History and evolution of the Honda CG 125

Honda CG 125 has been ruling the streets of Pakistan since it first launched in 1980. It is hands down, the most famous motorbike in the local market due to its reliability, easy maintenance and readily available parts. Even after the arrival of multiple motorbike variants in the 125cc category, it still has its place in the top spot thanks to its cult-like following. Today we talk about the history and evolution of the Honda CG 125.

History

The Honda CG 125 or Honda CG is a commuter motorcycle. The CG was initially manufactured in Japan, with its successor being the CBF 125. The source for the European market was eventually moved to Brazil in 1985 and to Pakistan and Turkey in 1992 for the W and M models. It was in production from 1976 to 2008 in Japan and has been in production since 1992 in Pakistan. The CG125 is powered by a 124 cc (7.6 cu in) four-stroke, overhead valve, single-cylinder engine that has changed little over the years.

Evolution of the engine

The Honda CG 125 was developed from the CBF 125 for developing countries markets. The two models were very similar, with many parts in common. The main difference was in the top ends. The CB had an overhead cam (OHC). One fault with many Honda OHC engines of that era (generally denoted CB) was that they tended to wear the camshaft bearings if oil changes were skipped. The CG engine was developed specifically to address this problem (amongst others) as Honda realized that riders in developing countries performed little or no preventative maintenance. To make the bike more reliable with minimal servicing, the CG125 uses overhead valves (OHV) with pushrods, a washable foam air filter, and a fully enclosed chain. The fully enclosed chain was dropped in 2004.

Current production in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the original CG125 is still being produced by Atlas Honda Ltd. Except for a few cosmetic changes, the Pakistani version has remained precisely the same as the original 1980s Japanese CG125 over the past years. The decoration graphics are redesigned, as well as the seat and the layout of the instrument cluster, to give this long-lasting model a refreshed appearance. It is currently available for 185,900 Pakistani Rupees as of 2023. Honda CG 125 has a Euro 2-complied overhead valve engine, a kick-start mechanism and a 4-speed transmission. It produces ten horsepower (7.3kw) at 8,000rpm and 9.5 newton-meters of torque at 6,500rpm. With a fuel economy of 35-40km per litre and a maximum speed of 120km/h. The fuel tank has a capacity of 9.2 litres with 2 litres in reserve.

Another variant, CG 125 SE, launched in 2019, has a 5-speed transmission instead of the original 4-speed and electric start. It is one of the few motorcycles offered by Honda in Pakistan.

Specifications of the latest Honda CG 125 model are as follows: