Honda CB125X: Is the pint-sized ADV bike about to enter production?
Remember the CB125X concept bike we showed you back in November? An interesting idea, sure, but not ready for actual production, right?
Well, Honda has gone to the trouble of trademarking its design in the EU, which might, might mean we’ll see it on showroom floors.
The ability to run search bots has given motojournos unprecedented access to government copyright and patent filings, and emissions documents, and means we often get sneak peeks into manufacturer plans months before official releases. However, when a manufacturer files a patent or copyright, that’s no guarantee of production. Some machines we’ve waited on for years (Suzuki Recursion being a great example) just never make it the assembly line.
Still, it’s interesting to see Big Red nailing down its rights to the CB125X design.
As we told you last fall, this machine is based on the CBR125R sportbike, with the same basic engine and frame. Peak output is probably around 13 hp, and while it won’t be heavy, those entry-level sportbikes aren’t known for being abnormally light either, as the high-tech components that keep weight down are expensive, and these machines are always built to a budget.
Suspension would certainly be limited, due to the bike’s position in the market. If it’s aimed at beginners (highly likely), those riders aren’t interested in paying for high-end forks and shocks, and aren’t really aware of a difference, at that point in their career.
One thing the CB125X would have nailed is fuel range, if that tank has as much capacity as it looks. The weedeater-size engines in these bikes get incredible fuel economy, and if you pair that with a reasonably-sized tank, you get a machine that can go a long, long way between refuels.
Would the CB125X come to North America? Look at it this way: We still haven’t seen the X-ADV adventure scooter show up here, and it’s far more suitable to our market. However, if the CB125X does make production, we’d guess it will be a modest hit in any country where a 125 is considered a useful motorcycle.
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