Honda CBR 125R

[Jim]

Since the CBR 125r came out I always thought it looked like a good idea, for in town, or for a beginner bike... It's sharp looking, and should do well in an urban environment... With an msrp of $3500(Canadian) new, and people buying it as a learner bike, rather then an in town commuter, you should be able to pick up a used one fairly cheap. It has a liquid cooled, fuel injected, balanced engine, with a 6 speed transmission. Insurance should be reasonable as well as fuel consumption...

Honda Canada - CBR 125R

cbr125.jpg

It's light. It's nimble. It costs only a few loonies to run. Hey, it's even easy on the environment! Say hello to the Honda CBR125R, the fun and friendly sportbike that makes it super simple to enjoy all the cool things about motorcycling. You can't miss the exotic styling — from the sleek fairing with twin cat's-eye headlights to the race-style cast wheels, it's pure eye candy. And what's underneath the sweet exterior is just as exciting. The CBR125R includes all the features you're looking for in your first bike or your next bike, all combined in an amazingly light and compact package.

[az200cc]

About 77'ish mph top speed is pretty damn good for that size , Doubt I'll ever see one in the US, Ninja's rule the entry market here. And do a good job of it..Wonder why Honda went smaller....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4dhIaMY2Pw

[Jim]

I don't know, but from what I've found, the bike makes 13hp, which puts it about even with a Chinese 200 doesn't it? They seem like a popular little bike... The campaign they had for them here was with the "go" package if i remember right, new joe rocket gear, the bike, extended warranty and so on, for a great entry price (before all the add on fees)... I don't think I'd buy one new, but once they come down a little more I might be interested.... It would work as a good replacement for my Lifan for in town commuting... Except It would look goofy with the trunk on the rear, and parts are likely more... I don't know about the USA market, they were just introduced here a couple of years ago (2007 I believe?), I think they were available elsewhere before that though.

The Ninja is good too, and nice that they finally gave it a style update.

Ah yes, here it is, the go package

[az200cc]

Yup the RR model is slick, They kept the same style for years and it is was dated. I watched a couple Vids and the Honda came with a starter package of a jacket and helmet and misc gear.....They are really going after the first time rider.



Man it is good to talk about JUST bikes in general.

[Jim]

They are really going after the first time rider.

Yeah I think that was the plan, I wonder if they worked with any riding schools too, these would be good bikes for them, and add sales for Honda... I figure since they are going after new riders, that these things will change hands, and each time that happens, drop in price... So I should be able to find one under $2000 (Canadian) before too long I would think, I've seen them down as far as $2200... Most of the ads even say never dropped... I guess the bike being so light helps... After that, I suppose as a training bike the next concern would probably be the clutch? I wonder what those go for from Honda...

Man it is good to talk about JUST bikes in general.

[Guest]

Wow, that is a very nice looking little motorcycle! I would be very tempted to pick up a good, used model of this motorcycle, if the price was right.

Spud

[Jim]

Hey Spud, welcome aboard

Someone on the local craigslist just pointed out to someone selling a used one, that there is a local dealer selling brand new (last season model) for $2599 Canadian... With warranty and everything brand new... That's a bargain, and really should help with the used bike prices..

http://www.cartermotorsports.com/index.html

I've emailed someone with a used one though, who was looking for $2800 or trade for a dual sport or super moto, so I sent him an email to see if he may be interested in my Lifan... My Lifan is a good bike too, so we'll see... Kind of would hate to see it go though, likely he will tell me that it's Chinese so it must be rubbish and I won't have to worry about that though...

Edit: He replied, not interested, but he was nice about

Oh well, with NEW ones at $2599, it shouldn't be too long before these things come down some more in used prices...

These bikes are relatively new to Canada, and most of the owners I bet new to motorcycles... I think a lot of the resale price has to do with the fact that these bikes were initially in demand, and not so easy to come by... So basically the seller set their terms... What they fail to realize is these are typically starter bikes, so a low mileage used one is not going to be hard to come by, in fact it is pretty darn easy already... The prices have come down a bit, but not to a reasonable point (in my opinion). If you check out the http://www.cbr125r.ca a lot of these people in the classifieds section, in my opinion are way off on their asking price, then again, if they manage to sell them there, then I guess I am the one who is wrong. These bikes will change hands quite a lot, and with each new owner you would expect the price to drop... We will wait and see... One down side I see, if I replace my Lifan with one of these for a cheap commuter, is that in comparison the maintenance costs with the Honda will be huge! (funny thing to think of when talking about a Chinese bike).

[SpudRider]

Hey Spud, welcome aboard

...there is a local dealer selling brand new (last season model) for $2599 Canadian... With warranty and everything brand new... That's a bargain, and really should help with the used bike prices...

http://www.cartermotorsports.com/index.html

Thanks for the welcome, Jim.

The CBR 125R is a very nice motorcycle for $2,599 Canadian dollars. I just went to a currency converter web site, and $2,599 Canadian dollars is currently equivalent to 2,047.19 U.S. Dollars! It is really too bad that this motorcycle is not available in The United States; I would jump to get one at this price.

I found the following CBR 125R review very interesting:

http://www.beginnermotorcyclereviews.com/honda-cbr125r/

In this review they state that the Honda CBR 125R "will cruise all day long at 100 km/h...and while you’re cruising along you’ll be enjoying 94 mpg!" With the fuel injection and water cooled engine, this is a beautiful little motorcycle.

As you know, I am pleased to own a Chinese dual sport motorcycle, the Zongshen Sierra 200GY-2. I like my chinabike very much, and I consider it an excellent value. However, the Honda CBR 125R will outperform the average 200cc Chinese motorcycle while it gets even better gas mileage! I am sure that the fit and finish on the Honda motorcycle is superb, and getting spare parts for a Honda will never be a problem. Also, the CBR 125R will surely retain a good resale value. This bike is a superb value at a cost of $2,047 USD (United States Dollars).

Spud

[Jim]

Keep in mind, that was the clearance price for 2007 models left over into 2009... What is the hp rating on a Lifan 200, I think I read 16hp on American Lifan's website, so, I suppose the CBR125 has a few less, I think I read it has 13hp? Either way though, still not bad, and the CBR is a 6 speed which is nice... These would also make great bikes for riding schools. I wonder if Honda has plans to bring this to the USA...

[SpudRider]

About 77'ish mph top speed is pretty damn good for that size , Doubt I'll ever see one in the US, Ninja's rule the entry market here. And do a good job of it..Wonder why Honda went smaller....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4dhIaMY2Pw

Keep in mind, that was the clearance price for 2007 models left over into 2009... What is the hp rating on a Lifan 200, I think I read 16hp on American Lifan's website, so, I suppose the CBR125 has a few less, I think I read it has 13hp? Either way though, still not bad, and the CBR is a 6 speed which is nice... These would also make great bikes for riding schools. I wonder if Honda has plans to bring this to the USA...

I suspect that AZ (AZ200cc) was correct. If appears that Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha are content to let the Kawasaki Ninja 250R dominate the entry level market in The United States.

Spud