Why did you buy a Trail 125?

[ChickenChaser]

My intent for the Trail (awaiting delivery) is for easy short rides when I don’t feel like jumping on my bigger bike after work.

I had a Vespa a couple of years ago, I really enjoyed coming home from a 12 hour work day and scooting around the neighborhood. It was the perfect stress reliever, gave the soul just what I needed. Easy to ride and smiles ear to ear. I have lots of trails within 20 minutes and plan on using the Trail for exploring (Vespa was no good off-road!)

I did commute on a Honda C90 when I was younger, back in the UK. It was my only bike, so I know their capabilities as single use bike.

Thought it would be interesting to know why you bought the Trail and if you intended use changed since your purchase?

 

[SneakyDingo]

Thought it would be interesting to know why you bought the Trail and if you intended use changed since your purchase?

Lots of reasons for wanting one. I was a strange one in that I never owned a CT110/CT90, they were nearly impossible to buy in Australia. I wanted a general purpose do everything bike, the closest thing to an agricultural bike that I could get my hands on. Something I could generally do shorter rides on, especially commutes, and carry a load of goodies on the back if I needed it was the real focus. But mostly, I wanted one because in 1999 I wanted one - a 12V EFI version of the CT110 - with simple reliability. These types of bikes tend to also have a reputation in SE Asia for being incredibly mechanic friendly, which was also appealing to me.

My intended use changed since purchase? Kind of, but not really. The bike has been exactly what I expected. I'm using it for a trip I wouldn't normally go for on this bike because reasons. Aside from that one exception, it's as I expect and my usage reflects that. Perhaps the only surprising thing to me out of everything has been there's a lot fewer tyre options than I expected for this bike. That's about it.

 

[ChickenChaser]

Lots of reasons for wanting one.

Thanks for the input. I certainly wouldn’t rule out doing longer trips on mine. The reliability is there and the slower pace is a change in the right direction sometimes. The utilitarian usefulness is what attracted me to this model.

The tire choice is limited but at least there are some options. Maybe things will change in the future.

 

[akirk626]

I bought mine for farm use and country roads. I also do a lot of beer runs with it. It can fit so many beers.

 

[m in sc]

for sweet jumps.

(kidding)


truth be told, I was going to buy a new grom, stock, for commuting since my old one got wayyyyyy out of hand mod wise. I like the small bikes for commuting. That's roughly when they announced the trail, so i put my name on the list and almost a year later, and almost forgetting about it, it showed up. Got it to commute on and haul stuff around on, in town. Its been very good for that, and especially bringing to events and hauling stuff around. I never had any intentions of using it 'off road', I (personally) would go a different way for that type of useage.


Ive had mine a hair over 2 years and use it a lot.

 

[JPMcGraw]

I got it for quick trips and to putz around on. If its warm out and what i need to carry can fit in a single or double milk crate im taking the CT. I also like to take my Jack Russel around the neighborhood in the double crate. Compared to my old ZX6R, the CT125 is everything it wasn't and it turns out the CT things are the things i want. I have a socket and hex set that i somehow came into possession of. I don't remember buying it or getting it as a gift but it has always been in my adult life. They fact that i can do most of the maintenance with that mystery set is a HUGE plus to me.

 

[ChickenChaser]

I never had any intentions of using it 'off road', I (personally) would go a different way for that type of useage.

I have a DRZ400 (going up for sale) for off-road jaunts but it’s tall and I have an ATV now which suits my needs better. I would use for camping when the wife wants to take the ATV. I think it will make a good companion for gentle trails but not my primary reason for purchasing.

Glad you are still enjoying it after 2 years. I see there are few used ones for sale now in the USA. First time riders moving to bigger bikes or simply people thinking it would have had more power. I don’t have any plans to sell, I know what I’m getting into.

 

[ChickenChaser]

I got it for quick trips and to putz around on. If it’s warm out and what i need to carry can fit in a single or double milk crate im taking the CT. I also like to take my Jack Russel around the neighborhood in the double crate. Compared to my old ZX6R, the CT125 is everything it wasn't and it turns out the CT things are the things i want. I have a socket and hex set that i somehow came into possession of. I don't remember buying it or getting it as a gift but it has always been in my adult life. They fact that i can do most of the maintenance with that mystery set is a HUGE plus to me.

I had a parson terrier many years ago, one of my favourite breeds. He was a mental little bugger, completely fearless.

I do all my own wrenching, the simplicity is appealing because I’m no mechanic. I break more than I fix. I had a Ural in the past, simple to work on, I think the Trail will be the same.

I catch a lot of flack from my riding buddies due to my affinity for scooters, the Trail is not a scooter but will give me the same pleasure. When I had vespas, my buddies wouldn’t even have a go on them. Other bikers would never wave back, which I never understood, we are all in the same brotherhood. Thankfully I don’t give a poo what anyone thinks about what I’m riding, I’m the one having the fun.

 

[Harv]

1. Nostalgia - Had a Trail 70 in the 1970's. Rode it around my college campus with a 100lb Golden Retriever on my lap.
2. Save gas and wear and tear on my truck. I eat lunch with four different groups every week and the restaurants are all within five miles of my house.
90% of my retired life is within that radius (including 7 grandkids). Max speed limit in my town is 45. 100% asphalt riding.
3. Uniqueness - Nobody else in my area has one. Whenever they come up for sale at my local dealers they seem to get snatched up by out of state buyers.

 

[Shoot870p]

I like how m in sc says his grom got way out of hand with the mods! I really wanted a modern version of the old classic. I enjoy it for what it is but I do want to do the 13 tooth front sprocket.

 

[Jamie]

I want one for when my wife and I go 'campering'. We have a Lance 825 truck camper and it's not easy to take on and off so the Trail 125 is perfect for going to the store or town, etc. I have a front receiver hitch and a motorcycle carrier for transport up front. I live in a mountain town so will also save me gas $$$ when I need to get some groceries or what not. The thing with one of these bikes is not the 'wanting' it's the 'getting'. Oh man are they hard to find and if you do there's always a waiting list with at least five other people that have been on there for a year. I just got mine two days ago and it wasn't easy to make the deal.

 

[Rackbid]

These reasons sound familiar. I think I just took a survey from Honda that asked the same question, and you could pick several from a number of choices.

Nostalgia was also one of my main reasons as well. My dad bought a brand new Trail 110 in 1980 I think. He got me a Trail 50 and we rode together. As I grew larger I rode the 110 a lot (neighborhood and trails - never street legal). Both bikes were fully intact but not operating until about 10 years ago at my Mom's house. She asked if wanted them, I said yes, then they still somehow were sold for $25 total at a garage sale.

Brand reputation and reliability were other choices I made on the survey. I use my CT125 for nothing practical at all. I may have bought beer one time, but my purpose for the bike is almost totally for joyriding. ~Possibly an extra vehicle (for me only) when the family goes camping with the truck & travel trailer.

 

[martybmw]

Picked mine up today so really happy. I ride a Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak on the street and just wanted a small camp bike we can use in the desert. Will use it mainly
out in Lucerne Valley when I want to slow the pace down from my RZR Turbo S.

 

[Tex68w]

• Nostalgia for the older models
• Looks cool, unique, gets lots of attention
• Great for tooting around town when I don't need to carry a lot
• I plan to take it on vacation for a run-about
• There's lots of gravel roads and trails in the area and this is perfect for exploring them
• It's reliable, efficient and doesn't take up much space in the garage

 

[oldskool]

Nostalgia, pick up small items from the store, nimble little rig for putzing about and it runs on fumes.

 

[dmonkey]

I bought the Trail 125 as a more practical replacement for a 1988 Cagiva Tamanaco 125 I sold that had served as my daily rider and nearby-state tourer. The CT125 is much more tame than the vintage 2-stroke, but also much lower maintenance and parts are accessible for it. It does all the same duties just in a different way, less performance (other than braking) in the mountains, but better equipped for moto camping and hauling groceries. It's been a great new chapter in the Herb Uhl cult!

 

[jBIRDt]

I have wanted a Honda Trail since I was a kid. Over the many years I was always late to getting the few used bikes I ever seen for sale. I put a deposit on one waited 101 days for delivery and have smiled every mile I have ridden it. This Honda Trail does every thing I want/need to for running errands. 2000+ miles NOT put on a 15mpg pickup just around town.

 

[m in sc]

i just crunched some no's real quick. at 2000 miles and fuel at 3.25 a gallon, thats 367 bucks saved in fuel over that mileage. (at 100 mpg for the trail). like said, a rough number crunch.

 

[sieg]

Why, IDK, thought about it for a year first. Just another toy. 10 motorcycle now, 9 was an odd number.

 

[SneakyDingo]

i just crunched some no's real quick. at 2000 miles and fuel at 3.25 a gallon, thats 367 bucks saved in fuel over that mileage. (at 100 mpg for the trail). like said, a rough number crunch.

Mine's not a rough number crunch - I've spent a total of $226.44 to cover ~5600 mi, and my petrol is way more expensive than $3.25/gal over that entire time period (see attached). Rego was $161 to renew recently. If not for specific electric vehicles in my stable, this would be the cheapest vehicle I own, including 2 bicycles.

I've mentioned it elsewhere but my gf loves to order certain kinds of takeout with a really high delivery cost. It's between $20 and $25 a delivery. So every time I pick up that instead of her ordering, I consider that money in my pocket. We're at 69 orders so far, so somewhere between $1,380 and $1,725. I will eventually break even for the purchase cost just on that, probably in 2-3 years, maybe longer if our delivery price starts going down.