Honda Rebel 125 Review

Overall Rating

It's a 125 but the engine roars (doesn't sound like a wasp on Red Bull for a change !)
Rear tyre is BIG BIG BIG
It's SHINY !!!!!
65 mph and still some push in reserve
Really comfortable for me (at 5' 8")
Pizza delivery boys look at us respectfully, salivating.

No fuel gauge
No revs meter (but you can live easily enough without it)
Yep, from up close in the hot seat the design sure looks as old as Captain Nemo (which is bad - this one was born at the end of the Rebel's run in '99 - Honda brought in the VT Shadow in 2000 I think, which actually has a proper dash board among other things)
Driving at 50 mph+ on the A40 at 6am feels a bit like sky-diving (but is this really a bad thing ?)
Maybe it's just my fat behind or maybe the back brake really is a little bit slow ?
And it's a heavy metal beast - I struggle to push it in to the drive way (ok ok, I'm a wuss so bite me)

The Honda Rebel CA 125 - well I bought mine 6th hand, it looks like it's taken a beating, the last guy was a mud lover and never cleaned it so there's rust in every nook and cranny. That's why it cost just under a grand. I saw the same bike in mint condition and with a few 1000 less miles going for £1300 and £1600. But I'm a beginner and I'm as likely to kill the bike as I am myself so why waste good money that I can spend on old leathers ? So far (3 weeks in) the bike seems like it might still be going long after I'm finished with it.

The handle bars are genuinely quite wide. Not ridiculously so, you really only notice when trying to squeeze into a miniscule parking space between two Vespa's. But they're wide enough to make you think twice about careening down between the traffic queueing along the A4 - which is exactly why I bought the bike, I needed something that might STOP me behaving like an a-hole. Well, at least it's stopped me driving like one.....

And this bike is REALLY popular with the ladies. The ones who ride bikes I mean. Check out the Honda Rebel Owners Club website. The Ladeeez like to ride the 125 - it looks like a Harley and they look like they're hairy. I'm more the latter than the former and I too am in love with this ride. And you can trust the gals to accessorize - they've got studded leather saddle bags et. al just like real cowgirls, so I've no doubt you can get them too if needs be.

By the way, there's no after sales owner's manual if you're buying 2nd hand, but if you can find £6 and the phone number for a Honda Dealer you can get Honda's own work-shop manual - part number 62KEB00C - (quoted price is what I paid, including p&p).

And so, to mileage - well I'm getting through roughly 3-5 litres of standard unleaded for every 70 miles I drive (that's 2.5 days of commuting - great !). As mentioned, there's no fuel gauge but this appears to be about a half to two thirds of a tank (I prefer to be on the safe side). It's costing me £1 / litre at the moment. Is that economic ? I've no idea at all, but I'd bet my bottom lip it's better for the planet than Fiesta 1.4 - and you can still beat a Mercedes SLK at the lights (so long as you sneak past and pull up in front of him before the they go green !).

For economy travel, the bike seems to want to cruise at around 40mph in fourth gear. I think there is a 5th gear but this might be missing on mine - it's been around since Moses and god knows what damage I've done in the last few weeks. That said, it's still going and I'm still confident that what's there will go safely for as long as I do......

Insurance wise ? It's no CG125. I'm 27 and a brand new driver with a provisional license and a clean record. No garage. Shepherd's Bush / White City (thing's get nicked round here a lot but they only get shot at occasionally). Premium of £350 / year, or £35 a month fully comp (with datatag on the bike, which pays for itself in the first year !).

In summary ? This CA125 looks like, feels like, and sounds like a REAL bike rather than a snidey little learner's bike (which is of course what I am) - it's not the dog's balls or the bees knees, but then it's been around the block long enough that it's earnt its credibility with plenty spare to rub off on yours truly as well (regardless of the rider's gender) - call me a dreamer but I'm 10/10 that if a more experienced road user can guess that I'm an FNG then it's got more to do with the L plates and the constant stalling than it has to do with my bike ;-)

Members' Comments ongrooovyjim's Review

• grooovyjim on 27th Mar 2006

  7 months later and the bike's still going strong. I've been off it twice, both times from over breaking on the front for the prevalent conditions at the time. The front wheel has a bad habit of washing (slipping away from you) if you mis-judge and over break. The back break is nigh on non-existent. Great for coasting up to the lights, rubbish for pulling up to a very quick stand still. But then that's what the rider's for - making sure you don't get yourself in to that kinda situation. And given that limited repairs have been required I can agree that parts etc. generally seem to be quite reasonably priced, although they're rarely CG125 standard which makes them a little less convenient to get hold of if required. All in all I certainly wouldn't rate the bike any lower than previously, and I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a safe affordable starter bike. Just don't be expecting to chase any biker babes on their Aprilia 125's, they have you every which way they want you. Everytime.