2022 Honda Trail125 Ride Review

[Hugh Janus]

Single-track, double-track, dirt roads, and urban, we rode it all on the Trail125. (Kat Conner/)

With the explosion of electric bicycles, motorcycles, and scooters, you have to ask yourself if the inconvenience is really worth the many hassles that currently come with them. In this context, the conversation is about urban transportation, not about highway-capable machines. We’re talking about getting to work, to school, running errands, and the benefits of finding plenty of parking in the city. There are a ton of internal combustion options that are not only competitively priced, but get amazing fuel efficiency and offer convenience that the electrics can’t currently match.

Honda’s Trail125 is totally at home in the Colorado Rockies. (Blake Conner/)

Honda’s Trail125 is a perfect example, a modern interpretation of a tried-and-true platform that got so many riders on two wheels as the Trail series, starting back in 1961. The more things have changed, the more they’ve remained the same. The Trail125 offers the same utility, excellent fuel mileage, and fun demeanor as the model always has. For 2023, the engine gets some updates (which we will touch on shortly), however, our test unit is a 2022 model.

First, let’s talk about the engine, because that’s what really sets the Trail125 apart from the EV crowd. At its core, you have a 124.9cc air-cooled single, with an overhead cam with two valves. Unlike the CT90 and CT110 of five decades ago, the Trail125 gets Honda’s PGM-FI fuel injection. Power is sent to the rear wheel by a four-speed semi-automatic transmission with an automatic centrifugal clutch. For 2023, Honda has changed the bore and stroke measurements from 52.4 x 57.9mm to 50.0 x 63.1mm and increased the compression ratio from 9.3:1 to 10:1. Otherwise, the two models are virtually identical. They even have the same claimed peak power and torque.

Related: 2021 Honda Trail 125 Review

Honda’s 124.9cc single is fuel injected and fires up instantly no matter the ambient outside temperature. (Blake Conner/)

One of the single best attributes of the Trail125 is its simplicity. No need to worry about if it’s fully charged; just flick the key on, hit the starter, and you’re in business. With 1.4 gallons of fuel and a recorded 112-mile average mpg, range is typically pushing 160 miles. When bouncing around town on short trips is the normal use case, fuel lasts a long, long time. Like weeks or even months.

Most of our time with the Trail125 this go-around was spent high in the Colorado Rockies with a garage base camp at 6,600 feet. The last time we put the pre-2023 generation on the Cycle World dyno in Irvine, California, it produced 7.9 hp at 5,710 and 7.4 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,650. At more than a mile above sea level in Eagle, Colorado, it’s not likely making quite that much power.

Snow? No problem. We even did some wintertime local commutes. (Blake Conner/)

Friendly is a word that perfectly describes the Trail125. The simple auto-clutch means you don’t have to teach a new rider how to feed out a clutch lever and roll on the power. It’s simply gas it and go, and then grab the next gear. Near scooter simplicity, but more engaging. Neutral is at the bottom and then four shifts up, which means “motorcyclists” will occasionally find themselves shifting down to neutral when they thought they were in first if you aren’t counting shifts. To keep progress smooth, backing off the throttle and then making your shifts keeps the auto-clutch from getting jerky. While blipping the throttle on downshifts just a touch makes those gear changes smooth and lurch free.

One thing the early-generation Trail models didn’t have is hydraulic brakes with ABS. The 17-inch IRC tires provided good grip on road and off. (Blake Conner/)

Around town, the Trail125 is light, nimble, and easy to ride. It weighs a claimed 259 pounds with a full tank of fuel, and carries that weight low. The Trail125 flicks through 90-degree corners with ease and makes mincemeat of the roundabouts that litter this small town. An ultralow first gear allows quick getaways from stops in an urban environment. Another modern addition that the old Trail didn’t have is ABS on the front brake, which is a twin-piston hydraulic unit biting on a 220mm disc. Out back is a single-piston hydraulic unit and a 190mm disc, but without ABS, which is just fine by us, as we’d prefer being able to lock the rear wheel when riding in the dirt.

Urban riding is right up the Trail125’s alley. (Kat Conner/)

Speaking of dirt, the Trail125 doesn’t shy away from it, in fact it welcomes it. Single-track, double-track, dirt roads, we rode it all. The key here is to remember what the Trail is, it’s not an off-road bike, so if you ride it with some sympathy, it will pay you back with competent performance. Exploring rutted-up two-tracks, you have to just be mindful of some of the bigger erosion ruts and not get sucked in too deep. And since wheelying across them isn’t an option, slowing down and making deliberate choices is a good idea. Follow that logic and the Trail does an amazing job of chugging along. Gearing for this type of riding is ideal, with first gear low enough to get you up steep inclines without issue, while second and third seem to be the 125′s sweet spot.

Dirt roads and double-track are where the Trail125 is the most happy off-road. (Kat Conner/)

Even in some muddy and loose sections, the Trail offers a lot of confidence with chunky 17-inch IRC GP-5 tires doing a good job of keeping you on line, while the suspension does a surprising job of sucking up the rougher hits. But where the Trail125 excels is on dirt roads, that’s its happy place. It’s here that 35 to 45 mph seems about perfect, not feeling slow and yet having something in reserve—a feeling that you don’t get on the asphalt. One place it’s really good is over washboard roads; it never gets out of shape even if you hit a big unseen pothole, and the combination of the cushy seat and plush suspension (with around 4 inches of travel up front and 3.5 in the rear) provides an amazingly comfortable ride. It’s very stable, yet agile in this environment. Hit a little bit of sand, no problem. A bit of mud, not an issue. Fifty-plus years of refinement has prepared this machine for it all.

There is something about the Trail125 that makes you want to get out and explore. And the fact that it’s not a full-blown enduro forces you look around and take it all in. (Blake Conner/)

OK, not really all, but on the trail there is little to complain about. Of course, there has to be some compromises somewhere, and that’s when you get out on two-lane roads with 45 to 55 mph speed limits. It’s here that requires either tucking into the draft of the car in front of you, or slightly holding up traffic when pushing its own wind wide open at 50 mph. We’ve seen speeds past 60 mph, but that’s only been with the benefit of a downhill slope or a tailwind. Plan accordingly. So, for sure this is where the Trail is a bit out of its element. But on the flip side, it’s a street-legal machine, which is something that most ebikes can’t say for themselves, and the Trail125 will trounce any Class 2 (limited to 20 mph) or Class 3 (limited to 28 mph) ebike.

The rear rack is perhaps our favorite feature on the Trail125, offering amazing utility that make it a go-to vehicle for around-town errands. (Blake Conner/)

One of the single best features on the Trail125 is the large rear utility rack, which makes the little Honda a very enjoyable errand runner. Need to go grab a pizza, a 24-pack, or throw a GSX-R1000 wheel on the back for a tire change, we did it all. It’s somehow so much more satisfying to hop on the Honda than fire up the truck for these easy errands. Even in chilly spring temperatures, the Trail fires right up, idles perfectly, and pulls away without a single complaint.

The LCD dash isn’t always the easiest to read, but it provides all the info you really need. (Blake Conner/)

After spending months and months with the Trail125, we fell in love with it. It’s funny how many people are drawn to it, and they are usually shocked when we tell them it costs less than $4,000. You honestly can’t get a decent mountain bike for that kind of money anymore, let alone a good-quality electric bike or pedal-assist bicycle.

With the Trail125 you get amazing utility—fun transportation, dead-reliable Honda performance, an ideal backroad and campground explorer—all in a street-legal package that sips fuel more efficiently than the best hybrid-car misers on the market. As for our argument as an alternative to the wave of ebikes that are invading every town in America, we’d make a strong case that they don’t stand a chance of competing with the simplicity, convenience, and performance of the Trail125. The only question now is deciding what to get rid of to make room for one in our garage.

If you’re out in the woods and kill the battery for some reason, there is a kickstarter as a backup. (Blake Conner/)
The twin rear shocks provide a surprisingly plush ride. (Blake Conner/)
Helping make the ride more enjoyable, the 31.5-inch-high seat also provides a cushy place to sit. (Blake Conner/)
Is it a coincidence that a 30-liter Yeti cooler fits perfectly on the rear rack? We think not. (Blake Conner/)
On the trail, the suspension is plush, while the chassis is really stable. (Kat Conner/)
The Honda Trail125 was so at home in Colorado, we’ll likely have to make it a permanent resident. (Blake Conner/)

Unfortunately you will end up getting bummed if you go to far on one.

2022 Honda Trail125 Specs

MSRP:	$3,999
Engine:	SOHC, air-cooled single-cylinder; 2 valves/cyl.
Displacement:	124.9cc
Bore x Stroke:	52.4 x 57.9mm
Compression Ratio:	9.3:1
Transmission/Final Drive:	4-speed semi-automatic/chain
Cycle World Measured Horsepower:	7.9 hp @ 5,710 rpm
Cycle World Measured Torque:	7.4 lb.-ft. @ 4,650 rpm
Fuel System:	PGM-FI
Clutch:	Automatic centrifugal
Engine Management/Ignition:	Fully transistorized
Frame:	Steel
Front Suspension:	27mm fork; 3.9 in. travel
Rear Suspension:	Twin shocks, preload adjustable; 3.4 in. travel
Front Brake:	2-piston caliper, 220mm disc w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	1-piston caliper, 190mm disc
Wheels, Front/Rear:	Wire spoke; 17 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	IRC GP-5; 80/90-17 / 80/90-17
Rake/Trail:	27.0°/3.1 in.
Wheelbase:	49.4 in.
Ground Clearance:	N/A
Seat Height:	31.5 in.
Fuel Capacity:	1.4 gal.
Average MPG:	112 mpg
Claimed Wet Weight:	259 lb.
Contact:	powersports.honda.com

GEARBOX

Helmet: Arai XD4 & Corsair-X Nakagami-3

Jacket: Alpinestars Oscar Trucker

Pant: Alpinestars Alu Denim

Gloves: Alpinestars Halo Leather

Boots: Alpinestars Faster-3 Shoe

Goggles: 100% Racecraft 2

 

Source

[XTreme]

22 minutes ago, Marcel said:

Brilliant report huge Janus.. a real man world motorcycle...sure beats going electric...

 

What Marcel said!

[Buckster]

12 hours ago, XTreme said:

What Marcel said!

Good that they have that single provision at the end of the article.

[boboneleg]

I see one of these in my future (if I can find one at a decent price) .

[Buckster]

28 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

I see one of these in my future (if I can find one at a decent price) .

The midgets are waiting.

[Sir Fallsalot]

4 hours ago, Buckster said:

The midgets are waiting.

That gif is what nightmares are made of creepy as fuck 

[Buckster]

8 hours ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

That gif is what nightmares are made of creepy as fuck