Honda CB125F
The unkillable learner. Honda's CB125F is the most-recommended first geared bike in UK CBT schools — air-cooled GLR125 engine that runs on rumour and bad fuel, learner-friendly seat height, ~140mpg real-world, sub-£3.5k new. The 2021 refresh got modern styling and ABS. If you want to learn on something you can't break, this is it.
- Engine
- 125 cc
- Power
- 10.7 PS
- Weight
- 117 kg
- Seat height
- 775 mm
- A2 licence
- —
GLR125 air-cooled SOHC single
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 44 · Insurance 81 · Theft 100
The Honda CB125F holds its value about as well as most bikes (around 32% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and is cheap to insure (group 4). Theft risk is low.
A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better.
Variant: CB125F
Engine
Petrol · 125cc
Power
10.7 ps
Torque
10.8 Nm
Weight
117 kg
Seat
775 mm
Transmission
5-speed manual
Economy
140 mpg
The default learner geared bike. GLR125 air-cooled single, 5-speed manual, chain final drive. 117 kg = lightest in class. 775mm seat — accessible to short riders. ABS standard from 2017.
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£2,141
Range £1,927 – £2,355
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Holding value
Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.
New
£3,349
At 5 years
£1,909
At 10 years
£1,162
Value loss by phase
Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.
UK new price by year
How we estimate this
Phase depreciation derived from observed UK used-bike pricing — classified ads, dealer asking prices, and end-of-auction figures. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count, and crash-damage signatures. The figures here are indicative for clean, fully-stamped examples.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 8,000 miles a year — the UK rider average. Chain-drive bikes carry a chain/sprocket consumable line; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.
3-year total
£1,589
Per year
£530
Per mile
£0.07
Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at £1.45/L. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.
Estimated insurance
Group 4 of 17 (low — A1/learner-friendly) · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Licence
Age
No-claims bonus
5 yearsRisk profile
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39
£280/ year
Roughly £23 per month
Typical
Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-21 | £462 | £616 | £862 |
| Age 22-29 | £284 | £378 | £529 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £210 | £280 | £392 |
| Age 40-49 | £185 | £246 | £345 |
| Age 50+ | £168 | £224 | £314 |
How we estimate this
Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Theft risk
Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting
UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.
Theft risk score · 1 to 4
1/4Low risk
Low risk
Not a typical theft target. Basic locking deters opportunists; standard insurance terms apply.What this means for you
Small learner bikes aren't a theft target — too slow to flee on, too cheap to part out. Basic chain lock sufficient.
How we set this band
Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.
What goes wrong
4 known issues · sorted by severity
Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.
High severity
0
Medium
2
Low / cosmetic
2
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| medium | Rear shock (under-damped from new) Hagon/YSS replacements common any | £200 to upgrade |
| medium | Chain stretch every 15k mi | £150 (chain + sprockets) |
| low | Battery every 2-3 years | £40-60 |
| low | Cam chain tensioner Listen for rattle at startup 20k+ mi (rare) | £200 |
How we score severity
High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Honda CB125F, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Variant comparison
Most-recommended UK learner geared bike. Cross-shop Yamaha YBR125 (similar, slightly thirstier), Suzuki GSX-S125 (sportier but A2-restrictable), Honda CB125R (more premium, £1.5k more). CB125F wins on running costs and indestructibility.
Known issues
- Stock rear shock under-damped — common upgrade (~£200)
- Chain stretch every 15k mi — replace at 18-20k (£150)
- Battery every 2-3 years (£40-60)
- Cam chain tensioner noise rare but possible (£200 fix)
- Otherwise extremely reliable — air-cooled single is bulletproof
Strengths
- +Air-cooled GLR125 engine — essentially unkillable
- +140mpg real-world is achievable
- +Low seat (775mm) — confidence-inspiring for new riders
- +Light (117 kg) — easy to manage at slow speeds
- +Cheapest geared 125 in the Honda lineup
- +Strong residuals — CBT schools buy them
Watch-outs
- −Stock rear shock under-damped — many owners upgrade
- −Limited motorway capability vs Yamaha YBR125
- −Basic instrumentation — no fancy TFT
- −Slow acceleration vs Yamaha MT-125 (but that's A2-class)