Greg Gilson’s 1980 Honda XLS 125 “War Machine”…
Today we’re back with a follow-up piece about the 1980 Honda XL125S desert racer of Greg Gilson (@greggils42), whose 2025 Baja 1000 experience we profiled in our “Desert Ironman” piece earlier this week. Introduced in the late 1970s, the Honda XL125S (aka XLS 125) was a four-stroke single-cylinder dual-purpose bike whose two-valve SOHC produced 12.5 horsepower. Those specs weren’t likely to race the hearts of dirt-biking enthusiasts, but the point was to create a two-wheeled machine about as simple and reliable as a stone ax…and the XLS delivered.
Here was a streamlined, almost elemental bike that would still be thumping off the sunset long after all the high-strung two-strokers were seized and dead. What’s more, the little 125cc workhorse succeeding in surprising the hardened bods at Dirt Rider in their first test:
“The first time we rode the XL125, we happened to be in the desert. This isn’t the best place to test a dual-purpose bike, but we tried to spend most of our time on the fireroads, just to give the little bike a chance. We expected to hear cries of’ ‘No power!” or’ ‘No suspension!” or both, and spend the rest of the day fighting over who had to ride the XL, but it didn’t work out that way…” -Dirt Rider, 1978
It seemed there was something truly “XL” in the character of the little 125cc. In fact, the XL125 was even warlord-approved — it was a favorite of the CIA-funded Mujahideen when they were fighting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1970s, when a man’s life depended on the reliability of his two-wheeled pony.
Desert racer Greg Gilson would certainly agree there’s only one brand if you want maximum dependability.
“I think I have a problem with my eyes because I see only the Honda logo! Haha! No other brand of bike caught my attention. If it’s not red, leave it in the shed!“
Greg, a former BMX racer and lifelong motocross enthusiast, has become the world’s leading proponent of the XL125S…and what it can accomplish in the hands of a determined pilot. He built the 1980 Honda 125 XLS you see here to challenge the FIA-sanctioned Rallye du Maroc in 2019.
Since then, he’s raced this 45-year-old “War Machine” in the World Enduro Championship, the Baja Qatar International, the Morocco Desert Challenge, and the 2025 Baja 1000, which we detailed in our recent “Desert Ironman” feature. He’s already planning his 2026 Baja race.
Desert Ironman: Racing the Baja 1000 on a 1980 Honda XL125S!
It’s pretty amazing to see such a small bike competing alongside the big 450 factory rally bikes, as well as T1 buggies, Baja trophy trucks, and the full stampede of modern desert racing machinery.
It’s all part of Greg’s overriding message that the grandest adventures are accessible to everyone…you don’t need a high-dollar exotic “Megabux Rally Special” to make it happen.
“If I am able to line up and finish the world’s toughest races on a 1980 XLS, then anyone can use anything to go on an adventure and enjoy the freedom that two-wheeled off-roading offers.”
It’s crazy what Greg has accomplished on his “War Machine.” Not only the rally raids listed above, but motocross races, hard enduros, cross-country trips…you name it.
He gives us the full rundown on the build below, but highlights include a bespoke frame built by our old buddy Jesse Moore of Moore’s Competition Cycles, an XR200 top end on the XL’s six-speed base, heavy-duty clutch, upgraded wheels, Oxilight headlight surround with Baja Designs element, a dashboard home-built by Greg’s father from the rail of a moto trailer, and various other upgrades Greg details below. Still, the bike is running stock forks (with heavyweight oil) and the original seat foam!
There then are the zebra stripes, which add spirit if not horsepower:
“Why the zebra? Because it’s one of the only animals capable of running at high average speed for hundreds of miles. Good machine this zebra, isn’t it? They are also the favorite meat for lions. Just imagine the level of savage mind they have! They will fight until the end against the king of animals to try to survive.
This mindset speaks to me a lot: I can ride hours long with a fast pace, nonstop, no food, no drink. You sometimes have to be that kind of savage in this world!”
Well said, Greg! Of course, putting so many hard miles on his “War Machine” has made Greg the world’s #1 expert on the XL125 platform. In 2026, he’s launching his brand Savage C.C. to offer all the parts and expertise to help other transform these little workhorses into off-road battlers.
We’re big fans of that message and movement, Greg! We look forward to seeing Savage C.C. and grow and watching you line on the War Machine at the 2026 Baja 1000. You’ve got fans in us!“It’s not just a bike, it’s a way to ride off road that Savage C.C. promotes. Every cc counts and small is beautiful…! It will permit people to access off-road riding by the simplest way possible because every part will be available.”
Below us is our full interview with Greg about his beloved XL125S, and we highly recommend you follow him on Instagram (@greggils42) or YouTube (@GregGILSON) to keep up with his small cc adventures!
Honda 125 XLS Desert Racer: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
I’m Greg Gilson, former BMX racer, real fan of the late 80s motocross era and the freedom on an off-road motorcycle. I promote the idea of riding in the simplest way in off road by challenging the hardest races of the world with one of the simplest motorbike ever built.
My first bikes were an ‘07 CR125 and then CRF250. Rode the CRF from 2014 to 2017 before I discovered THE one and only: I fell in love with a 1980 Honda XLS 125.
I think I have a problem with my eyes because I see only the Honda logo! Haha! No other brand of bike caught my attention. If it’s not red, leave it in the shed! Haha!
Like Antoine de Saint-Exupery said:
“There is no better way for humans to know himself by challenging nature! But for this, he needs a tool!”
St Exupery was the guy who opened the longest route with the first planes, without high-tech things in it. I want to do the same with my XLS. It’s a tool, and I work hard to try to use it at its maximum potential, on off road extreme trips. It allows you to discover yourself, new cultures, landscapes, and people that nobody on earth will ever see.
There are more and more people who ride with this type of bike. Helped with my experience, I will launch a brand for specific parts for this model in the beginning of 2026.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?
It’s a Honda 125 XLS from 1980.
• Why was this bike built?
This bike was built in 2019 to challenge the Morocco Rally, the final stage of the Rally Raid World Championship. I did many other routes since then and gave it many evolutions.
Now you can run it on a MX race and, the week after, a rally raid, an enduro race, an extreme hard enduro trip, or a street session. I wanted the ultimate off road motorcycle.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
Efficiency, light weight, reliability, and ready for extreme conditions are the main goals. This is what influenced the build. Also, I wanted a bike able to run the biggest distance with low gasoline!
For the design, I don’t know, it came like that. I wanted to design a savage and aggressive bike even if it’s only a 125cc (with a 200cc big bore kit). It has to show her savage side (ah!ah!) so here come the zebras on it.
Why the zebra? Because it’s one of the only animals capable of running at high average speed for hundreds of miles. Good machine this zebra, isn’t it? They are also the favorite meat for lions. Just imagine the level of savage mind they have! They will fight until the end against the king of animals to try to survive.
This mindset speaks to me a lot: I can ride hours long with a fast pace, non stop, no food, no drink. You sometimes have to be that kind of savage in this world!
• What custom work was done to the bike?
Chassis:
The main thing: The frame. The original one is good but doesn’t stand up to MX races. The rear of the frame folds in 10 min and it goes down 7 cm. So an English crazy man, Jesse Moore (@moorescompetitioncycles), proposed to me to build a frame, which he did. The motorbike is now Moore-designed, stiffer, and the frame is way lighter. We are working on a swingarm also because I still use the original one.
Front Fork:
Original one, thick 10W60 oil and stiffer springs: That’s it. I want to keep the spirit of this motorbike and the fork is really efficient on the grip. On big hits, it simply doesn’t exist. Your body has to be ready!
Rear Shocks:
Prototypes are under development to be able to propose some good ones in the beginning of 2026. We are testing also piggyback shocks because I have always the same problem with broken dampers as they have too much work. We have to add an extra hydraulic system to make the shock more reliable.
Wheels and Brakes:
Original hubs with original drum brakes. 3.5 mm spokes on the front and 4 mm spokes on the rear. SM Pro rim to the front, and Excel rim to the rear. We are actually testing the Moose Racing parts because with Classic Red online shop, my main technical partner, we offer to mount Moose rims on original hubs for people who want reliable wheels.
Seat:
Original foam, 45 years old, and just a new bespoke grippy seat cover.
Controls:
ControlTech handlebar with approximately the original height but with a modern 2″ back sweep. Originally there were silent blocks in the top clamp but I replaced them with aluminum ones because they were too soft and too old, 45 years old! So the steering was really loose.
Dashboard:
The dashboard is home-built by my father. It’s a part of a rail for motorbike trailers, haha! It needs to be really strong to resist vibrations and shocks. My phone is mounted with a Quadlock system and the bar protection is an Up Design which integrates a clock inside.
Under, there is a Lithium Battery which powers my cell phone, the Stella beacon system, and the Oxilight headlight which has a 3D-printed housing around a Baja Designs Squadron element to fit perfectly in the OEM XLS visor.
Engine:
The engine is a 125 XLS 6-speed gearbox with an XR200 big-bore top engine assembly. The goal is to get the power of the 200cc, to keep original Honda parts for the reliability, and to keep the 6-speed to have more top speed which reaches about…85 km/h! This is quite small but really enough for what I need.
Inside there is a 6-spring clutch instead of the OEM system with four springs, which was too weak. I had a technical issue with the carburetor during the last Baja 1000, but there is no good carb available at the moment. We are working on that point to offer better parts soon.
Sprockets:
Originally, it’s a 14×47 but I’m using a 14×54 for Rally and 14×56 for MX races.
Luggage:
Kriega makes really efficient and nice products. The OS Base with OS 6 on each side is crazy. You can mount it on every motorcycle and I already passed all the dunes of Morocco with it. Instead of storing things on my back, I chose to install those luggage and to put stuff in it.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
I call it the War Machine, because it is built to face all the hardest situations.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
It’s like riding a BMX with an engine. You can cruise on trails, jump 65 ft jumps and whip it, ride fast on single tracks, attack big steps like a trials bike, or surf the Sahara dunes. Really easy to handle and it’s what I need.
I said 65 feet long jumps but you can check this on my Youtube channel!
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
The bike is now settled down with many prototype parts. So I’m proud of the fact that, over the last five years, me and my team have improved so many things, knowing now what are the best parts I can use for my motorbike.
Now, I’m really confident to promote my Savage C.C. brand, which will give unlimited life to this bike by offering all the parts possible and the base of 125 XLS / XR from 1979 to 1982. Because it’s not just a bike, it’s a way to ride off road that Savage C.C. promotes. Every cc counts and small is beautiful!! With all the miles, races and challenges achieved in the hardest conditions, I have a crazy experience on which parts are ok or not.
I’m not working only on a brand and parts. Savage C.C. is the achievement of the message I promote by taking part to races like the Baja 1000 with this 125 XLS. It will permit people to access off-road riding by the simplest way possible because every part will be available.
Follow the Racer
Instagram: @greggils42
Facebook: @greg.gilson.18
Youtube: @GregGILSON
Website: www.classic-red.com | www.smallccsavage.com
Photos: Shot in the Ensenada streets by Tristan Goiffon (@tryhyo)
Ahhh, the Secret is out. I’ve been riding and building similar machines since 1974. My 1st was a 72-1/2 SL100. Since my ’75 KX125 had eaten the Mikuni’s brass overflow pipe, that had vibrated loose, through the Rotary Valve; that trashed the NEW Cylinder, top-end & rotary valve I hated to see the ’74-’76 KHI Long travel suspension kit go to waste sitting in TBD pile.
And my retrieved stolen cherished ’72-1/2 SL100 had not been reckoned with & determined what to do with that pile of parts….I took the ’75 KX125 forks w/ 21″ front D.I.D. wheel/braking assembly and clamped them into the Original SL100-triple trees. Installed the Longer travel KYB rear shocks along w/ the KX 18″ rear D.I.D. rim hub/brake all fitted with little modifications.
Considering the engine was bone stock except for 2nd OEM overbore, New it made 10 hp @ 9k RPM w/ a top speed of near 70mph tucked in.
With the KX suspension on the stock frame engine combo, and of course “Preston Petty Mudder fenders”, stripped of all unnecessary metal, this was a “Eastern Woods Weapon” to be reckoned with. It put many a 2-smoke to shame in the single-track woods trails and not too shabby on the tracks of the time.
Back in ’77 was my 1st “Frankenbike build” for one of the best kept Fun secrets out there still.
Below is Thumper Talk link to my latest rendition of the XL125s (ATC200X 5-spd conversion) w/ many little secrets disclosed for others to use. Email me for more information if desired.