2021 Honda Trail 125 coming to U.S.

The new bike is a spiritual successor to the Trail/CT models sold in the United States, though other markets continued getting those models long after they ceased sale here. Light and tough, Honda’s ruggedized stepthroughs carried hunters, anglers, campers, weekend adventurers, farmers, and even commuters for decades. Honda seems to have the same buyers in mind with the new model, which is to say, anyone who’d enjoy a lightweight dual-purpose motorcycle.

The Trail 125 is powered by a 124.9 cc single with a four-speed transmission and semi-automatic clutch and has both an electric starter and a kickstarter, just like the originals. While the Trail appears to share plenty with the Super Cub, there are some differences.

“We changed up the Trail 125 ABS’s final-drive gearing compared to the Super Cub’s,” says Honda. “Adding three teeth to the rear sprocket gives it better hill-climbing ability on trails and dirt roads — the kind of places you’ll want to explore.” Honda didn’t list a top speed for this bike, so I watched a few videos of riders in countries where the Trail 125 is already available, and they’ll hit 65 mph or so. 

Other Trail 125 features include all-LED lighting, disc brakes, standard ABS, a skid plate, a luggage rack, a center stand, and a fuel capacity of 1.4 gallons. The whole package weighs just 259 pounds with a full tank. 

“When American Honda was established in 1959 and began offering the Honda 50, Idaho dealer Herb Uhl started modifying it for off-road use, resulting in Honda producing the Trail 50,” said Lee Edmunds, Senior Manager of Powersports Marketing for American Honda. “That model became ubiquitous in American campgrounds and on motorhome bumpers in the ’60s and ’70s and led to a number of successors. For that reason, the CT brand has a special history with the U.S. market, and it’s great to see it return with the Trail 125 which, like the Super Cub and Monkey, harkens back to a golden era of American motorcycling but with modern technology and reliability.”

Available in Glowing Red, the 2021 Trail 125 will retail for $3,899 starting in November.