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New 2023 Honda Trail Explorer CT125 Launched in Thailand

dmonkey

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Very cool. CUB House by Honda (Honda Thailand) also have an official page for this, and a catalog including 3rd party accessories.

Sounds like the big changes are that it's getting 5 different preload adjustment settings on the rear shocks, new engine crash bars with a cross-bar built into it, and some change to the engine cover to reduce noise? Would be curious if someone can get a better translation of that than what Google gives. It also says the rear rack is "new", but I don't visually see what's different there. Edit: the rear rack is black on the red model! Nice.
 
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STUBBORN

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Very cool. CUB House by Honda (Honda Thailand) also have an official page for this, and a catalog including 3rd party accessories.

Sounds like the big changes are that it's getting 5 different preload adjustment settings on the rear shocks, new engine crash bars with a cross-bar built into it, and some change to the engine cover to reduce noise? Would be curious if someone can get a better translation of that than what Google gives. It also says the rear rack is "new", but I don't visually see what's different there. Edit: the rear rack is black on the red model! Nice.
Here is a picture of the crosspiece but I do not see the new engine cover.TOUGH-ENGINE-GUARD-WITH-LOW-NOISE-ENGINE-COVER-COMP-Crop-scaled.jpg
 

dmonkey

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Oh boy oh boy, I just realized the tappet covers pictured are circular rather than oval. That's the newer Euro-5 compliant high-compression engine that's in the latest Super Cub and Grom. I imagine the 2023 Trail will maintain having a more torque focused tune on it, but with that motor is likely putting out at least a tiny bit more power all around.
 

Cardinal Direction

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Oh boy oh boy, I just realized the tappet covers pictured are circular rather than oval. That's the newer Euro-5 compliant high-compression engine that's in the latest Super Cub and Grom. I imagine the 2023 Trail will maintain having a more torque focused tune on it, but with that motor is likely putting out at least a tiny bit more power all around.
You hate to see it, but how long is it going to take to actually get into someone’s possession over here! I’ll take my one in the hand versus two in the bush at the moment.
 

dmonkey

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Might be in the USA for 2023, might be never. The special editions and grey color seem the most unlikely to make it here. Who knows?
If they do sell a 2023 model year CT125 in the USA that is not that one, it would be a major annoyance in regional differences which Honda has done before but *hopefully* they try to avoid. None of those updates are big selling points over the first generation to me, but they are certainly improvements and a good sign that Honda are making updates to the bike that are positive. Maybe for 2024 they'll change the rear rack grab handle that so many folks have a comfort issue with.

I've replaced the OEM crash bars and suspension on my CT125 with aftermarket ones and would do it again, I like the look of the black rear rack on the red bike but if I have the time at some point I will just paint it black (the rack costs ~$300, so not worth just buying the black one and swapping it out to me), and as for the engine, the power difference really is marginal (at least on the C125 and MSX125) to the point that an exhaust upgrade on the older engine *might* compete with it, while a big bore kit of any size would surely surpass it in performance. As for noise, I put a shiny and loud exhaust on my trail that makes it sound like a proper dirtbike. After all, this replaced a 2-stroke 125cc bike for me. If I wanted something quiet for similar use, I would have gone electric. That said, all the updates still seem like good improvements for a stock bike.
 
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aiad_78

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Not sure how reliable that picture is. Some of it looks like a rendering but also doesn't line up square. Just looks off.
 

zigzagjoe

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This post seems to have some info about the possible 2023 model. https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/honda-ct125-trail-125-hunter-cub.1408707/page-508#post-45933255

For my part, I think it'd be nice if they added a low ratio 1st gear. The existing gearings on 1-4 are OK, as long as you treat 4th as more of an overdrive - you're better off staying in third if you're still accelerating. Put a granny gear in front of the current 1st and I think it would eliminate the need for a dual range gear box.
 

SneakyDingo

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I thought about it pretty hard... I don't think the granny 1st is the way to go. For the riders with the good experience on the 14T, that's going to suck for all of them.

If it were up to me, I'd go with what's mostly a software change. Have a wider range of drive ratios where the bike will still have ABS working fine, add on the 5th gear as OD, offer an OEM 12T and/or 13T sprocket (I haven't done the math for whether a 12T would be possible, but it looks like it might work). That will yield roughly the same top speed as the bike now but effectively add a lower 1st gear depending on your tire options, but it would be much easier to achieve than going away from OEM. That and working over the ECU a little, feels like it could be better.

It'd be a cheap and quick mod to do with OEM offerings it'll make it much easier to get hands on than the JTF 273.13 and it would require less tooling / machining adjustments to the existing machines. From a marketing perspective, since they only really had to do was start offering a new cog and push some programming buttons, they could watch the sales distribution of that and be able to analyze if future offerings should lean more towards "slower bike, better climbing".

I don't think that'd help my riding situations at all. I'm generally limited by horsepower, not revs.

For my part, I think it'd be nice if they added a low ratio 1st gear. The existing gearings on 1-4 are OK, as long as you treat 4th as more of an overdrive - you're better off staying in third if you're still accelerating. Put a granny gear in front of the current 1st and I think it would eliminate the need for a dual range gear box.
 

Shoot870p

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I get that but I still favor one. You would not have to use it if you did not want to. Much like the “almost” overdrive in 4th gear.
 

zigzagjoe

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I get that but I still favor one. You would not have to use it if you did not want to. Much like the “almost” overdrive in 4th gear.
This is my thinking too. I like the idea of the optional utility. The bike already does surprisingly well off road in my experience as long as you're prepared to gun the throttle to get/keep it moving, a lower first would make that a bit less stressful (for both me and the bike...). It's when you can't build/keep a little momentum to get the clutch engaged that it tends to have trouble for me.

I personally think the ratios are adequate as is with 14T, keeping them similar but adding the optional low speed for specific cases would address the remaining weakness that I perceive. It would bring back the crazy climbing ability of the older bikes without the added complication of a secondary gearbox or redoing all ratios.

That problem with adding another gear to the existing set is that the existing 4th gear is already an overdrive (ratio less than 1) - adding a second overdrive wouldn't make sense. They'd need to redo all the transmission ratios so that 5th remains an overdrive then change the final reduction in the rear sprockets. That being said, there could be design constraints preventing a lower ratio first from being easily implemented such as sizes of gears required to get more reduction too or strain on components.
 

m in sc

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im in 4th most of the time. lol. I agree though.. sort of.. a 5 speed with an unusually low 1st gear would probably stop all the squawking about wanting a dual range, because, that's never going to happen from honda. and would be the easiest thing to do from a production standpoint since they already make a 5 speed for this platform .
 

milkecrate

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Aug 31, 2022
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If this is a wish list thread for new CT's.
How about giving me a manual clutch?
If that is asking too much , then give me a rear brake lever.
And what would it cost to extend the mirror stems an inch?
While you're at it , how about raising that front fender 1/2 an inch or so?
And would it have killed the budget to include a stamped spark plug socket?
I mean that along with a cheap set of pliers if fairly standard.
 

m in sc

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tool kits are really not std anymore. I bought all mine from partzilla to stuff in the box think it was 20 bucks.
 

Kev250R

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tool kits are really not std anymore. I bought all mine from partzilla to stuff in the box think it was 20 bucks.
I agree, I think it depends on the make and sometimes the model. When I bought a Grom brand-new in '15 it did not include a Tool Kit, so I added a generic one from Cycle Gear which over the course of 3,000 miles and four years, I never used.

My KTM Duke, which I bought brand-new in April of '21 came with a KTM Tool Kit. Less then 1,000 miles on that bike and haven't needed it, but I like knowing it's there.

The PO of my Trail removed then lost the OEM Tool Box and tools, so I'm in process of adding an aftermarket box and tools.

Personally, I think all bikes should come with at least a basic set of tools. For me it's like newer cars which don't come with a spare tire anymore. Sure 90% of the time you won't need them, but when you do, you'll be glad it's there.
 
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