Honda RS125 Fi

The RS 125 is now a very different beast. It sharper. Even edgier. Definitely sportier. The panels in the front are sharp – the vents lend it a sporty appeal. The headlight gets a new sharper design as does the new display behind it. The indicators in the front are now integrated with the headlights unit, making it look compact. They have even paid attention to the rear footrest which is grey across the 4 color schemes on offer – orange, red, black and yellow – which with new graphics is very striking. The rear rides high with a new taillight cluster. Basically every component here has gone through subtle changes to make it that much sportier. There is no side stand engine cut off feature but you may not even notice it. The under seat storage compartment is deep and spacious. Yet it’s still a lean mean machine with over all dimensions of 1909 (L) x 685 (W) x 987 (H) mm. 1288 mm wheelbase keeps it tight and the 135 mm ground clearance keeps it safely above road imperfections. The seat height is 767 mm which should be comfortable for most people. It rides on spoked 17” wheels and 70/90 and 80/90 tires on the front and the rear respectively. Overall not too shabby at all.

The handlebars are as low as before and the riding position is almost upright albeit a bit tight. Your forearms may be almost parallel to your thighs while riding it. The seat is on the stiffer side. The suspension is conventional with telescopic front forks and twin shock absorbers in the rear. On the whole, the riding experience is a nice compromise between agility and comfort. Most riders should not have any problems with it.

The engine is still a 125 cc air-cooled engine albeit with fuel injection rather than carburetors. The power output is slightly higher at 7.09 kW at 7500 rpm and peak torque of 9.59 Nm at 6500 rpm. It uses a rotary gear setup with 4 speeds. The bike is a lightweight 101 kg and takes very little effort to get to 100 kmph. The real advantage has been gained in the mileage department. With programmable fuel injection, the engine can be set up to be the most economical ever, while also being decently powerful. Honda’s new engine mapping allows the bike to achieve 60 kmpl average fuel economy figures. With a fuel tank of 3.9-litre, it should easily last for 200-250 km range.

Braking gets a similarly conventional treatment. There is a single disc brake on the front and a drum brake on the rear. The brakes perform pretty well and at this price not much more can be expected.  

Speaking of price then, the Honda RS125 sells for Php 70900. For the engine configuration and the market segment that it operates in, this price is very competitive if on the slightly steeper side. But don’t forget that with it comes the practicality and bulletproof reliability of a Honda. There is a reason that this lineup – including the XRM – is Honda’s bestselling lineup in the country. Honda going through the pain to keep the lineup fresh goes to show that they care about their customers which sweetens the deal even further. So what are you waiting for? Give it a test ride already.