Honda CB125E

It's finally time for a belated set of impressions I've wanted to write for a while but haven't managed to find the time for. The motorcycle in question is Honda's new commuter, the CB125E. Immediately appealing to a naked-bike fan like me, it looks rather like Honda's answer to the YBR125. Of the black, red and white CB125Es on offer, the white one is my favourite. I have to say I found it attractive, with its twin rear shocks with red coil springs, useful rear rack, lockable side compartment and tidy instrument panel.

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Put simply, I'd call it a naked version of the CBF150. Mind you, Honda keeps calling all its half-faired motorcycles naked bikes. To the rest of the world, the CBF150 is half-faired and the CB125E is a naked bike. In other words, its headlight turns with the handlebar.

It's easy and gentle to ride, the sort of bike that actually makes you smile. Admittedly, I tried to be kind to it because it was still being run in. Overall, performance is similar to the CBF150, perhaps a little less powerful. It reaches speeds around 80km/h easily and will go faster, but don't expect 120km/h or more; even if it could reach that, other equipment such as the brakes would fall short, just as on the CBF150. I think it's a great beginner's or city bike. Did I mention I liked the white one?

There is a gear indicator hidden in the instrument panel that you can't make out in the photo. The gears and a couple of other pieces of information appear in red in the black area below the Honda logo. Honda still sees a rev counter as a luxury and has left it off this model too; shame on them. :P There is another lock that closes off the ignition keyhole to keep dirt out, opened and closed with the protrusion on the back of the key; perhaps it was designed as an extra security feature.

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The centre stand, fitted as standard, is another thing that made me smile. After buying the bike, you might add a crash bar, and I don't think it would be missing anything else. The pieces below the sides of the tank, which look like air vents, give it a sporty touch and also conceal the horn. The fuel tap is a little tucked away, but I think it has a retro look.

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The tyre choice isn't great again, though better than the Duros. They're still nylon tyres; you need to be careful on wet surfaces.

Some technical information:
Engine
Displacement: 124.1cc
Type: Air-cooled, four-stroke single-cylinder
Bore & Stroke: 56.5 x 49.5mm
Compression Ratio: 9.0 : 1
Power: ~8kW/8000rpm (~11hp)
Torque: 11Nm/6250rpm
Starter: Electric
Carburettor: 24mm constant-flow
Ignition: AC-CDI
Gearbox: 5-speed
Final drive: 428 chain

Chassis
Dimensions: 2026mm x 765mm x 1094mm
Wheelbase: 1,286mm
Seat height: 767mm
Ground clearance: 145mm
Fuel Tank: 14.0 litres (2.0 litre reserve)
Weight: 124kg

Tyres
Front: 80/100 – 18"
Rear: 90/90 – 18"

Suspension
Front: Telescopic, 118mm travel
Rear: Twin-sided swingarm, 70mm travel

Brakes
Front: Hydraulic single 220m disc, twin-piston caliper.
Rear: 130mm drum

To sum up, it's an easy-to-ride, balanced and fun city motorcycle that meets Euro3 standards and is approved as a learner bike abroad, even if not here in our country. Can you take it on long trips? Of course you can, but there are motorcycles better suited to
long-distance riding. Nothing bothered me during the time I rode it. All right, I'll be honest: I did find myself wishing for another ten horsepower, but then perhaps it would lose its character as the fuel-sipping beginner's bike it is now.

Having spent a lot of time with 125–150cc motorcycles lately, I'd especially like to add that the quality of this bike is quite high. Although it makes you think the price could have been lower, 3.650TL on the road seems
reasonable by our country's standards. In my opinion, it's a better-quality, sturdier motorcycle than rivals such as the Yamaha YBR125 (4.250) and TVS Apache RTR 150 (4.150).

Some people complain about vibration. It didn't bother me during the test, perhaps because I was riding the Monster a lot around that time. It's worth remembering that it has a single-cylinder engine, and if vibration bothers us, first checking whether we're gripping the handlebar too tightly. :)

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Thank you to Ömre for letting me ride his motorcycle and making these impressions possible.