The Honda Trail 125
Drivable Trail signs make me a little nervous when I’m riding my Himalayan. Unless I’m certain of what’s ahead, and especially if I’m alone, I generally don’t ride on past those signs. That’s not the case with the Honda. I almost can’t conceive of a road or path that I won’t happily ride on. It’s a real confidence inspiring motorcycle. Great to have when your 72nd birthday is just around the corner.
Riding Alone
As a heart attack survivor I sometimes wonder about the wisdom of riding alone in remote places. My cardiologist, a BMW rider, isn’t concerned about having a heart attack while riding alone. His concern is me being alone and dumping the bike and injuring myself, or going off the edge of an embankment and no one will find me. I’ve ridden along roads and thought if I went off there no one would ever find me in the thick growth.
This is where the Honda Trail 125 shines. I can’t imagine going off the road, dumping it and being pinned underneath. It is just so light and easy to manage that any concerns of my cardiologist or me evaporate.
Fully Capable (Almost)
Off the pavement this little motorcycle performs in much the same way as my Royal Enfield Himalayan. It can putter along at 25 to 35 MPH as I generally do with the bigger motorcycle, it’s ability to absorb ruts and rocks is more abrupt but nothing that would cause me to complain. And the place where it exceeds the Himalayan is in its nimbleness, lightness, and how easily it tackles whatever comes along without making me nervous.
It is definitely a confidence inspiring motorcycle.
Go Anywhere (Almost)
Riding on dirt and gravel forest roads, on dry hard pack or on wet and muddy roads are easy with the little Honda. Absolutely no worries about the bike slipping out and dumping me on the road. It just goes and goes limited only by time and how much riding time my body can endure.
If there is a shortcoming it’s in the meager top speed. I’ve listened to people say they can easily cruise at 55 MPH but for me 45 MPH is the reliable speed. And only if the road is flat and there is no headwind. This lack of speed for the highway does limit things a bit. Not because I can’t ride on higher speed roads but rather because I often don’t have the time to race out to some distant riding location. I’ve recently taken the Himalayan on a few rides that involved 30 or 40 miles of pavement before reaching the dirt I wanted to explore. The Honda would have been preferable on the dirt but I just didn’t have the time for the longer to and from leg. But if time wasn’t an issue, I could puzzle this little machine across America.
Stock and Ready to Go
Other than the milk crate and larger side stand foot attached to the bike it is completely stock. The tires are fine, the chain is good enough, and I don’t need any extra racks and such. It’s adequate for everything I do not, or can conceive of doing in the near future.
I’ve ridden the Trail 125 on the Mid-Atlantic BDR including the two nearby Expert sections. I’ve ridden it through mud and water, over trees and branches, and have smiled the whole time. The bike isn’t the perfect adventure bike, but it will take me almost anywhere a big adventure bike will. I just would need a lot more time.
It’s fun to be able to tackle the unknown without worrying about not being able to handle the motorcycle. With the Honda, the challenge is mental, how to adapt my riding style and the bike’s limitations to the task at hand.
A little skill and a lot of patience, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with this confidence inspiring motorcycle.
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I love my Trail! Three modest suggestions, if I may be so bold. One is to buy a hitch for your truck/van and haul the Trail to places where you want to ride. It’s so easy to get on a hitch. Even a cheap Harbor Freight one will do the trick. And I think you’ll like the ride even more with some off-pavement tires like some Shinko 244 or something equivalent. Finally, only because you brought it up, a Garmin InReach or similar satellite communicator as an emergency location/SOS device for when you go off that edge is wise. Your financial situation indicates you can afford one, so I think your cardiologist would be somewhat relieved to know you’re carrying one. I take mine on any remote riding I do where the chance of someone else passing by is slim. It may help you get to 73 :-). Always love your stuff!
Hello Steve
I think Tom is bang on with the Garmin or similar product. I live in an area where my phone appears to reside in the Bermuda Triangle . That Honda Trail of yours has been on my list for some time. My only problem is not with the bike but rather with my weight which is right at the two hundred pound mark.
Over my sixty four. Years in the saddle, I have owned two Yamaha TW 200s and am contemplating another now that I’m fully ensconced in a beautiful Valley with an abundance of farm roads.
Should you feel the need for a little more grunt and not a lot of weight gain on behalf of the bike , you might want to consider one at some point.
This is how they stack up against one another.
The Yamaha TW200 has a claimed wet (curb) weight of 278 pounds (126 kg), making it exactly 22 pounds heavier than the modern 256-pound Honda Trail 125.Despite having a larger engine, massive oversized tires, and a traditional dual-sport frame, the Yamaha TW200 remains remarkably light.Key Specification DifferencesFeatureHonda Trail 125Yamaha TW200Curb Weight256 lbs (116 kg)278 lbs (126 kg)Engine Size125cc single-cylinder196cc single-cylinderHorsepower8.8 hp16 hpTransmission4-speed automatic clutch5-speed manual clutchFuel SystemFuel injectedCarburetedSeat Height31.5 inches31.1 inchesTop Speed~55 mph~65–70 mphPayload Capacity265 lbs395 lbsHow the Weight and Build Affect the RidePayload & Utility: While the Honda Trail 125 comes with a massive rear cargo rack, its actual suspension cargo capacity is low (265 lbs total rider + gear). The Yamaha TW200 Specs allow it to carry up to 395 lbs, making it much better for packing heavy camping gear.Handling and Stability: The Trail 125 carries its weight like a scooter or step-through moped, making it incredibly nimble for urban riding. The TW200 feels like a “two-wheeled quad”. Its weight sits very low to the ground, and the fat tires give it unmatched stability in sand, mud, and loose rock.Mechanical Simplicity vs. Tech: The extra weight on the TW200 comes from its larger powertrain. However, the Yamaha is famously old-school—it still uses a carburetor and a rear drum brake. The Honda gives you modern fuel injection, front-wheel ABS, and disc brakes on both wheels.
Oh to be confident in one’s ride…. there’s 2 Honda autos in my garage, you make me want to take a Trail 125 with me camping in the American Southwest.