Honda CB125F (2026) – Technical Review

Additional reporting by Michael Mann

Asked to list Honda’s most legendary bikes it’s easy to turn to performance and racing icons like the FireBlade. RC30 or NSR500 but there’s a strong argument that it’s at the other end of the spectrum that the company really excels – making accessible low-performance machines that have given millions of riders their first taste of motorcycling.

The Cub might be the machine that put the world onto two wheels, but the CB125F and its predecessors – a family tree including the original 1970s CB125, the CG125 and CBF125 – have doubled as mass transport in developing countries and first-step learner bikes elsewhere for more than half a century. So the launch of a new CB125F, despite its humble position in Honda’s range, is noteworthy, and that’s what we’re getting for the 2026 model year.

For the new Honda CB125F, marked as a “2026” model, the Idling Stop feature makes its debut on a Honda motorcycle with manual transmission, while the bodywork gets a styling refresh, in comes a new LED headlight and taillight plus a 4.2” TFT LCD display with smartphone connectivity and a USB-C port.

Pros & Cons

2026 Honda CB125F - Price & PCP Deals

At £3299 the 2026 CB125F is £140 more than the previous version of the bike (officially the ‘2024’ model) which remains available at £3159 until the new model reaches dealers – they’re expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.

That makes it the cheapest machine in Honda’s 125cc lineup. Despite being a ‘real’ full-sized bike, the CB125F is £600 less than the Dax 125, £700 less than the Supercub 125 or MSX125, and £900 cheaper than the Monkey 125. While details of finance deals aren’t likely to appear until nearer the bike’s in-dealer date, the current CB125F can be found for under £50 per month on PCP or £80 per month on HP, and the new version will surely be in the same ballpark.

Three colours are to be offered in 2026, with carried-over red and blue options accompanied by a new grey version.

2026 Honda CB125F - Engine & Performance

When the previous CB125F was introduced back in 2021 it introduced a new, long-stroke ‘eSP’ (that’s ‘enhanced Smart Power’ in case you’re wondering) air-cooled single. The same motor is at the heart of the 2026 bike but it’s updated to meet the new Euro5+ emissions rules, which retain the same outright limits as the previous Euro5 regs but add new requirements in terms of longevity and emissions monitoring.

With a 50mm bore and a 63.1mm stroke, combined with a single overhead camshaft and just two valves, the engine bucks the decades-long trend of making engines have ever-shorter strokes and bigger bores in the pursuit of increased revs and valve area. In fact, the 2021 update went the other way, increasing the stroke and shrinking the bore compared to its predecessor. That’s because Honda isn’t chasing more power, but more economy – so low revs are the key.

The 2021 updates brought a certified 188mpg, around 43mpg (27%) more than the previous model, and despite the introduction of the more stringent Euro5+ the 2026 CB125F manages the same numbers. Peak power is still 10.7hp at 7500rpm and max torque is 8lb-ft at 6000rpm, and emissions are unchanged.

But there is a substantial difference for 2026, with the introduction of Idling Stop, the system that turns the engine off at a standstill and restarts it automatically when you go to pull away again. Honda has used the system on twist-and-go scooters before, but this is a first on a manual-transmission motorcycle. It means that while the emissions and economy numbers from the official WMTC tests are unchanged compared to the previous model, the real-world efficiency and emissions from the 2026 bike are expected to be improved.

As before, the engine is paired to a five-speed transmission, and the Idling Stop system works in any of those gears.

2026 Honda CB125F - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

You won’t find any changes to the simple steel tube frame of the CB125F for 2026, and the simple suspension and brake systems are perhaps the clearest clue to the bike’s low price.

Up front there are spindly 30mm, right-way-up forks, while the dual-shock rear end is a throwback to an earlier era – although it’s not without adjustment, as there are five levels of preload to be selected at the back.

A single front disc brake and two-piston caliper are joined by another anachronism in the form of a cable-operated drum at the back, and that means the CB125F is one of the ever-shrinking number of bikes on the market to go without ABS. Instead it has a combined braking system, complying with EU rules that require bikes under 125cc to have either ABS or CBS.

The 2021 update saw the introduction of a new frame, carried over to the 2026 model, and a shorter 1280mm wheelbase that’s also shared by the latest version. Along with those changes, the 2021 bike shed 11kg of kerb weight, bringing it down from 128kg to a slender 117kg, and the 2026 updates haven’t altered that figure. Overall dimensions do change a fraction, though, as while the wheelbase, 26-degree rake and 92.4mm trail are unchanged, the new bodywork makes the 2026 bike a little over a centimetre longer than the previous version.

2026 Honda CB125F - Comfort & Economy

Put an image of the 2026 CB125F alongside a picture of the previous version and it’s a challenging game of spot-the-difference to pick out the visible differences between the two – and that’s something of a shame as Honda has actually redesigned much of the bodywork.

The nose cowl is completely reshaped, housing a new LED headlight and a screen that’s now around a centimetre lower than before, but the family resemblance to the previous model means those changes aren’t immediately obvious.

Further back, the tank and tail are also updated, finishing the job with a new taillight. But again, you’d have to see the new bike parked next to the old one to be able to pick out the changes.

With the same 790mm seat height as before, and the same relationship between the seat, bars and pegs, don’t expect a radically different riding experience or comfort level compared to the previous CB125F.

While the official 188mpg economy figure is unchanged, giving a potential range of over 450 miles between fill-ups from the 11 litres of unleaded in the tank, the 2026 bike’s idle-stop system should make it easier to extract the best of its potential economy.

2026 Honda CB125F - Equipment

The big change here is the addition of a new, 4.2-inch colour TFT dashboard in place of the old monochrome LCD of the previous generation.

With that comes not only a much more contemporary appearance from the rider’s seat, with far more information immediately at hand than before, but the addition of modern tech including Bluetooth connectivity and a USB-C charge port.

When you have Honda’s RoadSync app installed, the dash can be paired to your phone to give turn-by-turn navigation and all the other connectivity convenience we’ve come to expect in terms of answering calls, receiving texts and listening to and controlling music. You can even get weather updates on the dash.

2026 Honda CB125F - Rivals

It’s notable that Honda’s Japanese rivals have largely exited the budget end of the 125cc learner bike market that the £3k CB125F inhabits, and instead focussed on the circa-£5k realm where the higher-spec CB125R sits. That means you’re likely to be cross-shopping with either used Japanese bikes or Chinese machines.

CFMOTO 125NK | Price: £3199

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Power/Torque

14.4bhp / 7.5lb-ft

Weight

142kg

Mondial Flat Track 125 | Price: £2999

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Power/Torque

15bhp / 7.7lb-ft

Weight

133kg

Benelli BN125 | Price: £2599

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Power/Torque

11bhp / 7.4lb-ft

Weight

142kg

2026 Honda CB125F - Verdict

Everybody can remember the first bike they rode legally, and for the majority it will have been a 125cc Honda, and for many of those it’ll have been the CBF, or its predecessor, the CG which debuted in 1975. So when a model isn’t broken then all it needs is a little spruce up and some extra tech to reinvigorate its appeal. And that is a key point particularly as that 125-learner market is currently swamped with options with many from the Far East joining the list of rivals.

Honda of course has its dealer back-up, build quality and brand equity to rely on, but the consumer might see ‘125cc’ and then look straight at the price. Attractive PCP deals spread over 36 months aren’t as important on a bike that’s unlikely to be kept for more than 12.

Is the combined braking system over an ABS version a deal-breaker? Do Honda’s own Dax, Monkey, Grom, CB125R, or even Cub offer too many alternatives to therefore hurt the CBF’s sales? We’ll offer you our riding impressions once we’ve had a run out.

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2026 Honda CB125F - Technical Specification

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