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LearnerLicense A1 (16+)3,200/yr UK

Honda CB125R

Honda's Neo Sports Café 125 — entry to the family that includes the CB300R and CB1000R. 125cc DOHC 4-valve single, 15bhp, full premium spec: Showa SFF-BP USD forks, radial-mount 4-piston brake caliper, IMU-controlled ABS. 2024 update added a 5-inch TFT dash inherited from the CB1000R. The most premium-spec 125 naked you can buy new — and priced accordingly above Yamaha XSR125 and KTM 125 Duke equivalents.

Honda CB125R
Photo: Luenibaer via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Engine
124.7 cc

Liquid-cooled DOHC 4V single

Power
15 PS
Weight
130 kg

wet

Seat height
816 mm
A2 licence

The short version

66/100

Forecourt score

Value 50 · Insurance 84 · Theft 65

The Honda CB125R is cheap to insure (around £290/yr typical). Theft risk is moderate. We don't yet hold model-specific depreciation for the Honda CB125R; our default estimate is around 30% lost over three years.

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. The value pillar uses our default estimate for this bike, not a model-specific figure.

Variant: CB125R

Engine

Petrol · 124.7cc

Power

15 ps

Torque

11.6 Nm

Weight

130 kg

Seat

816 mm

Transmission

6-speed manual

Economy

107 mpg

Standard CB125R — 124.7cc DOHC single, 15bhp, 6-speed manual. Showa SFF-BP forks, IMU-controlled ABS, radial-mount 4-piston front caliper. 5-inch TFT from 2024.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

2023
20182026
9,000 mi
0Expected: 9,00060k
good
PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.

Estimated market value

£3,184

Range £2,866 £3,502

HIGH CONFIDENCE

When new (2023)£4,549
Age-based value£3,184
Mileage adjustment+£0
Condition adjustment+£0

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

£4,899

At 5 years

£2,939

At 10 years

£2,058

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.

Years 0–3First-owner depreciation30% lost
Years 3–7Used-market sweet spot18% lost
Years 7–15Stable / vintage-cult zone26% lost
After year 3: 70% retainedAfter year 7: 52% retainedAfter year 15: 26% retained

UK new price by year

How we estimate this

We don't yet hold model-specific depreciation for this bike. The figures above are our default estimate for machines of this kind, currently applied to 34 models in the catalogue — treat them as a starting point, not a measurement of this model. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count and crash-damage signatures. Figures assume a clean, fully-stamped example.

What it costs to own

Over

Indicative running costs at 3,000 miles a year — the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics. 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

£1,477

Per year

£492

Per mile

£0.16

Servicing£480
Tyres (pair)£206
Chain & sprockets£90
MOT£89
Fuel / energy£612

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 the current DESNZ pump price of £1.60/L (week commencing 03/08/2026). Electric bikes are costed from battery capacity and published range at the current domestic electricity price; where a bike has no published range we show no energy line rather than guess. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.

Estimated insurance

ABI motorcycle scheme · 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 years
0 yearsBaseline: 5 years15+

Risk profile

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39

£290/ year

Roughly £24 per month

Typical

Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.
Age bandLower riskTypicalHigher risk
Age 17-21£479£638£893
Age 22-29£294£392£548
Age 30-39Selected£218£290£406
Age 40-49£191£255£357
Age 50+£174£232£325

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

2/4Medium risk

1 — Low2 — Medium3 — High4 — Very high

Medium risk

Some theft pattern, particularly in urban postcodes. Thatcham-approved chain plus disc lock recommended; secure overnight parking helps premiums.

Theft hotspot postcodes

ENSESW

Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.

What this means for you

Premium Honda 125 with strong parts demand — chain + disc lock essential, ground anchor recommended for overnight.

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

5 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

3

SeverityPart / issueCost
mediumChain & sprockets

10-14k mi

£140
mediumThrottle position sensor

Causes idle hunting; PGM-FI diagnostic at dealer

15k+ mi

£180
lowFront brake pads

7-10k mi

£60-80
lowBattery

every 3-4 years

£70-90
lowTyres (Dunlop GPR-300)

8-10k mi

£180 pair

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 CB125R, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Strengths

  • +Premium spec — Showa SFF-BP forks and radial calipers rare on a 125
  • +IMU-controlled ABS — uncommon at this price
  • +5-inch TFT dash from 2024
  • +Honda reliability + UK dealer network
  • +Neo Sports Café styling scales up to bigger CBs

Watch-outs

  • Priced above Yamaha XSR125 and KTM 125 Duke equivalents
  • 816mm seat tall for shorter CBT riders
  • Aggressive sport-naked posture less comfortable on long commutes
  • 10.1L tank smaller than rivals (XSR125: 11L, KTM: 13.5L)

Related bikes

Common questions

Honda CB125R, answered from the data

How much is a used Honda CB125R worth?
A 2023 Honda CB125R in good condition with around 9,000 miles is worth roughly £3,200 (typical range £2,850–£3,500). Dealer asking prices sit higher than private sales, and a full service history, no crash damage and an unbroken theft record are what hold a bike at the top of its range.
How quickly does the Honda CB125R depreciate?
We don't yet hold model-specific depreciation for the Honda CB125R. Our default estimate for machines of this kind is a loss of about 30% over three years, against a 25–32% norm for bikes generally — treat it as a starting point rather than a measurement of this model. Bikes hold value considerably better than cars, which typically lose 40–50% over the same period.
Can you ride the Honda CB125R on an A2 licence?
The Honda CB125R is an A1 machine, so it suits a 17-plus rider on an A1 licence and is also available to anyone with A2 or full A entitlement.
How much does it cost to insure a Honda CB125R?
Expect around £290 a year to insure a Honda CB125R, typically £210–£420. That assumes age 18-19 CBT, no NCB, urban postcode. Bike premiums move far more on licence tier, rider age and postcode than car premiums do, so treat this as a starting point rather than a quote.
What goes wrong on a used Honda CB125R?
The wear and failure points we track for the Honda CB125R are: chain & sprockets (around 10-14k mi, £140); front brake pads (around 7-10k mi, £60-80); battery (around every 3-4 years, £70-90). We don't publish a reliability score for bikes — the MOT dataset behind our car scores doesn't support one at model level — so treat these as the specific things to inspect rather than a verdict. A full service history and a fresh MOT without advisories remain the best protection.
What does a Honda CB125R cost to run?
Expect around 107 mpg, about £204 a year in fuel or energy, £160 for an annual service, £160 a pair for tyres every 7,000 miles, £180 for a chain and sprockets every 18,000 miles. Figures assume 3,000 miles a year, the UK average from DfT travel and traffic statistics, and current DESNZ pump prices. The cost-of-ownership table on the profile breaks this down per year and per mile.
Is the Honda CB125R likely to be stolen?
The Honda CB125R is a moderate theft target. Premium Honda 125 with strong parts demand — chain + disc lock essential, ground anchor recommended for overnight. Theft is concentrated in E, N, SE, SW postcode areas. A Thatcham-approved chain and ground anchor, a disc lock and a tracker are what insurers look for, and secure overnight storage moves a premium more than almost anything else.

Answers are generated from this bike's Forecourt data — curated specifications, our valuation model and the week's DESNZ fuel and energy prices — and update with the weekly data refresh.

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