[USA] 2026 Honda Trail 125 (CARB approval & NHTSA VIN filing)

[dmonkey]

California Air Resources Board (CARB) have issued an Executive Order approving the sale of the 2026 Honda Trail 125 in the state of California, which means Honda have started getting their "paperwork" squared away for bringing a 2026 model year CT125 to market in the USA.

New Vehicle and Engine Certification: Executive Orders for Light-Duty Vehicles | California Air Resources Board

ww2.arb.ca.gov

Filtered to just the 2026 Honda small bores that have CARB executive orders listed:

EO Number​

EO Signed Date​

Year​

Manufacturer​

Engine Family​

Make​

Model​

Cert Category​

Displacement​

EIM (kg)​

Transmission​

Emission Control System​

Evaporative Families​

M-002-0972​

12/04/2025​

2026​

HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.​

THNXC0.12CTN​

HONDA​

TRAIL125​

HMC-IB​

124​

210​

M4​

SFI, O2S, TWC​

THNXU0006UXJ​

M-002-0971​

11/25/2025​

2026​

HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.​

THNXC0.12CTM​

HONDA​

DAX 125​

HMC-IB​

124​

200​

M4​

SFI, O2S, TWC​

THNXU0004UXA​

M-002-0968​

11/13/2025​

2026​

HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.​

THNXC0.16CTC​

HONDA​

PCX​

HMC-IB​

157​

220​

CV​

SFI, O2S, TWC​

THNXU0004UXE​

M-002-0954​

04/02/2025​

2026​

HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.​

THNXC0.11BBA​

HONDA​

NAVI​

HMC-IB​

109​

200​

CV​

PAIR​

THNXU0006YXD​

 

[BergyPatty37]

Judging off that doesn't seem like any major changes (transmission or engine displacement)

 

[BergyPatty37]

@dmonkey Going out on a limb here, I think they will offer 2 colors again. 1 I am thinking will the the Khaki/Tan. Not sure what the other will be. Maybe green again? I think Orange would be a nice change too.

 

[dmonkey]

The 2025 model got minor updates in equipment such as the lower exhaust shield and mirrors, I don't think there will be any signification changes for 2026 model year as I couldn't find any announced for the new model year in Japan and Thailand which tend to get the updates first.

My speculation for colors is that it will follow the trend of the USA receiving some subset of color(s) from the latest model sold in those other markets.
Right now those are: Glowing Red, Pearl Smoky Gray, and Pearl Sugarcane Beige
For 2025 we got the first two of those, so maybe we'll get Pearl Sugarcane Beige for 2026. Or maybe just a continuation of the same colors. Time will tell!

 

[BergyPatty37]

It seems like last year they released the news end of January I believe so keeping an eye out for it.
The market seems to have slowed down on new sales. The dealers around me in Maine seem to have stock still, some even with 2024 Yellow in stock.
One dealer an hour south of me has a 24 Yellow down to $3600 brand new. They also have 2 x 2025s. Another dealer has 3 x 2025s in stock.
Crazy how much stock they have considering 3 years ago they were impossible to find anywhere.

 

[KiwiGravelRoadieRick]

I'm concerned how much the 2026 model weighs

 

[dmonkey]

Took me a bit to find my way around the CARB site as it's been redesigned in the past year, but here's the actual executive order doc for the 2026 CT125:

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/classic/msprog/nvepb/executive_orders/EO%20Web%20Files/HMC/2026/0003/honda_hmc_m-002-0972_thnxc0.12ctn.pdf

The bottom of the EO expands EIM:
EIM=equivalent inertia mass
So that's not the motorcycle's "weight", but probably some formula they've come up with to figure the mass of the bike + an increase to that mass from rotational inertia of the drivetrain and wheels while it's in motion.

My guess is that's similar to the "EDV Road Load Force" that the EPA certification process has them apply as resistance while testing a vehicle to simulate something a little closer to actually driving/riding a vehicle on the road, while it's tested on a dyno.

 

[dmonkey]

American Honda filed an updated list of Vehicle Identification Numbers for 2026 model year motorcycles with the NHTSA and it confirms a 2026 model year for the Trail, Dax, Grom, and Monkey.

http://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/mid/home/displayfile/dc5b2394-0ce8-4d9a-8939-8339b32300e0

 

[dmonkey]

Honda Japan just announced their 2026 CT125 and the colors are Matte Fresco Brown, Asteroid Black Metallic, and Glowing Red

原付二種レジャーバイク「CT125・ハンターカブ」のカラーバリエーションを変更し発売 | Honda 企業情報サイト

本田技研工業の広報発表ニュース - Hondaは、原付二種（第二種原動機付自転車）レジャーバイク「CT125・ハンターカブ」のカラーバリエーションを変更し、2月20日（金）に発売します。

global.honda

CT125・ハンターカブ | Honda公式サイト

ツーリングやトレッキング、さらには日常生活まで、いまの時代の多様なライフスタイルになじむ「CT125・ハンターカブ」の公式情報ページです。

www.honda.co.jp

Maybe we'll see one or both of those in the USA for 2026.

 

[vintagegarage]

Now that's a pickle.. I think the brown is a return to the original color from 2020 when the colors were only red and brown. I made a "Country Trekking" on the green because I couldn't' get the brown. Now I don't know what to do if the brown comes to the USA for 2026... might have to swap a green for a brown, and move all the H2C stuff over to the brown. LOL

 

[BergyPatty37]

@vintagegarage Better solution. Keep the green and get the brown haha.
Love the brown/khaki, probably my second favorite behind the green. Hot take but I think the all black actually looks bad, and usually I love blacked out machine and vehicles.

 

[BergyPatty37]

@dmonkey You should start a new thread with the news release of the 2026 in Japan

 

[dmonkey]

Matte Fresco Brown is probably my second favorite color option on the bike. A nice outdoorsy color, and for those who like the battle scooter aesthetic it's a sahara color similar to desert military vehicles.
That Asteroid Black Metallic isn't for me, but I do hope that someone styles one into Batman's batcycle.

 

[Low-gear]

This bike does not look good in black.

 

[BergyPatty37]

@Low-gear I agree, the black for some reason is too much. I love the black accents when people do them on the other colors, but all black just makes the bike bland. Usually I love all blacked bikes/vehicles too.

 

[nofreeways]

I really like the black.