Thanks for your views and opinions, but the Monkey is to me " way cooler " than the others and I'm willing to put up with it's short comings as it's my only bike! I LOVE IT! Stay safe and good luck with your future adventures and thanks for your info over the years!
The monkey is certainly cool, no doubt! I think I put it through enough off road hell to satisfy my experiment on whether it can do it or not. I know it can do it all, but this trip showed me I (myself) can’t do it all on a monkey! Lol
You’re right, the Monkey isn’t “made for it” and just because it’s capable doesn’t make it the vehicle of choice by any means. The money that people put in them to make them “slightly more capable” I’m not sure is worth it. It’s really just torturing the little thing. I feel like if the CT125 or Dax had a manual clutch, they’d be a lot better. Especially if they’d put some more aggressive tires on it and a better rear shock. I fish with mine and have it set up to carry my equipment. I ride gravel roads, trails, through grass, leaves, and intend to do a lot more. But, it’s all I have. 😂 Love your videos Brother!!
Good points, I agree that you’re only able to make them “a little more capable” based on their suspension and wheels being the limiting factors. For me it was mostly just having fun with it and trying to see if it really was a true throwback to the old Honda Trail bikes such as the Z50’s and Trail 70. While I proved “it can”, it probably shouldn’t. Lol! The Trail 125 is more capable, and some knobbies would really make it more confident on the low grip stuff. I agree a manual clutch would make that bike more fun and easier in the technical stuff
Great vid, was quite a ways down the path to decking out a Grom for the same thing but ended up coming to pull the pin on it. All for the same reasons you outline with the Monkey, they absolutely shine for around town, but struggle off road. Then when pushed off road they start breaking and falling apart. Instead am switching to a XRM125 farm, which is a Honda trail with more travel in the suspension, better mud ģuards and a slightly higher air intake. All round better suited to off road and cheaper to buy than the Trail.
I had to google the XRM125 Farm, and wow! That bikes looks fun! I wish our Trail 125 had those knobbies on it! www.hondamotorbikes.co.nz/farm-off-road-bike/xrm125
Glad to hear your keeping the monkey. But agree, I have mine done up pretty much the same and it’s great for just zipping around the yard, dirt roads, or a quick run into town. I go through bikes like crazy, but think I will always keep this bike. I had two of the z50 as a kid so there’s the whole nostalgia thing going on. I take the bigger bikes out when I want a serious ride. All that said…the monkey always puts a smile on my face when I go for ride. PS…Where did you get that handle bar bag?
You’re story is very similar to mine. I bought this bike for nostalgia and wanted to see if it could be a semi-trail bike like the Z50’s and Trail 70’s, but it’s just not meant for it. Dirt roads, backyards, and quick neighborhood jaunts are its habitat. The bar bag is from Thrill Seekers, and they come out with new colors all the time. It’s super handy and I have them on all my bikes: thrillseekers.com/collections/accessories/bags
That is great that you can ride the snowmobile trails in the summer. Up here in Vermont they gate off all the entrances and exits. Trying to change that with our local conservation commission. Thanks for the info!
The CT125 is WAY over-rated as a "trail" bike. Narrow tires don't have as much traction as Mobbers on the Monkey/Grom. Plus, the Monkey/Grom have TUBELESS tires! The 4-speed transmission on the CT125 is just not great offroad OR on the highway. The worst thing about the CT125 is the seating position which is designed for a tiny Asian rider. Either the Monkey or Grom is more comfortable.
@@thegreatoutthere So you are saying that a small-diameter wheel is better than a larger one off-road? Please don't take my comment as an offence but I see a huge difference when going off-road with for example big full-size offroad wheels and with a motorcycle with an 18-inch front and rear, so it's hard to believe that the monkey is a much better off-roader than the CT-125. If Only I can test them Both.
If you have reached the point that doing the trails at the pace that suites the Monkey is no longer fun for you it is time to move on and go bigger. Small bore mini's are great for exploring at a slow pace designed to fit within the perimeters of their suspensions and power output. Also they are easy to transport in the back of a van or on a hitch carrier but they are not for blasting through the rougher trails like a larger bike with a better suspension.
I’m looking for a low pace adv bike myself(this will be my only bike), in which way is the Grom more suitable for the trails you ride compared to the monkey? I plan to go on smoother gravel roads than the rocky trails you ride. Here in Sweden I can’t get a Trail 125, but the XR125L is available - I’d like to try efi though which seems more trouble free. Thank you for the great content!
For the cost of upgrading a Grom or Monkey to do adventure riding, I’d strongly recommend either the new XR125L or even the CRF300L. The 300 will have so much more torque and make the ride more fun, and comfortable as well with bigger and better suspension. If I were you, I’d go CRF300L! I consider Hondas mini-moto line to be more novelty and “scooter-ish” better suited to inner city or slow backroads. Any gravel or dirt, and you’ll want a proper dual-sport to have the confidence when you leave the pavement
Pretty funny. I have a Triumph 900 SS that I've done some crazy trails with as well. Same thing. Neither the Monkey (which I also have) does this well, nor the big Triumph. It may mean getting something like a KTM, to ride deep and fast.
Will say however, having been stuck in precarious situations in the back country…I’d rather be stuck with the light Monkey as opposed to the 425 pound gorilla Triumph!
Get on that thing John! (Or are you tired from riding all week? lol) 2nd gear through that and wring that throttled out like a dish rag! Wanna buy mine? Mint. lol. Hey, why didn’t you put some aftermarket pegs on it? Odd question, I’m going through mine as we speak, how is Honda with greasing the steering head bearings from the factory? My brand new (at the time) WR250R steering head bearings were 95% dry! Should I go through them? 2500 (easy) miles. Also, I want to update my clutch, and would like to buy the whole package or ‘kit’ together from the same store. Any suggestions? Thank you so much. And don’t get rid of the Monkey, park it for a while, your love for it will come back in time. You’re just living on it now. How many (easy) miles do you have on yours? lol Mike
Such a shame to hear this, I just got my Honda Monkey 2 days ago and am planning to on light off road with friends that are getting CTs imported (we don't get them in UK) I guess this video came out a bit late for me, but atm I love it anyway, we'll see how it goes, I've just got rid of my 900 ninja to get some small bore fun..👍
Don’t be discouraged against light off-roading your new monkey! It’s totally possible, but when the going gets rough, you’ll find the limits quickly because of body fatigue, not bike fatigue. I was on the path to a bigger bike anyways so I could go in a different direction (upcoming videos will highlight this), so my mind was kinda made up to go bigger for a while. I have put this bike through it’s paces though, so don’t be afraid to do the same!
The CT125 is WAY over-rated as a "trail" bike. Narrow tires don't have as much traction as Mobbers on the Monkey/Grom. Plus, the Monkey/Grom have TUBELESS tires! The 4-speed transmission on the CT125 is just not great offroad OR on the highway. The worst thing about the CT125 is the seating position which is designed for a tiny Asian rider. Either the Monkey or Grom is more comfortable. A TT250 dual sport costs HALF as much and has more capabilities.
interesting point, but the kind of riding I wanted to do was way more than the Monkey should be doing. I do agree though that it's fun to challenge yourself to tackle terrain on something that's not designed for it!
Thanks for your views and opinions, but the Monkey is to me " way cooler " than the others and I'm willing to put up with it's short comings as it's my only bike! I LOVE IT!
Stay safe and good luck with your future adventures and
thanks for your info over the years!
The monkey is certainly cool, no doubt! I think I put it through enough off road hell to satisfy my experiment on whether it can do it or not. I know it can do it all, but this trip showed me I (myself) can’t do it all on a monkey! Lol
You’re right, the Monkey isn’t “made for it” and just because it’s capable doesn’t make it the vehicle of choice by any means.
The money that people put in them to make them “slightly more capable” I’m not sure is worth it. It’s really just torturing the little thing.
I feel like if the CT125 or Dax had a manual clutch, they’d be a lot better. Especially if they’d put some more aggressive tires on it and a better rear shock.
I fish with mine and have it set up to carry my equipment. I ride gravel roads, trails, through grass, leaves, and intend to do a lot more. But, it’s all I have. 😂
Love your videos Brother!!
Good points, I agree that you’re only able to make them “a little more capable” based on their suspension and wheels being the limiting factors. For me it was mostly just having fun with it and trying to see if it really was a true throwback to the old Honda Trail bikes such as the Z50’s and Trail 70. While I proved “it can”, it probably shouldn’t. Lol! The Trail 125 is more capable, and some knobbies would really make it more confident on the low grip stuff. I agree a manual clutch would make that bike more fun and easier in the technical stuff
Great vid, was quite a ways down the path to decking out a Grom for the same thing but ended up coming to pull the pin on it. All for the same reasons you outline with the Monkey, they absolutely shine for around town, but struggle off road. Then when pushed off road they start breaking and falling apart.
Instead am switching to a XRM125 farm, which is a Honda trail with more travel in the suspension, better mud ģuards and a slightly higher air intake. All round better suited to off road and cheaper to buy than the Trail.
I had to google the XRM125 Farm, and wow! That bikes looks fun! I wish our Trail 125 had those knobbies on it!
www.hondamotorbikes.co.nz/farm-off-road-bike/xrm125
Glad to hear your keeping the monkey. But agree, I have mine done up pretty much the same and it’s great for just zipping around the yard, dirt roads, or a quick run into town. I go through bikes like crazy, but think I will always keep this bike. I had two of the z50 as a kid so there’s the whole nostalgia thing going on. I take the bigger bikes out when I want a serious ride. All that said…the monkey always puts a smile on my face when I go for ride. PS…Where did you get that handle bar bag?
You’re story is very similar to mine. I bought this bike for nostalgia and wanted to see if it could be a semi-trail bike like the Z50’s and Trail 70’s, but it’s just not meant for it. Dirt roads, backyards, and quick neighborhood jaunts are its habitat. The bar bag is from Thrill Seekers, and they come out with new colors all the time. It’s super handy and I have them on all my bikes:
thrillseekers.com/collections/accessories/bags
That is great that you can ride the snowmobile trails in the summer. Up here in Vermont they gate off all the entrances and exits. Trying to change that with our local conservation commission. Thanks for the info!
With all the Videos that I saw about the Honda Monkey going off-road, I'm really confused as to why the CT125 it's not more Popular.
The CT125 is WAY over-rated as a "trail" bike. Narrow tires don't have as much traction as Mobbers on the Monkey/Grom. Plus, the Monkey/Grom have TUBELESS tires! The 4-speed transmission on the CT125 is just not great offroad OR on the highway. The worst thing about the CT125 is the seating position which is designed for a tiny Asian rider. Either the Monkey or Grom is more comfortable.
@@thegreatoutthere So you are saying that a small-diameter wheel is better than a larger one off-road? Please don't take my comment as an offence but I see a huge difference when going off-road with for example big full-size offroad wheels and with a motorcycle with an 18-inch front and rear, so it's hard to believe that the monkey is a much better off-roader than the CT-125. If Only I can test them Both.
If you have reached the point that doing the trails at the pace that suites the Monkey is no longer fun for you it is time to move on and go bigger.
Small bore mini's are great for exploring at a slow pace designed to fit within the perimeters of their suspensions and power output.
Also they are easy to transport in the back of a van or on a hitch carrier but they are not for blasting through the rougher trails like a larger bike with a better suspension.
1000% correct on this! Keep an eye on my upcoming videos to see where my thoughts in these videos take me (hint: I do go bigger 😁)
I just bought a Honda XR 150 L
A little bigger and big wheels it’s great!
That bike would be great on these trails, and at a very reasonable price point. Nice move by Honda
I’m looking for a low pace adv bike myself(this will be my only bike), in which way is the Grom more suitable for the trails you ride compared to the monkey? I plan to go on smoother gravel roads than the rocky trails you ride. Here in Sweden I can’t get a Trail 125, but the XR125L is available - I’d like to try efi though which seems more trouble free. Thank you for the great content!
For the cost of upgrading a Grom or Monkey to do adventure riding, I’d strongly recommend either the new XR125L or even the CRF300L. The 300 will have so much more torque and make the ride more fun, and comfortable as well with bigger and better suspension. If I were you, I’d go CRF300L! I consider Hondas mini-moto line to be more novelty and “scooter-ish” better suited to inner city or slow backroads. Any gravel or dirt, and you’ll want a proper dual-sport to have the confidence when you leave the pavement
Pretty funny. I have a Triumph 900 SS that I've done some crazy trails with as well. Same thing. Neither the Monkey (which I also have) does this well, nor the big Triumph. It may mean getting something like a KTM, to ride deep and fast.
Exactly. While they “can do it”, it’s definitely using the wrong tool for the job
Will say however, having been stuck in precarious situations in the back country…I’d rather be stuck with the light Monkey as opposed to the 425 pound gorilla Triumph!
Get on that thing John! (Or are you tired from riding all week? lol) 2nd gear through that and wring that throttled out like a dish rag!
Wanna buy mine? Mint. lol.
Hey, why didn’t you put some aftermarket pegs on it?
Odd question, I’m going through mine as we speak, how is Honda with greasing the steering head bearings from the factory?
My brand new (at the time) WR250R steering head bearings were 95% dry!
Should I go through them? 2500 (easy) miles.
Also, I want to update my clutch, and would like to buy the whole package or ‘kit’ together from the same store. Any suggestions?
Thank you so much.
And don’t get rid of the Monkey, park it for a while, your love for it will come back in time. You’re just living on it now. How many (easy) miles do you have on yours? lol
Mike
Such a shame to hear this, I just got my Honda Monkey 2 days ago and am planning to on light off road with friends that are getting CTs imported (we don't get them in UK) I guess this video came out a bit late for me, but atm I love it anyway, we'll see how it goes, I've just got rid of my 900 ninja to get some small bore fun..👍
Don’t be discouraged against light off-roading your new monkey! It’s totally possible, but when the going gets rough, you’ll find the limits quickly because of body fatigue, not bike fatigue. I was on the path to a bigger bike anyways so I could go in a different direction (upcoming videos will highlight this), so my mind was kinda made up to go bigger for a while. I have put this bike through it’s paces though, so don’t be afraid to do the same!
The CT125 is WAY over-rated as a "trail" bike. Narrow tires don't have as much traction as Mobbers on the Monkey/Grom. Plus, the Monkey/Grom have TUBELESS tires! The 4-speed transmission on the CT125 is just not great offroad OR on the highway. The worst thing about the CT125 is the seating position which is designed for a tiny Asian rider. Either the Monkey or Grom is more comfortable. A TT250 dual sport costs HALF as much and has more capabilities.
Get a good bike for that kind of riding and it will be very boring.
interesting point, but the kind of riding I wanted to do was way more than the Monkey should be doing. I do agree though that it's fun to challenge yourself to tackle terrain on something that's not designed for it!