Honda CG125 Reviews

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Honda CG125
★★★★☆
4.3
92.0% of users recommend this
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Latest Reviews

“Trusty reliable honda”

★★★★☆

written by c90cg125 on 23/09/2020

Had a 2005 cg125. good reliable basic & easy to fix & service. Not the fastest but will get you there in all weathers, cg came out in 1976 & ended 2008 so proven bike. easy to sell on when upgrading to bigger bike. Overall good little bike & would recommend. Looked after properly capable of high mileges. Cheap as chips to run. Cant go wrong with this bike unless you buy a chinese copy as they have cloned them. So my advice is get one ( honda cg125) not copy & plod along all day long with no worries of falling apart. Strong & well made little 125 cc.

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“very poor gearboxes”

★☆☆☆☆

written by on 14/10/2013

previous w honda cg125 over 75,000 miles engine still as good as new. Bought biggest lemon every in motorbikes this cg125 year 2004. reviews say best gearbox yet, well not this one its a pig, it has let me down constantly in fact a very dangerous machine to ride. IF stopping at junctions lights etc if you are in 5th or 4th gear you can not change down into neural. You have to get of the bike and rock it hoping eventually it will let you change gear. Honda reputation is rock bottom with this model of cg 125, have had lots of Honda in the past but would advise for safety that this particular model is given a wide berth. When something is robust why destroy the design.

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Cardinal1's Comment

Written on: 31/12/2013

slip the clutch slightly then pull it back in then press the lever down. my es-7 can be a bit like that too.

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C90Cg125's Comment

Written on: 23/09/2020

You say you have prob with your gearbox. Not surprised as you should change down & not expect at stand still to go from 4 or 5 to neutral.. you driving it like a proper lemon mate.

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Tony-1951's Comment

Written on: 04/05/2018

The clutch needs adjustment. It is a two minute job - not even two minutes. Why rubbish a bike when the fault is that it needs a tiny bit of normal maintenance. If the clutch isn't freeing off because the cable is too loose, when stationary, it can't select gears while the engine is running.

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Tony-1951's Comment

Written on: 04/05/2018

That problem of difficulty swapping gears when stopped is a classic sign that your clutch isn't properly freeing off and is probably a two minute adjustment job. You just adjust the clutch cable. I am guessing you get a solid clonk when you engage first gear too, because the clutch is dragging. Adjust it - don't rubbish one of the most reliable bikes ever made. These have been made by the several million and have a good reputation.

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Brutalbran's Comment

Written on: 07/02/2016

you know nothing about motorbikes go troll else were you clearly dont own one

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“perfect 125cc bike”

★★★★★

written by on 07/09/2013

i own a cg125 br-j 1991 22yrs old and in mint condition! i have done 6000 miles and never ever let me down!! i was hit by car and rear trailing arm bearing and chain guard and number plate and indicator etc total cost was under 100 to restore to perfect condition! it never lets me down sometime requires chock to start but never ever hard to start runs and rides great!! a complete idiot could ride fix and maintain! if your think about a 125 and want a faithful, reliable, fun bike cg125 is for you!! i could go on and on about why to buy!! petrol, riding position, easy to maintain, and fun around towns or city's for cutting up traffic! top speed is only let down for this bike! as mine pushes 65 down a big hill!! but it will fly up to 55 no bother! pulls very well in all gears with no flat spots until 55! wont hold up anybody around towns or city's and never will it let you down unless poorly looked after/maintained!! don't see why anyone would settle for anything else! if you want a fast 125cc bike then basically your a idiot!!! 125cc bikes are not fast lolol!!! cg125 was so reliable it was produced for over 30 years and production only stopped due to Europe emission laws!! (cbf125 then produced)a cbr or xt or rs are quicker buy about 10-20 mph but aint worth the bother!! you will do more miles getting picked up when you broken down then actually riding it!! get a cg125 n if your not set on one of them the settle for a cbf125 or maby a ybr but cg125 has 30 years reputation!!!

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Bsadan's Comment

Written on: 27/09/2013

I agree totally. i also have a 1991 CG125. Having owned a Chinese 125 which fell apart , I was not expecting a lot when I bought my 22 year old Brazilian CG125. Yes it was very low mileage and had been standing a long time unused and needed a little TLC. I was pleasantly surprised - the bike is comfortable, with good suspension and handles brilliantly, I feel sorry for people wanting bigger and bigger bikes , I used to untill I realised that big heavy bikes are hard work, expensive , useless in traffic and too fast for U.K. roads The CG125 It is nippy and lots of fun , I also own a 650cc bike, which does not give the fun factor that I get from the CG125. My cg125 holds 55 to 60 very well with 65 to 70 with a tail wind or slight downhill slope. Finally - top speed is no longer an issue these days as apart from motorways, speed limits are all being reduced to 50mph. People have toured the world on Honda 90's and Honda 125's forget big bikes have some real fun!

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“reliable durable economical”

★★★★☆

written by on 18/08/2013

Hi i own a honda cg125 es-4 2005 model & think it is the best styled & best looking out of the cg range as ive driven & part owned the older models. Proper little motorcycle is easy to service & ride & not fast 65mph but isnt built for speed. A competant commuter & holds its resale well if looked after, change the oil every 1000miles & lubricate the chain & cables regularly & should last well, obviously you have to buy tyres brakes plug e.c.t like all bikes. The 2000-2003 model made in turkey isnit upto the build quality of the other cg models as feels cheap & some parts rust quickly. Its the cg thats looks retro & is usually in red. Cg is a good bike for the purpose it was desighend for & avoid the far easster bikes like chinese & the like as are bad & copys of proper motorcycles. Take your time when buying & dont rush, remember your the one with the cash ( big stick) happy hunting.

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“reliable durable economical”

★★★★☆

written by c90cg125 on 16/08/2013

Hi i own a honda cg125 es-4 2005 model & think it is the best styled & best looking out of the cg range as ive driven & part owned the older models. Proper little motorcycle is easy to service & ride & not fast 65mph but isnt built for speed. A competant commuter & holds its resale well if looked after, change the oil every 1000miles & lubricate the chain & cables regularly & should last well, obviously you have to buy tyres brakes plug e.c.t like all bikes. The 2000-2003 model made in turkey isnit upto the build quality of the other cg models as feels cheap & some parts rust quickly. Its the cg thats looks retro & is usually in red. Cg is a good bike for the purpose it was desighend for & avoid the far easster bikes like chinese & the like as are bad & copys of proper motorcycles. Take your time when buying & dont rush, remember your the one with the cash ( big stick) happy hunting.

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“The best bike I've owned.”

★★★★★

written by SteveZZR on 26/04/2013

I bought my little CG for the princely sum of £100 in January this year with tax and test until the end of March. In that time it had paid for itself and it's tax and test (just under £50 in total). Due to it being 23 years old and having 42,000 miles on it, the wiring was looking worse for wear and a very bad job had been done of repairing and changing the wiring at some stage. This resulted in the headlight only working on main beam and the horn not working. For lack of money I decided to go the cheap way: Daytime MOT. I set about tearing off everything I didn't need. Almost all of the wiring loom (other than Generator, Rectifier, and CDI) was torn straight out of the bike. I then removed the headlight and indicators and shorted the battery connection on the bike side (so with a good kick it'd just start and run under it's own steam) and I ran a wire from battery + to the horn button, the horn, and back to battery -. I then taped over the headlight controls and taped up the rear light and took it for it's test - passed with no advisories other than daylight use only. It had been resprayed red at some point and I've since done some silly bits like spraying it up with racing stripes and such (no prep work = rubbish finish). I wear my full leathers on the bike - it'll do 80mph and I had a nasty crash on my big Kawasaki in October at little more than half of that so definitely worth it. It also uses a later model carburettor which requires a splitter on the throttle cable. This is because the later model used an accelerator pump which made it pick up quicker; when this is fitted to the earlier model you get a nice little beastie that'll pull 30mph in first gear and can pull me (15 stone, and 6"5 - a big target for wind to cause drag) up to 60mph and keep going - achieving 80mph on a long enough flat road. All in all what I've done to keep it going without any monetary investment has made it quite an offensive looking little beast; no lights and I'm 2 metres tall (6"5) and wear full race leathers on it. It seems to really rile people up and upset them when I overtake them. I do plan to build it back up in absolutely to style at some stage now I've started a new job paying a good bit more money. It'll be getting Suzuki Bandit style 'twin dominator' headlights, a KOSO DB01plus digital dash (same as my modded up 1996 ZZR 600 E), an underseat exhaust, pod filter, and a full respray for the plasticwork and a polished tank. I only wish I'd found a bargain like this when I was 17, as opposed to the much more stylist (albeit heavier and slower) Suzuki VanVan 125 which was a brilliant bike too but cost me £1500 compared to this for £100. I've had bargains on a couple of my bikes over the past 5 years but I'd definitely say this was my best bargain and favourite machine. It starts with a kick every morning, afternoon, and evening. Never seems to go wrong, and generally seems happy. Definitely a good bike for a learner to learn about maintenance on as everything it very easy to get to and adjust etc. Would recommend to anyone as a learner, commuter, plaything, field bike, etc. This little bike can do almost anything - I've even ridden it down the M180 motorway from Scunthorpe to Killingholme and it seemed to handle it fairly well. I put it to anyone to show me a better deal than this little machine!

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“brilliant for learning”

★★★★★

written by phardy95 on 04/11/2012

as i am only 17 the cg was my first motorbike after enduring a year on a moped. I have to say for the price i paid i love this bike to bits, it won't do blistering speeds but happily cruises at about 50mph with is perfect for where i live. Easily the best thing i have bought and in terms of petrol i would say i only spend a little bit more than what i did on my little ped. So reliable and amazingly fun

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“having trouble starting the bike”

★★★★☆

written by palmer687 on 10/07/2012

i have a honda cg 125 br-j 1988, when i first brought it it run however the choke wasnt working very well i left it for a couple of day, top the petol up to half a tank and it wouldnt start at all,i had a look round to see if there was any tube that was disconnect, like any obvious damage and i found the crankcase breather tube wasnt connected and i am not sure where it has to be connected to so i looked on the internet and coundlnt find anything, im not sure if this tube is whats stopping the bike from working but i know that it should go somewere. if any one knows a soloution then please comment!!!! thankyou

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“Like a faithful dog”

★★★★★

written by ianbradley on 25/05/2012

I have ridden these bikes in varius forms for well over ten years now and i have to say that i have NEVER been let by any of them. They must be the worlds most best desiegned and built bikes ever made. they were built for over 30 years and it is a great pity that they stopped making them in 2008. About 65mph and 100mpg is to be expected and 50 is a fair cruising speed 100,000 is not an unusual life The only drawback is a lack of torque so i would queue all week for a 250 or 350 version. Keep the oil topped up and look forward to years of solid reliable service.

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“Budget and Bombproof”

★★★★☆

written by zaphod987 on 02/12/2011

I bought this as a cheap (£100) run-around for local use. After being dragged out of the garage it had lived in for 3 years, it started 2nd kick ! After new tires and a service and a little light fettling, an MOT pass and its legal and on the road. Sure, it's not fast, it's not fashionable, but oh boy is it lightweight and fun to throw into corners, and miffs off riders of bigger bikes (I've got one of those as well) when you keep catching back up with them. Obviously at this age it's nowhere near mint condition, but it's so simple to work on that it's great for learning how far you can go with tinkering and doing your own maintenance. Parts are stupidly cheap, new brake shoes for less than £5 from David Silver Spares. The 6volt electrics are simple, but spares are limited in mainstream shops. Ebay is your saviour here, and a halogen headlamp bulb upgrade is a must-have if you are going to use it at night, as the 6volt, 35watt standard bulb headlamp is feeble by modern standards. The haynes manual is a must have, it's out there on the internet, and has good, detailed information on how to do just about everything on the bike. It's done 66,000 miles, and though I bought it to abuse it, I find myself liking and caring for it more and more. If you've passed your test and gone straight to a big bike, get a little 125 and see what you've been missing.

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Stevezzr's Response to zaphod987's Review

Written on: 26/04/2013

Good review and oh so true.

I bought a little CG on the cheap at £100 too but mine had a bit of tax and test still.

23 years and 43,000 miles have not been kind to it (it's been abused with rattle cans of paint over the years for sure) but it's going strong!
Turned out a friend of a friend had sold the bike as a non-runner 10 months ago having just done a new cylinder + piston, new wheel bearings and shoes and new chain and sprocket and tyres! Bargain buy and had only done 1200 miles since last MOT!

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“This is a great little bike and should be on the list...”

★★★★★

written by on 05/05/2011

This is a great little bike and should be on the list of anyone looking for a 125 for learning on or even experienced riders looking for a cheap reliable form of transport.
I cant really comment too much on the more recent models as I only rode one briefly but it was very comfortable and easy to ride. My 1980 example, however, has proved a very good bike. The engine still starts first kick even after 30 years of use and it gives around 90-100 mpg which with fuel prices as they are is a very strong selling point.
It wont give you a hair raising ride nor would you want to do a long journey on it. But for commuting it cant be faulted.
Its not perfect though, the handling feels similar to a push bike and the cable drum brakes on mine need constant attention but if your willing to get your hands dirty every so often then go for it.
And, like most 125's, it holds its value very well.

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“The CG125ES4 (2004-2008), was the last of the Cg125...”

★★★★★

written by on 29/04/2011

The CG125ES4 (2004-2008), was the last of the Cg125 models. I have owned this little bike for around four years now, alongside larger bikes of 650cc and 1100cc, and can honestly say this wee bike provides a REAL BIKING EXPERIENCE for very little money. I would never sell my CG, fuel is too expensive for one to part with her.

Truley a design classic of the 20th century. Although the latter models of the Honda CG125 cannot compete with the build quality of the earlier Japanese CG125s, it still is quite a remarkable bit of kit (but it does have the better front disk brake config).

THE BEST MOTORCYCLE EVER MADE WITHOUT DOUBT.

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Guest's Comment

Written on: 12/07/2011

I agree with the above. I have a Fireblade and Blackbird and after buying a CG as a runabout was suprised at how fond of it I have become. Wonderful little bike :-)

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C90Cg125's Comment

Written on: 18/08/2013

I have a cg 2005 model & prefer the es4-7 over the older models & is a little gem to ride service ect. If only honda stuck to making the cg,s in japan rather than brazil turkey incidently is a poor built cg then they would be more rated. Still a proper little bike as ive onwed kawa gt550- yam xj650- honda 250,s & suzuki gt & x7 250s & one cx500. Nice little bike the cg & quite fond of it.

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“its a great little bike starts first time every time...”

★★★★★

written by on 01/04/2011

its a great little bike starts first time every time even down at -5 a bit of choke and it started fine. I have done just under 7000 miles on it since I got it. I live in Dorset so most of the roads are 60 mph which it can do fine and there are plenty of hills its not the most powerful machine but it doesn't do too bad. it doesn't do badly in the bends either. slow riding is very easy nice light clutch good gearbox and not bad brakes too. nice quiet smooth engine almost cant hear it on tick over with a helmet on. very easy to maintain and with regular oil changes the engine will go for ever. I don't like to hang around to much on my cg and I still get well over 100 mpg and have had over 115 mpg a couple of times overall a perfect first bike cheap to run, holds its value well and very easy to ride.

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“Good Little Commuter So Much Better Then My Old C90”

★★★★☆

written by on 21/03/2011

Good Little Commuter So Much Better Then My Old C90

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“ this is my fist bike 1996 honda cg its only done 1700...”

★★★★☆

written by on 27/12/2010

this is my fist bike 1996 honda cg its only done 1700 miles in mint condition i only use it at weekends for plesure iam 61 years young and find the bike fast enough to learn on very reliable good mpg about 100 its only got kick start and starts very easy drum brakes could be better handling is good and very easy to ride

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“fortunatly I stumbled upon this bike honda cg 07 plate...”

★★★★★

written by spaceman17 on 17/12/2010

fortunatly I stumbled upon this bike honda cg 07 plate through having a low budget,I got tired of car sharing, Already the bike has paid for it self Regards fuel economy, reliability, and simplicity. this machine has balls of steel and gets trekin regardless of the weather. These machines are so sought after they hold the value well so look after it. But beware dont expect it to be as fast as a daytona or a ninja but ask yourself this..who cares about speed when this bike does the speed of your average road anyway for someone like myself who's new to the motorbike world iv found it to be simple to fatham and seems to be loyal to inexperience. highly recommended

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Joncg125's Response to spaceman17's Review

Written on: 25/03/2011

I found this review very helpful because...I`ve been looking for a good reliable 125 to learn on and after reading this review confirmed what everyones been telling me. I have since bought a CG125-7 ES and havn`t been able to wipe the grin off my face since. It may not be the fastest of bikes but it`s very forgiving and relentless an ideal bike to learn on. I have seen some negative feedback for the new model CG`s (the brazilian built bike) all I can say is take no notice it`s all aload of bull.
<br/>So...if you like me, want to find a reliable 125cc bike to learn on you have now found ur answer.

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“I've only had this 2002 (?import) CG125 for a couple...”

★★★★★

written by blackscorpion on 20/10/2010

I've only had this 2002 (?import) CG125 for a couple of months and my main main machine is a 2009 Honda Shadow VT750 and I got the CG125 as a commuter/winter hack and so far I'm chuffed to bits with it. I fill the tank and keep doing my (16-mile round trip) commute on rural roads and keep expecting it to run out of fuel but it just keeps going! I think it's doing 100+ mpg effortlessly! I changed the shoddy tyres for a pair of Michelin Pilot Sporty tyres, fitted a Givi A660 screen and coated the thing in ACF-50 all over where it matters. A service done and it's ready for winter. It's a kick-start only, but so far, with a little choke, it starts every time. It's light and easy to manoeuvre in traffic, and great for nipping to the local shop for a pint of milk, etc. It cost me £78 to insure for the year (best quote: 'Swinton Bike'). £15/year tax, of course! It's no looker, but who cares! Apparently these things are extremely reliable - the word 'bulletproof' comes up a lot in reviews, and I believe them. I'm really pleased with it so far and hope it will give me years of reliable service. Definitely worth buying.

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“Its a lovely little bike. Great for a learner as it is...”

★★★★☆

written by on 13/10/2010

Its a lovely little bike. Great for a learner as it is very forgiving if you inadvertently try to destroy your gearbox. As most people say, the bike will run forever and a day, without hardly any petrol. Like most bikes, though, it can be a bit reluctant to start when its cold, and if you have had a long journey at (relatively) high speeds the clutch is extremely sensitive, but this is the same for most bikes. I love my little bike but its not made for long journeys as the top cruising speed is about 55mph and the seat isn't exactly an armchair, although I have done 5 hour journeys on it. One bonus is that its quite low so people with little legs (I'm only 5'3") can still reach the ground with both feet comfortably.

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“CG 125 BR-J 1988. My first bike. 100+ miles from a 12l...”

★★★★★

written by on 22/03/2010

CG 125 BR-J 1988. My first bike. 100+ miles from a 12l tank is fantastic considering fuel prices! Buy a Haynes manual and you can do most of the service work and repairs yourself saving a fortune on garage charges. Parts are reasonably priced and readily available. Perfect for commuting. Great fun whether you are experienced and want a winter hack or totally new to biking looking for that first bike.

Despite being 22 years old my bike can make it up to 70mph on the right downhill sections and will cruise at 55mph. 60mph is not a problem if it's not windy and the road is flatish. Handling is great, it's a very light bike and responsive. Put some good tyres on it and you can lean as far as the foot pegs allow you!
The engine seems to be bombproof and easy to maintain (if I can do it...)

Not a speed machine, not a long distance bike, but fun and cheap to run, sevice and insure.

I love my cg125 to bits and want to keep her even when I do get a big bike in the future.

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“Great Bike I have ever had.”

★★★★★

written by on 10/02/2010

Great Bike I have ever had.

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