2011–2016 · Supersport · Buyer's Guide
Lightweight City Learner Done Right
Honda built this one around a liquid-cooled 125 cc single making 13 hp at 10,000 rpm and 8 lb-ft at 8,250 rpm, fed through a six-speed gearbox and a chain. The full fairing gives it the silhouette of a much larger sportbike, and at 302 lb wet with a 31.2 in seat, it lands where almost nothing else does: genuine sportbike shape wrapped around numbers a brand-new rider can actually use. Nothing about the package is exotic. Everything about it is finished properly, and that is the part people consistently underestimate about this bike.
It rewards momentum riding. Keep the revs up, stop wasting speed, and the thing flatters you; ride it lazily and it simply goes nowhere. That makes it an honest teacher for anyone learning lines, corner speed and throttle discipline, and a genuinely cheap urban weapon the rest of the week. It ages the way you would hope: low running costs, few surprises, parts that stay available. The honest caveat is that 13 hp is 13 hp. Sustained highway pace and two-up work sit outside its brief, there is no ABS and no traction control, and the fork offers no adjustment at all.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 13 hp (10 kW) @ 10,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 8 lb-ft (10 Nm) @ 8,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 125 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Front tire | 100/80-17 |
| Rear tire | 130/70-17 |
| Seat height | 31.2 in (793 mm) |
| Wet weight | 302 lb (137 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.4 gal (13 L) |
| Fuel economy | 55 mpg (US) |
Two decades of listening adds up. Riders stop me in the paddock, owners talk my ear off at club nights, and the messages keep landing in my inbox. On this bike the chatter is unusually consistent: new riders trust it almost immediately, and the grumbling only starts once they ask more of it.
The thread that repeats most is durability. Owners describe machines that soak up learner abuse and stay out of the workshop. Right alongside it sits the handling: riders consistently say the steering is neutral and the suspension compliant, so mistakes get forgiven rather than punished, and the confidence arrives early.
The complaint heard more than any other is pace. Riders describe stirring the gearbox constantly to hold traffic speed, with highway stretches sitting at the edge of what the engine offers. Push the chassis and a second theme appears: the fork and shock go soft and wallow through faster corners. A steady minority mentions the front brake, which asks for a firm squeeze and returns little feel. Now and then somebody brings up the fuel cap, which is not attached and easy to lose at the pump.
Voltage Regulator/Rectifier Failure
The regulator/rectifier can fail, causing the battery to stop charging and potentially leaving the rider stranded.
Stalling When Engaging First Gear
Some owners report the engine cutting out when selecting first gear with the clutch pulled; symptoms point to clutch drag or a faulty sidestand switch.
Rear Brake Caliper Sticking
The rear brake caliper can seize or stick, leading to uneven pad wear and reduced braking efficiency.
Where this Honda CBR 125 R pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the CBR 125 R is actually built for.
It will teach you clean lines on Angeles Crest better than most bikes, but 13 hp will not keep you with a fast canyon group or make the freeway ride out there pleasant.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
For pure corner technique on tight Dragon-style pavement, this is a genuinely useful tool. Momentum riding is the only option, which is exactly what sharpens your skills.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
Fine once you reach the twisty stuff and cheap to run all weekend. The long, fast highway slog out of Austin or San Antonio is where it runs out of bike.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2004–2010
City Light, Built Right
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Competitor · 2016–2022
125cc Chassis With Real Bite
Competitor · 2015–2018
The R1 Look, 125 Soul
Competitor · 2011–2016
Real Grip, Learner Displacement
Competitor · 2017
125cc GSX-R Soul, Featherweight Body
Competitor · 2013–2016
Big-Bike Soul, 125 Plates
Similar Character · 2023
R-Series Looks, Learner Reality