Honda CBR125R
Rs. 80,000
Honda CBR125R - Superb Entry Level Sports Bike
Honda has unveiled the all new 2011 model of Honda CBR125R and has been launched worldwide but there are no plans that Honda India is going to launch CBR125R in India. Though if Honda launches the CBR125R then it is expected to be priced around Rs. 80,000.
Official press release of 2011 Honda CBR125R
The 125cc sportsbike class is where riding experiences begin. For the vast majority of new riders, whether on the road and on the race circuit, these machines are the first step on a path that could lead anywhere. For this reason 125cc sportsbikes have a huge responsibility. They must be just as rewarding to ride as bigger Supersports machines, particularly where engine power is less important, such as in town and on very twisty roads. They must be easy to ride too, patiently nurturing new riders and building their confidence on two wheels. If a 125cc sportsbike can put its rider at ease with the fundamentals of control then it has done its job.
Of course the perfect 125cc sportsbike is also huge fun to ride. Such machines are motorcycling’s first chance to capture a rider’s imagination; its opportunity to show just how exhilarating and rewarding riding can be, not to mention how much more practical it is as a means of travelling on today’s congested urban roads. This can only be achieved by offering a machine that’s designed from the ground up as a sportsbike – delivering the crisp responses and great performance young riders demand.
Reliability and low maintenance are all-important. Any rider’s first bike is likely to be called upon to perform a huge range of tasks, from weekend leisure riding or track days to weekday commuting. Absolute reliability must be a given, while low running costs and hassle-free ownership are also critical. Ideally, it should also offer a comfortable pillion seat, allowing a rider to share the fun with friends.
Since its introduction in 2004 the CBR125R has represented the ideal first sportsbike. Compact, lightweight and blessed with the refinement, ease of use and welcoming handling that have become synonymous with the CBR family, it has become a popular machine with young riders the world over. But the time has come for a more sophisticated 125cc sportsbike, a 125 with the ‘feel’ more often associated with bigger machines. For 2011 the all-new CBR125R is ready to prove itself as the perfect first sportsbike for a new generation of riders.
Development concept
The 2011 CBR125R has been designed to offer exciting and performance led riding dynamics, giving young riders the opportunity to develop sports riding skills from the very earliest days of their careers, but also, designed to offer more seasoned riders a fun and economical daily commuter machine.
The existing CBR125R is an enormously popular motorcycle, one that has schooled a generation of riders. But while its small size is a tremendous asset in many instances, guaranteeing easy handling, a low weight and the ability to slice through urban traffic, the demand has emerged for a 125cc machine that is in every way a full-sized performance bike. Honda’s response to this demand is a new small-capacity bike with big ambitions – the 2011 CBR125R.
The brief was simple: to create a 125cc sportsbike with the look and feel of a bigger and more expensive machine. The new sportsbike had to retain the current CBR125R’s user-friendly handling characteristics and free-revving single-cylinder engine, but package them inside all-new bodywork with the sophisticated styling and full-size proportions demanded by the modern young sports rider. It was decided too that wider, more impressive wheel and tyre sizes should be specified, enhancing handling while also helping create the feel of a much bigger motorcycle. Finally, the latest advances in fuel injection and catalyser technology would make the 2011 CBR125R more efficient than its predecessor.
Main features
- Powerful, reliable and fuel-efficient 124.7cm3 liquid-cooled, single-Lightweight cylinder engine with PGM-FI fuel injection.
- Diamond twin-spar steel frame with sporty geometry for intuitive and exciting handling.
- Comfortable yet involving riding position and low kerb weight (136.9kg) make for a very manageable and easy to handle 125cc sportsbike.
- Wide 130/70-17M/C rear tyre for a thrilling riding experience and Supersports style.
- Advanced multi-function digital instrument display.
- Striking full fairing cowl
Outstanding manoeuvrability
The CBR name is synonymous with superb handling at any speed, and the new CBR125R is no exception. Despite its slightly larger overall dimensions, the 2011 machine remains extraordinarily easy to handle, immediately giving new riders the confidence they need. Key to the CBR’s manoeuvrability is its riding position, which is designed around the low 793mm seat. The location of the handlebars and footpegs has been revised for improved control while maintaining outstanding rider comfort. Together with the contoured new fuel tank, which is bigger on the new machine for improved range, the result is an unmistakably sporty but easygoing riding position. The rider’s weight is distributed evenly, creating a posture that isn’t tiring to maintain and that doesn’t in any way restrict movement.
Superb chassis balance
The 2011 CBR125R boasts a competitively low kerb weight of just 136.9kg. This mass is distributed perfectly between the front and rear wheels in a 49:51 weight distribution, while the compact single-cylinder engine helps keep the centre of gravity low. The result is a machine that feels instantly manageable, regardless of a rider’s height or stature, so the rider feels completely in control.
Full fairing cowl
The CBR125R’s dramatic new full fairing is more than a mere styling exercise. By providing protection from windblast, the fairing makes the rider more comfortable, particularly over long-distance journeys which can affect riders of Naked machines. The fairing also features a powerful one-piece headlight and bright taillight for superb visibility at night.
New digital instruments
Digital instrumentation is now commonplace on large-capacity machines. For 2011 the CBR125R underlines its big-bike credentials by adopting this technology. The result is a thoroughly modern rider’s eye-view, with speed, engine revs and engine temperature all visible at a glance. The display also includes a six-segment fuel gauge, a clock and an odometer/trip meter.
Passenger comfort
Grab handles on either side of the rear seat provide the sense of security so crucial to passenger comfort, leaving rider and pillion free to enjoy the ride.
Styling
As you’d expect of a machine with a presence beyond its modest engine size, the 2011 CBR125R has an all-new full fairing cowl. The racy yet sophisticated new look is typically CBR, with clean lines inspired by 600cc and 1000cc Supersports machines but developed into a unique style.
The new single headlight design sets the tone for the rest of the fairing, being both original in shape and suggestive of much more expensive motorcycles. From there the fairing quickly tapers rearward to a slim and sporty tail unit. Since the compact new exhaust system finishes ahead of the rear axle, the back of the machine appears to float above the purposefully wide new rear tyre, creating a dynamic forward-biased silhouette.
Engine
Like the previous CBR125R, the 2011 model uses a powerful single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine. The single-cylinder configuration boasts many advantages over a twin-cylinder engine of the same capacity, most noticeably lighter weight, smaller dimensions, improved fuel economy and mechanical simplicity.
Developing a peak power figure of 9.38kW at 10,000rpm and a peak torque figure of 10.1Nm at just 8000rpm, the CBR125R has the performance to make every ride a joy, whether it’s commuting to work or college or riding open roads for sheer pleasure.
Honda’s advanced PGM-FI system is key to the CBR125R’s clean-revving and manageable performance. The system’s Electronic Control Unit works with the electronic ignition to provide exactly the right fuel/air mix to the cylinder for any given combination of throttle position and engine revs. The result is a smooth power curve delivered with the accuracy and predictability needed to breed rider confidence. New FI settings also make the engine more fuel efficient.
Few engines in motorcycling are more rugged or affordable to run than the CBR125R’s liquid-cooled single. The electric start means the machine is ready to go at the push of a button, while its outstanding efficiency means superb fuel economy delivering an impressive range from the slim and compact 13-litre fuel tank. Because the fuel tank can be smaller for a given range, in turn this helps create a lighter and more compact motorcycle. The superb fuel economy betters the previous model thanks to a revised final drive ratio and new fuel injection settings. The new bike is also easier to look after – for 2011 the filter that supplies clean fuel to the fuel injection system has been moved outside the fuel tank to make maintenance simpler.
Slick six-speed transmission
The CBR125R uses a mechanically actuated clutch for fine control and a light feel at the clutch lever. The transmission’s six ratios complement the engine’s flexible power delivery perfectly, giving the CBR125R the performance that riders demand.
New ultra-clean exhaust
The 2011 CBR125R features a new exhaust system incorporating an oxygen sensor and a Tri-metal catalytic converter. The catalyser all but eliminates the emission of polluting hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides, ensuring the CBR125R easily complies with emissions legislation. Emissions are further reduced at source by the PGM-FI system, which analyses the exhaust gases via the oxygen sensor to maintain the air/fuel ratio at the ideal for clean combustion.
Lightweight frame
The CBR125R uses a lightweight pentagonal-section steel twin-spar frame. The design is a proven one, linking the critical areas of the headstock and the swingarm pivot point using a straight and unbroken spar on both sides of the engine. The design delivers the rigidity required of a sportsbike frame while also being light and compact.
The chassis feel of the CBR125R treads a line between the swift responses required of a Supersports machine and the reassuring predictability that develops rider confidence. The wheelbase is one of the shortest in its class at just 1313mm, ensuring the CBR125R flicks through bends with a fluidity and grace none of its rivals can match. However a trail figure of 90mm means this thrilling agility never threatens to cause instability. In short the CBR125R is ready for anything, from super-smooth open roads to the traffic-packed and bumpy challenge of the city.
Sophisticated suspension
Control and a superb ride feel are guaranteed by the CBR125R’s premium suspension components. The front wheel is controlled by a 31mm hydraulic telescopic fork, while the rear tubular steel swingarm mounts to a Monoshock for sporty control and exceptional comfort. While in its element on the kind of smooth and twisting roads Supersports machines of all sizes revel in, the CBR125R also has the chassis sophistication to remain stable and comfortable on rougher back roads.
Big-bike wheels, tyres and brakes
In line with the new brief, the 2011 CBR125R uses tyres and wheels of a size more commonly associated with the 250cc class. The lightweight new 100/80-17 front and 130/70-17 rear cast wheels use a striking five-spoke design and bring both stability and increased grip. They also underline the CBR125R’s full-sized credentials. They are slowed by equally impressive braking systems, with powerful disc brakes front and rear. The front brake uses a 276mm disc gripped by a twin-piston caliper, while at the rear a 220mm disc and single-piston caliper offer the accuracy and feel that make low-speed manoeuvres easy.
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