikes ever are, but it's built at a price and fantastic value, and above all it's got bulletproof honda reliability with less depreciation than many brands. btw i put a home made inflatable seat cushion on, and never have a sore butt lol. GL, thanks for the review and nice to hear your comments.
Also worth mentioning that at bout 105kg dry it's at least 15kg lighter than any other 125 and 25kg lighter than most 125s. This helps a lot with handling, braking, acceleration and economy.
@@233kosta Certainly at 60mph the vibes do get through and make you uncomfortable after a few hrs in the saddle. Not something I'm going to do on a regular basis, but was a fun day out. Thanks for your comment, much appreciated. Cheers
Great review my nephew has just bought a new one because he his feed up with public transport. He also waiting to take his car driving test but that’s a long off the backlog since COVID the last motorbike I owned was a 1976 750cc triumph Bonnaville, which is very unreliable, and I sold it to put towards my deposit on my home is still in the living now last time I rode a bike is when I hide a mop head on holiday in Cuba
I wrote one of these off in 3 months. It was my first bike and I did not know that these little single piston engine bikes can burn oil at an alarming rate if riding on dual carriageways. My journey just needed too much high speed time and a piston ring let go on me whilst on the A10 and destroyed the engine. To be fair, I learned how to rebuild the top end of a bike using this machine and found out that the parts only cost £50-£60 . The experience of an engine letting go on me whilst overtaking a truck however, spooked me enough to get a full licence. So I now commute on a 650cc and cruise to work on the motorway. Overall cb125F is a good bike especially if city riding. If you need high speed runs for prolonged time, save your money, get a licence.
You've go to break these in right. Then they'll never let you down. I took it easy for the first 200mi, then semi-easy up to the first oil change (600mi), then slowly opened her up as I got closer to 1000mi. After that there was no going easy on that engine, and she just kept on finding extra power out of nowhere, it seemed. Didn't burn a drop of oil for the 4 months & 3000mi I had her. That includes long-ish stretches of dual carriageway & motorway, and the rev limiter cutting off fuel on occasion (at exactly 70mph 😅). It's all in the break-in 😉
Sounds like you didn‘t break in the engine. The cylinder scored and eventually the entire top-end gave out. An engine doesn‘t just burn oil for no reason. Some oil burn is completely normal but not in a way that the engine just suddenly disassembles itself.
@@SahnigReingeloetet I love know it all answers. I didnt break in the engine. hahahahahahah. I destroyed both a CBF125 and a CB125F. The older bike, the CBF125 already had 12,000 miles on the clock when I got it. It literally blew in exactly the same way. DO NOT use this bike at high revs for any prolonged journeys. Get yourself a full licence instead.
I agree on all points, to date I have done over 20,000 miles in the North West of England (Cumbria) mainly. There was a head gasket leak when it was new but that must have been a manufacturing defect, repaired under warranty. I have the same tyres Metzler Roadtec 01 which are far better than the stock ones although it cost £150 to have both fitted initially. Replacements I have done myself since then. In a very rural and hilly area like this it can struggle up big hills especially if there is a headwind at the time. Up to 50 mph it can generally perform like the flow of traffic but as you say is under powered on trunk roads. It happiest on good quality fully synthetic oil with a touch of MOS2. It didn't really get to its fully run in state until about 10,000 miles it has performed much better since then. Good little bike for touring and keeping fuel costs down. Great review!
Great review, thanks. I'm retired and want to go down to small economical bikes. This bike is great value, and has a reputation for reliability. Ride Safe all.
In India this bike is sold by different name SP 125 but I saw this video and can say this bike is exactly same as sp 125 but with slight changes in colour schemes. After all I owned one and now they have launched SP 160.Which I also bought past month. In India it is sold under SP and in foreign CBF 125. After all happy to see this bike with differnt look.
interesting that they sell it under a different name in India with different colour schemes. Maybe it is manufactured in India with the same specs. Mine was made in Italy. Thanks for your input. Have fun with it, it’s a great bike!
if comes to the tires, changing the stock is a must!, Additionaly, I recommend the wider rear tyre , 100/80, for example conti street. It's different bike then, much better. Cheers.
I have a cb125r and did 1400 miles in the first 2 months and I love it. I'm a bit bigger so the stronger engine and higher seat is kinda helpful for me
To stiffen up the suspension Id put heavy duty fork oil in the front forks and tweak up; the back end by pre-loading the rear shocks to second below stiffest setting, plus, as you said, some good tyres, Michelins, Pirellis or even decent Dunlop's instead of standard gear.
Hej! The CB125F has a decent front fender. And the fuel consumption is applaudably modest. Yes, it should have ABS. In the end, I decided not to get one because I do occasionally have to drive on the german motorway. 😕
Got a Honda Twister CB 300F Indian Version with all the drawbacks fixed ABS,TCS, Radial tyers and USD forks make it a best value for money bike In India it costs roughly 2000 pounds On Road inc of taxes
I had a testride on tue 2024 version and really liked it. However in the end i decided to go with a Ninja 650 but probably after a couple of months i will get this one too just for commuting and the fuel efficiency.
sounds pretty quiet too. i've been considering getting a 125 instead of driving. but i've been putting myself off the idea with all the scaremongering about noise. i have tinnitus and would rather it not get worse. but i think with this, and some ear plugs i might not have an issue. any information on the db noise?
You won't notice mechanical noise. Wind noise is worse, so as you suggest use ear plugs. Wear a quality full-face road helmet (dirt & open-face helmets are too noisy) and your tinnitus shouldn't be impacted.
Pardon me for asking, but are the black rubber knee pads on each side of the tank a standard fitment ? ( By the way, the vast majority of the HONDA CB125F's for the European market (and export) are manufactured by 'HONDA Italia', here in Abruzzo ).
I wouldn't say I liked it I rode one doing the CBT and for me, it was far too light and rattly the build quality was ok but I would expect more from one of the big four that being said if you are going for a full license a CB125f is fine I would go with a Naked, Adventure or a Sports bike an LXR, Sym NHX or a Sinnis Terrain don't get a cruiser or a bobber the whole setup way different from what you will do the MOD 1 and 2 on a naked 650 I did it on a Z650 and had a Hyosung Gv125s bobber and it took a while to get used to the mid sports pegs.
Hi. What's the vibrations level on your machine? I just picked up from dealer a brand new unit. When i'm driving 37 mph on 4th gear the image on mirrors is blurred. The same is when increasing the rpm on neutral while the bike is stopped.
125s seem huge in the UK compared to here new zealand most people will start on a 400 or 650 here, I guess its suitable for places like london etc, and im guessing its the laws. we can have certain 650s and 700s as learner we can have. one 250 bike that is banned for learners here is the honda nsr 250
In my Country, we dont need motorbike license to ride up to 125cc We can do it with car license For summer we see these (and also scooters) zipping around 😁
F= Fuel Injected E= Carburettor E uses about 0.6ltr more per 100km, but has more torque up the hill and is super easy to diy repair, alter and service.
can anybody tell me why people blur their speedometers? do you really think that police is watching on youtube for speeding? and even if they did, the speedometer is not a calibrated device that would hold up in court anyways...
I hate this bike. Nothing is fun about this bike its frankly the most boring ride I'd had so far. Its dangerous in the wind and them tyres are shocking! I feel like they are floating on the road.
In the early 2000's i worked as a pizza delivery guy with a 125cc bike, i was allowed to keep the bike as my own and take it home, i gained a lot of respect for Honda 125 bikes after having used them extensively both at work and privately beating the living hell out of it every single day with 100% zero care for maintenance or its well being, and it never gave me 1 single problem, not 1, it wasn't a fluke because at some point i got a diferent job and a few years later i returned to the same pizzeria and they had diferent bikes, still Hondas 125 and i once again massacred the bike that i worked and kept at home, and the damn thing never once failed me, i had more expensive bikes fail on me despite being very well taken care of and having maintenance up to date but the little Hondas never even a drop of oil i gave it let alone any maintenance and no issues ever, i miss that job and the little 125cc warriors.
22 year old Honda here. Runs and runs and runs. Awesome.
@@lowersaxon Honda, man, Honda.
Thanks for your comment, convinced that Honda is the way to go 👍🏻
I like Honda very much. Honda has made millions of people from all over the world satisfied or even happy, me included. Its a great brand.
I owned a 90cc Honda , and later a 110 cc Suzuki, i would say both of them help a lot. Cheap maintaining in a long term.
I got a 2024 less than a month ago and have clocked up 1400 miles already commuting to work.
I love this bike as my first one and was worried about piling miles on it.
Thanks for the review
Bro how far away is your work to rack up 1400 in less than a month? 💀
35 miles both ways so 350 miles a week
i bought a 2021 black one 18 months old with 300 miles on the clock, and did 10,000 trouble free touring miles (no commuting) on it in the next year, and now ive got a bigger bike still can't part with it lol, i regularly did 200+ miles in a day no problems, including 1500 miles in a week in scotland, averaging a true 134mpg over all that time year round (ignore the onboard mpg display it's useless). it's been well maintained & cleaned, had all it's services, a new chain and sprockets, 2 sets of tyres, and the engine is running better now that it has ever done, i really love this bike, and one of the few things i don't like is that it struggles getting my 19st and 6' frame up steep hills, but it is what it is and you get used to taking your time. IMHO you don't need a rev counter or ABS or riding modes, different tyres or anything like that, it's not perfect, no bikes ever are, but it's built at a price and fantastic value, and above all it's got bulletproof honda reliability with less depreciation than many brands. btw i put a home made inflatable seat cushion on, and never have a sore butt lol. GL, thanks for the review and nice to hear your comments.
it’s a great bike. thanks for sharing your experience
We get ABS and a full enclosed chain guard in Australia…..
Also worth mentioning that at bout 105kg dry it's at least 15kg lighter than any other 125 and 25kg lighter than most 125s. This helps a lot with handling, braking, acceleration and economy.
Economy and handling are amazing on that bike.
CB125 F is a wonderftull bike. Just done a 500 mile trip and no issues what so ever. There is nothing I don't like about it. Great channel. Cheers
I really didn't enjoy going faster than 50mph on mine, the vibrations made my arse go numb. And my legs...
@@233kosta Certainly at 60mph the vibes do get through and make you uncomfortable after a few hrs in the saddle. Not something I'm going to do on a regular basis, but was a fun day out. Thanks for your comment, much appreciated. Cheers
Great review my nephew has just bought a new one because he his feed up with public transport. He also waiting to take his car driving test but that’s a long off the backlog since COVID the last motorbike I owned was a 1976 750cc triumph Bonnaville, which is very unreliable, and I sold it to put towards my deposit on my home is still in the living now last time I rode a bike is when I hide a mop head on holiday in Cuba
I wrote one of these off in 3 months. It was my first bike and I did not know that these little single piston engine bikes can burn oil at an alarming rate if riding on dual carriageways. My journey just needed too much high speed time and a piston ring let go on me whilst on the A10 and destroyed the engine. To be fair, I learned how to rebuild the top end of a bike using this machine and found out that the parts only cost £50-£60 . The experience of an engine letting go on me whilst overtaking a truck however, spooked me enough to get a full licence. So I now commute on a 650cc and cruise to work on the motorway. Overall cb125F is a good bike especially if city riding. If you need high speed runs for prolonged time, save your money, get a licence.
sounds like a pretty scary experience!
which 650 did you get? SV?
You've go to break these in right. Then they'll never let you down.
I took it easy for the first 200mi, then semi-easy up to the first oil change (600mi), then slowly opened her up as I got closer to 1000mi. After that there was no going easy on that engine, and she just kept on finding extra power out of nowhere, it seemed.
Didn't burn a drop of oil for the 4 months & 3000mi I had her. That includes long-ish stretches of dual carriageway & motorway, and the rev limiter cutting off fuel on occasion (at exactly 70mph 😅).
It's all in the break-in 😉
Sounds like you didn‘t break in the engine. The cylinder scored and eventually the entire top-end gave out. An engine doesn‘t just burn oil for no reason. Some oil burn is completely normal but not in a way that the engine just suddenly disassembles itself.
@@ontheroadagain333 V strom 650. You were close in your guess!
@@SahnigReingeloetet I love know it all answers. I didnt break in the engine. hahahahahahah. I destroyed both a CBF125 and a CB125F. The older bike, the CBF125 already had 12,000 miles on the clock when I got it. It literally blew in exactly the same way. DO NOT use this bike at high revs for any prolonged journeys. Get yourself a full licence instead.
I agree on all points, to date I have done over 20,000 miles in the North West of England (Cumbria) mainly. There was a head gasket leak when it was new but that must have been a manufacturing defect, repaired under warranty. I have the same tyres Metzler Roadtec 01 which are far better than the stock ones although it cost £150 to have both fitted initially. Replacements I have done myself since then. In a very rural and hilly area like this it can struggle up big hills especially if there is a headwind at the time. Up to 50 mph it can generally perform like the flow of traffic but as you say is under powered on trunk roads. It happiest on good quality fully synthetic oil with a touch of MOS2. It didn't really get to its fully run in state until about 10,000 miles it has performed much better since then. Good little bike for touring and keeping fuel costs down. Great review!
Great review, thanks. I'm retired and want to go down to small economical bikes.
This bike is great value, and has a reputation for reliability.
Ride Safe all.
In India this bike is sold by different name SP 125 but I saw this video and can say this bike is exactly same as sp 125 but with slight changes in colour schemes. After all I owned one and now they have launched SP 160.Which I also bought past month. In India it is sold under SP and in foreign CBF 125. After all happy to see this bike with differnt look.
interesting that they sell it under a different name in India with different colour schemes. Maybe it is manufactured in India with the same specs. Mine was made in Italy. Thanks for your input. Have fun with it, it’s a great bike!
Also consider the low price that sp125 comes almost about 1000gbp,roughly 1.1 lcs in india.@@ontheroadagain333
if comes to the tires, changing the stock is a must!, Additionaly, I recommend the wider rear tyre , 100/80, for example conti street. It's different bike then, much better. Cheers.
I have a cb125r and did 1400 miles in the first 2 months and I love it. I'm a bit bigger so the stronger engine and higher seat is kinda helpful for me
To stiffen up the suspension Id put heavy duty fork oil in the front forks and tweak up; the back end by pre-loading the rear shocks to second below stiffest setting, plus, as you said, some good tyres, Michelins, Pirellis or even decent Dunlop's instead of standard gear.
Grerat review, cracking little bike.
We get ABS and a full enclosed chain guard in Australia…
And some people think Their 1000cc is High Mileage at 15,000 Miles 😂
My little 125 cc has 50,000 and is still rocking🤙🏻
In india this is named SP125 and it gives 70 kmpl. Thats why it sales figures also best.
I am thinking of buy one, thanks for sharing.
Hej! The CB125F has a decent front fender. And the fuel consumption is applaudably modest. Yes, it should have ABS. In the end, I decided not to get one because I do occasionally have to drive on the german motorway. 😕
Got a Honda Twister CB 300F Indian Version with all the drawbacks fixed ABS,TCS, Radial tyers and USD forks make it a best value for money bike In India it costs roughly 2000 pounds On Road inc of taxes
Super information thank you from germany best greetings Uwe
Kindly have a look at what we are getting in the name of CB125F in Pakistan, it's a completely different bike Honda selling in Pakistan
I had a testride on tue 2024 version and really liked it. However in the end i decided to go with a Ninja 650 but probably after a couple of months i will get this one too just for commuting and the fuel efficiency.
Wow, £ 2.799 is quite expensive. Here in Germany you can get this bike for € 2.640 (£ 2.211).
You can get these for £2549.
abs should be standard for a bike built to be used all year round
Thanks for the info. I am surprised how much the tyres cost.
This bike sales in india by Honda SP 125, I've own one and it coasts surprisingly lower @ 962.73 Pound or 1,157.00 Euro, here in india.
sounds pretty quiet too. i've been considering getting a 125 instead of driving. but i've been putting myself off the idea with all the scaremongering about noise. i have tinnitus and would rather it not get worse. but i think with this, and some ear plugs i might not have an issue. any information on the db noise?
You won't notice mechanical noise. Wind noise is worse, so as you suggest use ear plugs. Wear a quality full-face road helmet (dirt & open-face helmets are too noisy) and your tinnitus shouldn't be impacted.
Put 77k miles on an anf125. Valve adjustment and chain tightness can really affect performance
The XSR 125 is probably the best 125cc standard bike right now, but the CB125F is considerably cheaper.
Cb125f is Honda percent reliable
Thanks for the video. What are the two first letters of the VIN number on your UK model?
ZD, manufactured in Italy
@@ontheroadagain333 thanks I will check an Australian one, not sure if it’s India or China….
Pardon me for asking, but are the black rubber knee pads on each side of the tank a standard fitment ?
( By the way, the vast majority of the HONDA CB125F's for the European market (and export) are manufactured by 'HONDA Italia', here in Abruzzo ).
No these are aftermarket pads.
I think it’s great that they are manufactured in Italy and the first time I noticed it I was surprised in a good way!
The newer 2020+ models are manufactured in Italy. The older CB 125 F was made in China, so definitely an upgrade.
I wouldn't say I liked it I rode one doing the CBT and for me, it was far too light and rattly the build quality was ok but I would expect more from one of the big four that being said if you are going for a full license a CB125f is fine I would go with a Naked, Adventure or a Sports bike an LXR, Sym NHX or a Sinnis Terrain don't get a cruiser or a bobber the whole setup way different from what you will do the MOD 1 and 2 on a naked 650 I did it on a Z650 and had a Hyosung Gv125s bobber and it took a while to get used to the mid sports pegs.
Hi. What's the vibrations level on your machine? I just picked up from dealer a brand new unit. When i'm driving 37 mph on 4th gear the image on mirrors is blurred. The same is when increasing the rpm on neutral while the bike is stopped.
sounds like too much vibration.
On mine the mirror-image is not blurry
i got a new 2024 one in the new matt marvel blue colour, these bikes are awesome first bikes or city bikes
love the new blue colour. great choice!
125s seem huge in the UK compared to here new zealand most people will start on a 400 or 650 here, I guess its suitable for places like london etc, and im guessing its the laws. we can have certain 650s and 700s as learner we can have. one 250 bike that is banned for learners here is the honda nsr 250
You would probably be surprised how much fun it would be on NZ roads, perhaps not too much time on motorways
In my Country, we dont need motorbike license to ride up to 125cc
We can do it with car license
For summer we see these (and also scooters) zipping around 😁
That's the same in the UK, can ride 125cc up to 15bhp on car licence (just need L plates and CBT).
Wouldnt you recommend a higher windshield for this one ?
I wouldn’t because the (head)wind doesn’t bother me at these speeds and I prefer the unobstructed view but I guess that’s personal preference
What is the difference between the 125F and the 125E I have the E model
F= Fuel Injected
E= Carburettor
E uses about 0.6ltr more per 100km, but has more torque up the hill and is super easy to diy repair, alter and service.
This is SP125 in India.
anyone english in england anymore?
tyres are super expensive!
can i change the wheels for something bigger or wider? it would look quite ok, thin stock wheels are looking funny
Rodriguez Gary Jones Melissa Robinson Larry
can anybody tell me why people blur their speedometers? do you really think that police is watching on youtube for speeding? and even if they did, the speedometer is not a calibrated device that would hold up in court anyways...
come on service it yourself a lot of money spent for easy jobs
I hate this bike. Nothing is fun about this bike its frankly the most boring ride I'd had so far. Its dangerous in the wind and them tyres are shocking! I feel like they are floating on the road.
Yep, it's an ultralight bike, and you will feel all the wind.