Honda CG125
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| Manufacturer | Honda |
|---|---|
| Also called | CG125 Fan and CG125 Cargo |
| Production | 1976-2008 |
| Successor | Honda CBF125 |
| Engine | Air-cooled 124 cc 4-stroke OHV single |
The Honda CG125 is a commuter motorcycle that was made by Honda of Japan. It was in production from 1976 to 2008 and was originally manufactured in Japan, but source for European market was eventually moved to Brazil in 1985 and also Turkey for the W and M models. The CG125 is powered by a fuel-efficient 124 cc four-stroke, overhead valve, single-cylinder engine that has changed little over the years.
In the UK, the CG125 is a popular bike amongst learners due to licencing laws allowing you to ride up to a 125cc motorbike with L Plates by completing a CBT[1]. It generally used by most training schools in the UK and Brazil as it is an easy bike to control and operate.
Due to its design success, several direct copies of the CG125 have sprung up (mostly from Chinese and Korean manufacturers), such as the Hongdou CG125, the Champ Commuter, the Warrior Dispatch and the Kymco Pulsar 125.
In Brazil, due to emission laws from 2009, the engine has been redesigned with an overhead camshaft (bore and stroke also changed). Due to Euro 3 emission laws the Honda CG125 has been replaced by the fuel injected Honda CBF125 in UK and Europe since 2009.
History
The CG125 was developed from the CB125 for third world markets. The CB was an overhead cam engine which revved more freely and had slightly more power than the CG125[2]. There were many parts in common between the two - basically just the top end was different. One fault with many Honda OHC engines of that era (generally denoted CB), was that they had a tendency to wear the camshaft bearings if oil changes were skipped. The CG engine was developed specifically to address this problem (amongst others) as Honda realised that riders in developing countries performed little or no preventative maintenance. To make the bike more reliable with minimal servicing, the CG125 uses overhead valves with pushrods instead. Several other ways of increasing the relability of the bike included a washable foam air filter and fully encased chain guard.[3]
Changes
Over its lifetime, the CG125 has received numerous enhancements and tweaks:
- The electrics were upgraded from 6 V to 12 V (1985 in UK)
- The old contact breakers were replaced by electronic ignition (1995 in UK).
- An electric start was added in 2001, originally alongside the original kick start and replacing it completely in 2004 (in the European Market).
2004 saw a number of further changes in the European market:
- The front drum brake was replaced by a disc brake
- A new instrument cluster, including a fuel gauge for the first time, replaced the old square unit.
- The fuel capacity was increased from 12 litres (2.6 imp gal; 3.2 US gal) to 13 litres (2.9 imp gal; 3.4 US gal)
- The styling was modernised
- The chain casing was dropped in favour of a simpler chain guard
This last change is one of the very few changes that sacrificed functionality (longer chain life) in favour of aesthetics.
UK model history
| Model | Year | Changes |
|---|---|---|
| CG 125 K1/B/C | 77-83 | |
| CG 125 E | 84 | |
| CG 125 BR-E/F | 85-88 |
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| CG 125 BR-J | 89-90 |
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| CG 125 BR-K | 91-94 |
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| CG 125 BR-S/T | 95-98 |
|
| CG 125 W | 99-00 |
|
| CG 125 M-1 | 01-03 |
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| CG 125 ES-4/5/6 | 04-06 |
|
| CG 125 ES-7/8 | 07-08 |
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References
External links
