Honda CB125 Twin by Last Century Bikes

Honda CB125 Twin

The Honda CB125 Twin was introducing during a time when manufacturers were battling on the showroom floor with small displacement bikes. However, as standard engine sizes became larger and larger, many of the competing machines died away until the CB125 was one of the few 125cc motorcycles available…all the way into the eighties. These were handsome little machines with surprising pep from their eighth-liter engines, reportedly capable of hitting 88 mph!

Honda CB125 Twin

Enter Felix Kuhn of Switzerland’s Last Century Bikes, who found this CB125 disassembled in boxes, taken out of service in 1978. He set about restoring the bike to its original glory. While we mainly focus on modified bikes, this CB125 was just too cool to pass up.

1970 Honda CB125:  In the Builder’s Words

Honda CB125 Twin

Taken out of service 39 years ago and packed in boxes. As a successor to the Honda CB92, the CB125 came on the market sharing many components with the CB93 race machine and larger CB160. Steel tube frame, a new chassis and telescopic fork were the most noticeable innovations. The plus-points list of the machine sounded tempting:

  • electric start (6 volts!)
  • 15 hp at 11,000 rpm
  • two-cylinder
  • duplex frontbrake
  • two-color paint

Why the machine was taken out of service in 1978, after 8 years of operation with 37tkm, can only be guessed. In addition to some rust, the crankshaft bearings were worn and the valve guides were derailed.

Honda CB125 Twin

The small CB was then disassembled and packed in boxes, the frame was sandblasted and painted. Then probably many, many years nothing happened, except that the boxes full of parts changed the owner.

Honda CB125 Twin

Then the Honda was with two mechanics, who were perhaps afraid of the challenge in the form of boxes full of items. Anyway, the owner picked up the parts collection after a while because nothing happened.

Honda CB125 Twin

So the jigsaw of the Japanese lady ended up with me last year. The owner had read an article about me, packed all the items in his car and brought everything to me. I received the order to rebuild the machine.

Honda CB125 Twin

This was a wonderful job for me. Part by part was put in order and mounted in its intended location. The cylinder head was completely revised, the cylinders honed for rust damage.

Honda CB125 Twin

The spare parts are extremely scarce — for example, a new (almost) matching fuel cock from an old warehouse in China had to be bought.

Honda CB125 Twin

The Honda runs wonderful and screams when needed, the 15PS aria and over 11,000 revolutions in a handling of a moped.

Honda CB125 Twin

The Technical Approval (MFK) as a veteran was not a problem, which is clear when you have seen the Honda.

Honda CB125 TwinHonda CB125 Twin

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12 Comments

  1. I wonder how Honda got 88 mph out of that 125, when neither my 250 Honda Rebel nor my 250 Honda Helix will go that fast (safely)!

    Enjoying smaller engined motorcycles and scooters as I do, that is one Honda I would love to own.

  2. Victor Hawkins

    That is one of the sharpest, coolest looking rides I’ve seen in a while! Bravo to the builder…and to the owner for finding him!

  3. Grand achievement! Back in 1970 her sister, CB250 twin, was my second bike. Small yet great, too!

  4. Muhammad hasrul

    Berapa harga honda cb 125 twin?

  5. cocotillo

    The reportedly capable of hitting 88 mph! ( is a Lie ! ) ,Countless times I raced against the Honda CB-125 that my friend owned ( I had a 1969 Yamaha YA7 125cc.) Right From the start Imy Yamaha was “always” two bikes ahead of him, and was until fourth gear that he start to catch up with me , side by side we never went over 67 MPH. and that was at sea level

  6. cocotillo

    And Here is to Prove my point :
    Honda CB125 Gallery. Manufactured by Honda from 1971-1975. It features an overhead camshaft (OHC) engine with a 9500 rpm redline and offers 100 mpg, quite astonishing for its period. It could comfortably maintain speeds of 55 mph and had a top speed of around 65 mph.

    • Keep in mind that this is the vertical twin with twin carbs unlike the US model with single carb and slanted forward cylinders. This one rated at 2 more horsepower.

  7. 88 mph on a stock CB125 isn’t possible, but if you read the article, it states that the cylinder head was revised.It could have a higher compression than the stock bike, it could have been ported, it could have been bored out a bit. With all of this, and the careful tuning I assume that was done to this particular bike, you’re out of line, Cocotillo to automatically call foul. This isn’t your CB125, it’s a rebuilt one, and you should know that CB125s that compete in vintage racing, that have been hopped up can go faster than stock bikes.

  8. AndreMahardi

    Cb 125 is joy to ride, had really nice sound , but it had drawback , from what ive experience he just have hard time to pick up speed when in low rpm enggine, but overall awesome bike and i love to ride it

  9. Simon Farmer

    I have just collected one of these bikes I found it in germany completely original in a mans collection

  10. This is no ordinary CB125, its a rare twin cylinder and revs to the moon! I would love to find a running version but I dont see them in US very often

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