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Honda’s small retro revival brought us the Super Cub 125, the Monkey 125, and the Trail 125, all reincarnations of legendary minis. Now, Europe gets the new ST125 Dax. It's a modernized homage to some of Honda's most famous minis.
What’s a Dax? And why does it look like a Trail 70?
Dax is short for dachshund, a nickname earned by the bike’s small size and long frame. The motorcycle we knew as the CT70 (Trail 70) here in the United States was called the Dax (ST70) in most other markets from 1969 to 1981. Other displacements were also offered over the years.
It’s more common for the U.S. market to get a “word” model name instead of a letter-and-number designation (FireBlade versus CBR900RR, Katana versus GSX-F, Vision versus XZ550, etc.), but for whatever reason, the Dax name was withheld, and the new name probably won’t stir any nostalgia in today’s customers. The bike’s appearance, however, certainly will.
Dax facts
The essential CT70 design is all here: T-bone monocoque frame, small wheels, upswept exhaust pipe, fat seat, horizontal single-cylinder engine, and that trademark stripe on the frame. Under the surface, the new Dax has similar tech and features to Honda’s other miniMOTO offerings.
The Dax gets the same 124 cc air-cooled single as the Super Cub. That means the transmission is a four-speed semi-auto, so gears are changed by foot alone. Honda claims nine horsepower at 7,000 rpm and eight foot-pounds of torque at 5,000 rpm.
With a one-gallon tank and Honda claiming 150 miles per gallon… well, you can do the math. Claimed curb weight is 236 pounds. (The heaviest dachshund on record weighed 77 pounds in 2013. A veterinary specialist helped “Obie” lose more than half his weight, and the dog is much healthier now.)
This little motorcycle is fairly spartan aside from niceties such as full LED lighting and IMU-assisted ABS. The twin rear shocks and front fork are non-adjustable, the wheels are dead ringers for the Grom’s, and it has the same circular LCD dash found on the Monkey and Trail 125. For owners looking to spice up their new Dax ST125s, there should be plenty of aftermarket support for these models. The custom scene for the original Dax models is robust, and this new generation should appeal to many of the aftermarket parts suppliers.
Honda hasn’t released pricing for the Dax yet, although it did announce red and grey/blue paint options for 2023. Our European friends can expect Dax models in dealerships by May of this year. We asked American Honda if the Dax might make it here, but it may be one too many minis.
"Currently we are not planning to bring the model to the U.S.," said American Honda Media Coordinator Colin Miller. "We may look at that model in the future but right now we have quite a robust lineup in our miniMOTO category."
| 2023 Honda ST125 Dax (Europe) | |
|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | TBA |
| Engine | 124 cc, air-cooled, two-valve, single cylinder |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Four-speed semi-automatic, chain |
| Claimed horsepower | Nine @ 7,000 rpm |
| Claimed torque | Eight foot-pounds @ 5,000 rpm |
| Frame | Steel monocoque |
| Front suspension | 31 mm fork; 3.9 inches of travel |
| Rear suspension | Twin shocks; 4.7 inches of travel |
| Front brake | Nissin two-piston caliper, 220 mm disc with ABS |
| Rear brake | Nissin single-piston caliper, 190 mm disc |
| Rake, trail | 25.0 degrees, 3.3 inches |
| Wheelbase | 40.2 inches |
| Seat height | 30.5 inches |
| Fuel capacity | 1.0 gallon |
| Tires | IRC NR-77, 120/80-12 front, 130/80-12 rear |
| Claimed weight | 236 pounds |
| Available | May (Europe) |
| Warranty | 12 months |
| More info | powersports.honda.com |
