Ridden since 12 y/o, have always kept riding, now in my late 60's I've had many motorcycles come and go and still own several. The Trail 125 - I researched, test rode, approached this Donk group with questions/comments/feedback before hand and so pretty much realized what i was getting into by the time I found a lightly used 2021. There's been no surprise disappointments, and I fully accept and enjoy the ~9+hp for what it is. It's fine, I love the bike, know it well by now, and have every intention of keeping it permanently. 45mph is just fine and adequate, and nothing in my stable compares to the quiet, tranquil, fun, and non invasive approach for simply exploring and poking around on the Donkey. It's my only bike that won't freak my dog out and he rides on back in a crate and likes it - a lot! There's never a concern over disrupting others outdoors (campers, cyclists, hikers), which I can't say for any of my other O/R bikes; there's just something about the nature of the Trail125, even beyond its quietness, that's calm and non-threatening to others. The brakes, handling, ride/suspension, controls, FI & engine response, and comfort are all heads and shoulders above the CT110's. I've settled out any intitial wishful expectations I may have once had (except for one) based on hopeful interpretations of what the Trail 'should be'; the bike's mostly great for exactly what it was intended. A few aftermarket parts and relatively simple mods have improved and made acceptable any complaints or problems (saddle upgrade, aux fuel, gauges, pillion accommodations, storage...), but that applies to any bike, right? I still need to upgrade the suspsension, and that's something I do to nearly all my bikes anyway, so the Trail is no different in that regard.
The one thing: Like many others here have expressed, I also think the addition of a hi/lo sub-trans would have expanded the Trail's ability and utility to a whole other level, specifically in hilly or mountain back country adventure/exploration. The whole 'Trail' image portrayed by Honda, as initially interpreted (or assumed) by some if not most buyers, may have suggested a machine with O/R capability similar to its predecessor, but then most who had engaged in a little research and asked a few questions dispelled that assumption and pretty much knew that it's not. But just how far from the old 110's did it stray in terms of climbing ability? Though I don't think I'd personally use my Trail for something like the TAT or extended BDR packed adventures, I struggle to imagine adventure touring heavily loaded (side case/bags, bedroll/camp gear, etc) into unfamiliar trail mountains/hills territory realizing its limited grade ascent capability. Some Guy Rides navigated Colorado's Engineer Pass on a Trail 125 and ended up walking it up the steep stuff, and that's not all that steep IMO. There are familiar places I cannot venture due to its inherent climbing limits, and that's about the only disappointment for me. To overcome this, I could increase its power with a BBK/exhaust/ECM/etc (modified my Monkey125 w/186cc BBK, head/valves, etc. and it has amazing low-end torque) or change its gearing to something like 13/45, but either one would be at the sacrifice and comprimse of quietness, reliability/lifespan, or its street speed/versatility. I like those three things very much as they are, stock. The Trail125 needs a hi/lo sub-trans like the CT110 had, yet the 125 is so much more of a pleasure to ride in every other respect than the 110 that I hardly ever ride the older bike anymore. I've gotten over the weight factor of CT125 vs CT110 (260 lbs vs 200 lbs) and come to realize it's actually not an issue afterall. So instead of power-up mods or living with its limited grade-acsent capability, I've decided to work on designing/machining a hi/lo tranfer case unit for the Trail 125.
On topic and with a bit of self-contradiction, speaking of accepting/appreciating things for what they are, here's Neil Graham's New Year 2024 piece on motorcycles, nostalgia, expectations, perspective... Note the line "
Expectation is the thief of joy". Gotta agree with that. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Columnist Neil Graham asks: Motorcycles are better than ever. So why are we so grumpy?
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