Honda CB125E - MotoFaction
Cheaper than many secondhand commuter bikes, the Honda CB125E presents a strong case for buying new. Find out more about it below!
Cheaper than many secondhand commuter bikes, the Honda CB125E presents a strong case for buying new. Find out more about it below!
Welcome to CB125E.com! This is an info site for the Honda CB125E - also known as the GLH125 SH motorcycle. The CB125E as sold in Australia appears to be very similar to the Honda E-storm sold in other countries, though the E-storm features kick start in addition to the electric start, and has a different headlight+fairings.
The CB125E is a bike focused on being an inexpensive, reliable and efficient commuter bike - primarily within cities. It tops out somewhere between 90 and 100km/hr - while you could take it pretty well anywhere, it's not likely to be most people's first choice for travelling along highways. It feels happiest at 80km/hr or below. With a low seat height - under 77cm - and low kerb weight it's a very approachable motorcycle for many people.
Without breaking into double digits as far as kW of power goes it's definitely LAMS approved - and a good starting point for a first time rider who's looking for an inexpensive city commuter bike. Economy is stellar, with figures of ~2.5L/100km being achievable... depending, of course, on riding style/conditions/ambient temp/etc. It's carbureted, unlike most bikes on the market today - probably in an effort to hit the very low price bracket it sits in for a Honda. Oh, and it's a four stroke air-cooled engine - the latter meaning, of course, that there's no coolant to check.
In a nutshell - lightweight and basic with rear suspension adjustment. The light weight makes for effortless piloting around tight city spaces and moving the bike around garages or carparks, but you will certainly notice wind and buffeting at speed. The front shocks lack any kind of adjustment, though the rear does have five stages of preload adjustment. The seat is reasonably comfortable for short stints, which seems appropriate for the bike's intended use and price point.
In this price bracket you generally expect adequate brakes and suspension, and that's pretty well what you get - a single disc front and drum brake rear matched with thin upright shocks at the front and twin shocks at the rear. No surprises, but the setup gets the job done.
Speedometer, odometer, tripmeter, no tachometer, and a nice bonus for new riders in the idiot lights - in addition to the usual high beam, neutral indicator, turn signal indicators, fuel gauge and oil light we have a gear indicator! Very handy for improving confidence and helping ensure that you don't try to take off in second gear, which is not all that practical with this bike's power/torque.
Tube type tyres are the rule here - matched to lightweight wheels to keep unsprung weight to a minimum. Not that there's much need for the wheels to be super heavy duty, what with the bike weight and low load capacity..!
Wet, multiplate clutch meets 5-speed transmission - pretty standard stuff for a commuter bike here, and the clutch is well matched to the bike's intended audience with light action and good feel.
The Honda CB125E is carbureted, and comes with a gravity fed petcock featuring "on", "off" and "reserve" settings. The Keihin carbureter draws air through an airbox, and the burnt air/fuel mixture is sent through a single exhaust pipe on the right hand side of the bike.
The Honda CB125E runs on a standard 12v electrical system, matched with a capacitive discharge ignition system.