Sportbike for beginners Honda cbr125r
Honda released the CBR125R for one reason and one reason only: it is a training bike for future athletes who plan to race big sportbikes in the future.
It is designed to be as nimble and agile as its larger brethren, but has a power unit suitable for novice pilots with driving category A1. The style and feel of a big bike is helping to train a new generation of knee-slapping riders, whether they'll be riding on the track or just want to look like a regular GCMG. Capacities up to 125 cc are the youngest segment of the motor market, but at the same time very important, since entry-level devices represent the first real opportunity to try yourself in a new role and build loyalty to a particular brand.
Let's see what the smallest Seaber looks like and what Honda has in store for the youngest riders.
Bike features
Here are the main features of the Honda CBR 125 R:
- light weight even for its class;
- maneuverability and speed inherent in a real sports bike;
- beautiful exterior, even if it cannot be called luxurious.
The motorcycle is good both for driving on the race track and for moving around the city. That is, even low speeds in tight spaces are given to him without problems. That is why for a beginner who appreciates just such bikes, the model is a real find.
Honda cbr125r design
The Honda CBR125R is a bonneted sportbike with a skin designed using a wind tunnel. The front fairing contains a trio of front lights - headlight and running lights - covered by a common transparent casing that reduces drag. Above the headlights there is a transparent visor that forms a small air pocket into which you need to duck as deeply as possible. And this is a normal position for learning to ride a training sportbike, because this is the position in which they ride on big sports bikes.
The clip-ons do their share of training by forcing the rider into a Superman pose, as do rear-mounted footpegs with foot controls. The price for such training is comfort, or rather, the lack of it at low speeds, when you want to take a more vertical position and give your neck a rest. In addition, the seating position is quite compact, that is, it does not imply the ability to move around the seat, so only fairly tall people with long arms can somehow raise the body and sit more vertically.
Sportbike for beginners Honda cbr125r
Below the headlight, the fairing transitions into a cup-shaped hood typical of sportbikes - an aerodynamic ventilated casing that removes excess heat from the sides of the motorcycle. The engine and parts of the spar frame can be seen through its small cutouts, but everything else is hidden by plastic. Folding footrests mounted on a subframe along with rear handles and a raised rear seat create a passenger package of comfort, no matter how minimal it may be. But this is not surprising: the Honda CBR125R is not at all the class of motorcycle from which you should expect passenger comfort.
The well-closed, raised muffler is angled at the same angle as the subframe, making the design look nicely seamless, at least when viewed from the right. The whole appearance of the Honda CBR125R conveys the idea that this is a real sportbike, not only having parallels in appearance with other CBRs, but also capable of competing with other supersports in the category up to 125 cc.
Dimensions and weight
The CBR 125 R is 1920 mm long, 675 mm wide and 1070 mm high. The wheelbase here is 1313 mm, and the seat height is 776 mm. With a weight of 127 kg and a tank volume of 10 liters, gasoline consumption of 3.21 liters per hundred is quite acceptable and will not cause any inconvenience when using the motorcycle.
Engine Honda CBR125R
The heart of the sportbike is a single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine, almost completely hidden under the skin. The bore is 58 mm and the stroke is 47.2 mm, giving a total volume of 124.7 cc. cm and compression ratio 11:1. At this compression ratio, the engine requires only high-octane fuel, and is slightly throttled to meet Category A1 power limits. The engine has two valves controlled by a single camshaft.
Engine power figures are 10.3 Nm at 8000 rpm and 13 hp. at 10000 rpm Torque is transmitted through a standard clutch and six-speed transmission before being sent to the rear wheel via a chain drive. The expected maximum speed of the motorcycle is 147 km/h, which is extremely high for riding on public roads, but acceleration from the start and in top gear will be at least mediocre.
Of course, this is not the engine that will teach you everything, but again, that’s not what the motorcycle is for. It gives everything you expect from a training eight-wheeler, and even more - its maximum speed is old enough for a first motorcycle.
The model is available in Asteroid Black Metallic and racing Nitric Orange “Repsol” colors.
Chassis and brakes
The frame here is tubular and made of steel. Thanks to the spectacular steering wheel and alloy wheels, the exterior looks impressive. This is also facilitated by the sharp, sporty body shape. It is immediately clear for what purposes the model was designed.
The pendulum rear suspension with a monoshock absorber is combined with a 31 mm telescopic front fork. I must say that the suspension is quite stiff, but within the class this is even good. The motorcycle is braked by a 220 mm rear disc with a single-piston caliper, as well as a 276 mm front disc with a two-piston caliper.
Honda CBR125R chassis
The sportbike's frame is mostly hidden under plastic, but a small section of the twin-spar frame is visible through the fairing cutouts. Aluminum was chosen as the frame material, thanks to which the motorcycle weighs 137 kg, making it extremely nimble and easy to control.
The 12.8-litre fuel tank is where you'd expect it to be, but the weight has minimal impact on the bike's nimble nature and quick turn-in. Yes, it is somewhat fussy and light, and because of this it is easily moved by crosswinds or turbulence from large vehicles passing nearby, but this is the usual price for light weight and a short wheelbase.
By the way, about the wheels: they are 17-inch, the front is shod with 100/80, and the rear with 130/70, and the fact that the tread reaches almost to the rims can tell a lot to an understanding person about how well this motorcycle handles. The headset angle is unusually wide for a sportbike - 35 degrees from vertical, but the trail angle is only 90 mm. Unusual steering geometry, but quite functional.
The braking system of the Honda CBR125R consists of a single 276mm disc at the front supported by a two-piston caliper and a single piston caliper with a 220mm disc at the rear, both without ABS or any combination brake technology. This, of course, affects safety, but do not forget that this is a training model that allows beginners to feel the feedback of the braking system and develop the skill of driving without electronic bells and whistles. Subsequently, those who wish will be able to successfully lose their acquired skills on more equipped devices.
The conventional fork without adjustments has 12 cm of travel, and the rear suspension has 12.4 cm of travel. The complete absence of any suspension settings is typical for motorcycles in this category.
Advantages and disadvantages
As you would expect from a model with a 2T engine, it has many features in the fuel system. But the cross-country class and timely maintenance level them out.
- the reliable engine gave some of the more modern 4-stroke engines a run for their money;
- oil consumption is a common feature of 2t, since oil must be added at each refueling;
- sports suspension from Kayaba;
Adjustable upside-down fork.
Fully adjustable monoshock.
- simple maintenance;
- lack of a PTS and interest from the police if the pilot dares to go to additional traffic stops;
- the cost is comparable to the price of its older sister - in many ways this is what influenced the fact that the CR250 was bought more often;
Users noted that the bike handles perfectly, regardless of the quality of the surface on which you have to move - be it asphalt or off-road.
Brief history of the model
- 2004 - start of production and sales. First generation
.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia).
Model code
: CBR125R4.
- 2005 - no significant changes.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia).
Model code
: CBR125R5, CBR125RW5, CBR125RS5.
- 2006 - no significant changes.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia).
Model code
: CBR125RW6, CBR125RS6.
- 2007 - restyling of the model. Second generation
. The model receives a new appearance, injector and engine updates to meet the new Euro-3 standards.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Australia).
Model code
: CBR125RW7.
- 2008 - no significant changes.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia, Australia).
Model code
: CBR125RW8.
- 2009 - no significant changes.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Australia).
Model code
: CBR125RW9.
- 2010 - no significant changes.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia, Australia).
Model code
: CBR125RWA.
- 2011 - restyling of the model. Third generation
. The model receives a new appearance, wider wheels, an enlarged fuel tank (from 10 to 13 l), and other weight and dimensions parameters.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia, Australia).
Model code
: CBR125RWB.
- 2012 - no significant changes.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia, Australia).
Model code
: CBR125RC, CBR125RTC, CBR125RSC.
- 2013 - no significant changes.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia, Australia).
Model code
: CBR125RD, CBR125RTD, CBR125RSD.
- 2014 - no significant changes.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia, Australia).
Model code
: CBR125RE, CBR125RTE.
- 2015 is the final year of production for Europe and Australia.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Europe, Asia, Australia).
Model code
: CBR125RF, CBR125RTF, CBR125RSF.
- 2016 - the model is produced only for some Asian countries.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Asia).
Model code
: CBR125RG, CBR125RTG.
- 2017 is the final production year.
Model
: Honda CBR125R (Asia).
Model code
: CBR125RH.
Modifications
The model has no official modifications.
But many people called the older sister - 250 cubes - such a modification . As mentioned, the history of bikes has been the same, so why not consider modifications? But the buyers did not agree. The fearful one was in great demand.
and competitors
Suzuki RM 125.
Kawasaki KX 125.
Yamaha YZ 125.
The racing segment is a very tasty morsel, so competitors did not want to leave the entire “pie” to Honda, presenting their own modifications.
- Suzuki offered the RM 125 . However, according to an incomprehensible idea from marketers, all products were sold only to the USA. Therefore, it did not receive much of an advantage in global sales.
- Kawasaki has revealed its answer - the KX125 . He did not do any special positioning by country, but the motorcycles were sent to Europe and America, North and South.
- Yamaha has released the YZ 125 . But she took into account the mistakes of the “yellows”, and having started sales in the USA, she gradually covered all other world markets. In addition, it did not curtail production and the brand new YZ 125 can be bought even in 2019 .
