Honda Dax 125 ST125

[vintagegarage]

Against many predictions to the contrary, it may be coming true:

https://www.advrider.com/hondas-dax125-minibike-confirmed-for-us-buyers-in-2025/

As of this morning, I have two on order.

 

[Mike Z]

Why would you want that over a CT125?

 

[m in sc]

what 'over'. in conjunction with. dammit. I always said if they brought it here i'd get one. Looks like i'll be making a phone call soon.

 

[Daytripper]

Cool! Not sure if it is big enough ergonomically for my 6'2" frame but I could see owning one of those. Honda is seeing the direction a gallon of gas is going price wise and is set to cash in..

 

[dmonkey]

Thanks for sharing @vintagegarage .

I don't have much nostalgia for the older Dax or Trail 70 specifically, but I learned to ride on a Suzuki Trailhopper and it's a very similar style of mini moto so this appeals to me. I prefer the aesthetics of this little Dachshund more than the modern Monkey. I've found the 12" wheeled Hondas turn tighter and *feel* faster than the 17" wheeled ones, which makes for a fun "riding a slow bike fast" experience, though they're not as enjoyable over potholes. The modern Dax ST125 models have a semi-automatic transmission same as the Super Cub and Trail, which isn't everyone's preference, but it does set it apart from the modern Monkey and makes it more approachable. I wonder which color(s) we'll get.

 

[m in sc]

I have zero nostalgia for one... and always thought the monkey was too cartoonish, never even considered one. the DAX always appealed to me, just way cleaner looking and i don't mind 12" wheels, they are fine, and ive done over 100 on the grom in its current form, they are way more stable at speed than people might believe. Im sure the dax is similar. and.. if they make the hyd clutch over-ride for these as well, I'll be very happy about that. But a semi auto isnt a deal breaker for sure for me. I sure don't care about mileage either, its just a toy/want.

 

[dmonkey]

Takegawa do have a hydraulic clutch conversion kit for the current Dax ST125.
Quite a few goodies out for it already:

HONDA DAX125 Custom Parts - Webike

1,799 items, Exhausts, Brakes, Handles & Control Parts, Frames / Protections and more for HONDA DAX125 at Webike. Huge stocks, fast worldwide shipping directly from Japan.

japan.webike.net

 

[m in sc]

reached out to 2 dealers already & honda corporate NA. lets see what they come back with when available for pre-order around here.

 

[dmonkey]

I dug up the CARB filing mentioned in the article. Here's what I did for anyone else who likes poking around:

1. Navigate to https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/new-vehicle-and-engine-certification-executive-orders-light-duty-vehicles
2. Under the HMC (Highway Motorcycle) column select 2025 for the model year
3. Scroll down to the HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD. section of the page.
4. Not all details are filled out, but you'll find the DAX125 filing listed as E.O. (Executive Order) M‑002‑0930

Eventually the updates get added to the Executive Order Summary spreadsheet, but not in a timely manner as the latest one was published after this order was executed, yet it doesn't include the DAX125.

@vintagegarage Looks like Honda plan to continue the Navi again for USA model year 2025, M-002-0925

I read the motorcycle.com article linked from ADVRider and they may be in need of an editor or someone who's ridden a Honda Cub. This reads like the kind of hallucination that ChatGPT tends to spit out.

The transmission has a N-1-2-3-4 shifting pattern, and from a standstill, a rider can pre-select the gear they want and when the throttle opens, the transmission will automatically cycle up or down through the gears to reach it.

 

[m in sc]

i got a reply late in the day yesterday, said they will have a price/delivery date known as of August, and i'm on the list of contacts when available.

 

[vintagegarage]

And Beezdeals already lists 205 accessories for it.. crap.. there goes the 2025 budget and the year is still 6 months away..

https://beezdeals.com/product-category/honda-dax-125/

 

[BaldRider]

I’m going to complain about ADM for 2 years and then give up and pay it anyway like I did with Booger

 

[HodagMule]

Why would you want that over a CT125?

I have zero nostalgia for one... and always thought the monkey was too cartoonish, never even considered one. the DAX always appealed to me, just way cleaner looking and i don't mind 12" wheels, they are fine, and ive done over 100 on the grom in its current form, they are way more stable at speed than people might believe. Im sure the dax is similar. and.. if they make the hyd clutch over-ride for these as well, I'll be very happy about that. But a semi auto isnt a deal breaker for sure for me. I sure don't care about mileage either, its just a toy/want.

I have nostalgia and after seeing this I was flooded with awesome memories of choaking on dirt bike dust.

I'm surrounded by vacation homes and as a kid I had a Monkey and the kids of one of the vacation homes had dirt bikes, I'd putt along with them trail riding usually about 20-30 seconds behind until they got lost and needed me to navigate back because I knew every backroad, trail, and logging road in the area. I still own that monkey but sadly that family sold there vacation property but I ran into them recently on my Trail 125 while they were on a UTV's in Minocqua last weekend.

 

[dmonkey]

Honda Powersports updated the Honda Trail 125 page and replaced the superimposed photos with real photos of the 2024 Trail 125.

https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/minimoto/trail125/gallery

This photo in particular stood out to me:

https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/minimoto/trail125/-/media/products/family/trail125/gallery/extended/trail125/2024/2024-trail125-gallery-11-2400xauto.jpg

*Speculation*
On the left appears to be a Honda Monkey front wheel, center is the 2024 Trail 125, and on the right... well, it appears to have a 12" tire same as the Monkey and that looks like the IRC NR77U that can come on the Grom or Dax. Since the lip of the fender is visible without a "tail", it would be a front fender. The USA market 2024 Grom only had black front fenders, the 2025 Grom has red, white, or blue. The color could be off, but knowing that the Monkey fender is chrome, I don't think that's a white Grom fender, it looks like a Silver Metallic front fender from the Dax 125 to me. Hard to tell for certain though, not much bike to see there. Once Honda officially announce the Dax 125 and have a page for it maybe they'll have photos from this shoot.

The beach location is The South Strand in Oceanside, CA with Oceanside Pier in one of the photos. Coincidentally, I rode my Trail there last September.

 

[vintagegarage]

dmonkey, Good spotting. If you call that photo #11 in the series, I notice that photos #9 and #10 have a different rider with red gloves and a white helmet with red and blue stripes like some helmets Honda dealers sell overseas. Can you tell if #10 is taken in oceanside? I have never been to Oceanside, but was surprised to see the old style parking meters in that photo as well. I "walked around" Oceanside using Google Street view and couldn't find that one-way street with the parking meters. When I ask Google about parking meters in Oceanside, it says there are some, but I just can't find them. Also, what is the license plate in #8. Is it just a dummy plate or it is something used in California? I thought a black plate in California would at least say California on it.
I never could find that palm tree with the fence around it, but this view from N Pacific St. comes pretty close to the angle in #6, and shows the red curb and posts with chains along N Pacific St.
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.193...MfIRg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205409&entry=ttu

 

[dmonkey]

I'm not sure about the parking meters, I know I've seen some around the area, but not that particular style. I guess Cool Hand Luke hasn't gotten around to taking them down yet!

I do recognize the white helmet with blue and red stripes as a Bell Custom 500 Stripes Helmet, and the grey one might be a Shoei J·O Helmet.

The plate, which looks clean without a sticker or state specified, is likely a dummy plate. You'll find the same "M2581" plate in photo 5 of the Navi gallery:

https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/minimoto/navi/gallery

 

[Low-gear]

Here is the parking meter location. 106 South Myers St, Oceanside: https://maps.app.goo.gl/W4j2ym4tT7t2pKef8?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

 

[johnny125]

The Dax looks great in person. I wish Honda would make a retro mini moto sport bike like the monkey r.

 

[vintagegarage]

https://global.honda/en/Monkey/history/stories/1987/

 

[George]

I like it. Once again, the Honda hits my wallet. But I might sell my trail 125 for Dax.
Don't want to keep 2 mini moto for similar functions