2014 Honda CRF 125F & 125FB

Introduction

• New styling has the bikes looking like the motocross CRF Rs.
• Electric starting is finally included.
• Same concept and hopefully same durability from a different country of origin.

Starting with the XR75, then evolving into the XR80, XR100, CRF80 and CRF100, Honda has been turning non-riders into mini-dirt demons since the early 1970s. I’d bet as many have started on an XR75 or CRF80 or 100 as the often-cited Honda 50.

Built around the fundamentally similar air-cooled two-valve four-stroke engine, it is a  durable and indestructible design.The chassis has the looks of the bigger Honda bikes a young one might want to migrate up to. Lately the CRF80 and CRF100 were lacking in styling, which hurt the kids dreams. But not as much as the lack of electric starting which made for sore legs and tired parents when compared to the now plentiful electric-starting minibike competition in the play/beginner bike market.

So in moving along with Honda’s new focus on building bikes for everyone, the CRF F line gets two new 125cc models to help keep the line full and fresh. Both are nearly identical, save for the “B” or Big Wheel’s larger 16”/19” wheels, two-inch taller seat height and $300 boost in price, $3199 vs. $2799.

Electric-starting on playbikes was game changing. Luckily, Honda had the 124.9cc electric start air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke motor from another bike laying around. Its configuration of 52.4mm bore and a long 57.9mm stroke lends to a very torquey power delivery--perfect.

That simple two-valve engine fits nicely into a chassis very similar to the older CRF80/100 yet Honda chose to beef up the suspension to a slightly larger fork and shock compared to the previous model. By design the whole bike is simple and low-maintenance, pretty much a gas and go machine. You could get away with a few air filter cleanings a year and do the oil once and the bike would run forever.

Changes

• All-new design because of the new engine, sourced from another Honda model.

Both 125s are pretty much all new from the ground up compared to the previous CRF80 and CRF100. Now there is no difference in the engine between the different sized bikes, which comes from the wheels and slightly altered springs in the suspension. Each has a front disc brake and still a drum in the rear. The final drive gearing is different between the bikes to accommodate between the wheel sizes. All the plastic is brand new and mirrors the cues found in the new generation of Honda bikes.

The bikes are California Green Sticker legal and have Forest Service approved spark arrestors.

Power

• Lots of torque, not a lot of revving.
• Hard to stall, great for beginners.
• Everyone loved the E-start.

Through the push of a button, both bikes start right up and need a little choke, especially if it is cold. There is even a key-on ignition to keep the bike parked if need be, and a kickstart lever for backup.

The power delivery is all torque. It seems to hit peak power about 1500 RPM from idle and then keep that power level all the way through the rev range, which isn't revving out that much by current race bike standards. Off of idle the bike has an almost stall-proof bottom end, a big flywheel feel, making dealing with the clutch for the first time a lot easier than the older XR and CRF powerplants, which were in comparison light on torque. You rarely have to slip the clutch, and it really does not help the bike rev-up. It is that kind of slow building torque character.

The new four-speed gear box (one less from the older engine) is mated perfectly to the power delivery and even its long gaps are filled with the motor’s ability to pull the spacing. First gear is very low and excellent for technical riding without having to use the clutch at all. If anything it will teach riders that shifting is the key to going faster, as each shift makes a sizable difference in the speed. Clutch action is smooth and the pull is about right for smaller hands. The shifting drew no attention. We even abused the clutch a little on some hill climbs and it never whimpered.

Luckily the muffler does a good job at keeping the noise level proper, and it's not so quiet that dad will think he has to cut something out of it to make the bike go. In fact, doing that would most likely make the bike slower and require some jetting work.

Suspension

• Beefed up in size and stiffness.
• Non-adjustable units get the job done.

The suspension received a lot of attention by current Honda standards, though it isn't in technology or trickness. It was the fact that they realized that kids jump these bikes and pretend they are on a race bike, which this bike is not. So Honda saw fit to beef up the size of the components and the spring rates and damping on the non-adjustable components; so that as riders progress, and progress to jumping, they won't be bending and breaking things as easily as before. Plus the bike can hold up to adult sized riders, as they sometimes have to.

As far as performance goes, the bike is not as springy and flexy as before and the ride is a little bit stiffer feeling, but not too much. Small kids, say in the 80-pound range, might get bounced around a little bit, even on the small wheel bike, but they don't seem to care. In fact when our testers started jumping the bikes they commented that it was much better than the older CRF and it didn't bottom out so easy. Especially on the larger wheel bike. Neither bike has a lot of travel, just under six inches at each end,where a competition bike will have closer to 10 inches, but this helps keep the seat height low. For the intended purpose the suspension is fine.

Chassis - Handling

• Comfortable and predictable handling that is confidence inspiring for beginners.
• The bike fits kids and adults, especially adults on the big wheel.

The chassis is designed to keep a low seat height on either bike (the BW is two inches taller at 30.9 in.) and provide a steady, stable and planted ride, which it does. A racer would say the handling is sluggish but to a new rider this is confidence inspiring. The bike is a lot heavier than you might think, at a claimed 194 pounds ready to ride, but it does not feel heavy to the rider. Picking it up for some smaller kids might become an issue, but then they may not be strong enough to ride the bike in the first place. Kids will (and did) notice the weight when we tipped the bike over on a downhill.

The strengthening of the chassis was also a good idea since the frame is using the motor as a stressed member. The skid plate provides ample case protection as well. This double edged sword of making things stronger and adding weight is a trade off, but Honda did about as good as could be expected along with keeping the cost in line.

The front disc brake is a big improvement for stopping power and you’ll forget the rear is still a drum design as it works just fine. Things like a steel shift lever and brake pedal may seem like cost cutting features (and they are) but you’ll love them when you can bend them back after a tip-over, as opposed to having to replace more expensive aluminum parts. Where you'll need to pay attention is to the steel rims and smallish spokes. All that force has to go someplace and we know from experience these rims can bend when the bike is jumped above and beyond its limits. Keep an eye on spoke tension for sure.

The design of the new plastic and seat give the bike a modern look and the feel is current with other bikes, competition or recreational.The placement and layout of the controls is friendly to smaller hands and there is enough adjustment to make everything work.

Conclusion

• This bike is a big improvement for the beginner market, thanks to electric starting.

This new CRF 125 has brought Honda back into the game with a competitive play/beginner bike with features and performance that are spot-on for the intended audience. It really needed an electric start to compete with other choices out there, even if that upgrade came with a weight and cost penalty. It is worth it every time someone starts the bike.

Some may miss the revvy nature of the old XR75 that still lingered on in the more modern versions, and you can still find older CRF100Fs at dealers for those who may want a lighter and non-electric starting bike. But with better torque, improved styling and very confident handling, this bike is a perfect first bike or a great trail riding machine for off-road adventures where a racing minibike might be a handful.

The cost may be steep, especially when looking at some of the knock-off machines floating around that try to mimic bikes like the CRF. But there is one thing that Honda, and specifically this family of bikes, is known for and that is durability, regardless of the country of origin. This bike will likely never break, and will run like it was brand new long after the plastic is cracked broken and torn.