HONDA CBF125 (2009 - 2015) Review

Version: MD

Year: 2015

Annual servicing cost: £65

I bought my CBF125 as my first geared bike 3 months ago after passing my CBT. It was second hand, had 12.5k on the clock and had previously been in an accident, so I was already prepared for something that wouldn't necessarily be ideal. Besides, I had assumed it wouldn't keep up to standards in 2024 when compared to newer bikes. I couldn't have been more wrong. I've only racked up around 400 miles so far and every second of riding has been fun. I've only had a couple of issues with one of the front forks (related to its previous accident, had it replaced) and other than that, she rides like a dream. I live in Cornwall so it's ideal for the twisty back roads, as well asthe odd dual carriageway. Perfect for a beginner rider or someone who just wants to enjoy the ride, if you are a thrill-seeking teenager it might not be for you (although I'm 18 and even I enjoy riding it!!). I can not recommend this bike enough to anyone who wants a cheap, reliable workhorse.

Buying experience: Bought from a bloke who repairs used bikes and sells them on. Only cost me £1450 for the bike and delivery, which when considering the condition of the bike, is pretty good!!

Year: 2014

Annual servicing cost: £30

Great as a learner bike, not so much if your commuting long distances (>100mi) regularly.

Buying experience: Private sale at 600miles on the clock.

Year: 2009

Annual servicing cost: £30

Cheap to run and bulletproof reliability, let down slightly by corrosion issues.

Year: 2010

Annual servicing cost: £100

Stupidly tough commuter/learner.

Version: MA

Year: 2010

Annual servicing cost: £30

Perfect for the commute to work and back. My normal commuter would be a 2008 ZX6R, and the wife wanted to learn how to ride so I picked up a non-running one of these from a breakers sold as spares or repair. I discovered it needed some new starter motor brushes and a top end rebuild, new cylinder, piston and rings - looked like previous owner never checked the oil and it seized up. Now it's back on the road and running great.

Buying experience: I bought mine from a breakers who delivered it straight to my door.

Year: 2011

Annual servicing cost: £100

A fantastic bike for a learner or commuter, bullet proof engine and looks fantastic. The seat is uncomfortable after about an hour of ridding and struggles on faster roads anything over 50mph and it starts screaming.

Year: 2012

Annual servicing cost: £50

Really overall good bike, not as tiny as they look in pictures, pretty high up, but its a 125 so yea..., however its not that slow alot faster than a YBR, and I noticed mine became pretty fast after putting an aftermarket exhaust on it ;)

Buying experience: got it from a dealers, I'm its second owner, pretty cheap even tho it was basically brand new.

Year: 2014

Annual servicing cost: £75

Fantastic value- Jap design but Indian build quality

Buying experience: I bought this new from a dealer and they've been pretty good. They did leave it outside for a good while before I picked out up from a service which wasn't ideal, but I couldn't pick it up for ages anyhow. There was a 0% finance offer on at the time and it recommend this to anyone considering their first car- get this instead and save a few Bob

Year: 2010

great ecinomical 125 though dont expect amazing trinkets or performance

Year: 2014

Lovely litttle bike to learn the basics or just to whizz about town.

Buying experience: Bought as ex demo from local Honda dealer, Hatfields of Crowthorne. First class service.

Version: ME

Year: 2014

Annual servicing cost: £119

While the CBF 125 does have issues, it still provides a great leaner legal bike or a great short distance commuter.

It does what it is supposed to. It is cheap to buy, frugal in use and competent enough on the road. I've ridden worse. It isn't perfect, another few HP would make all the difference to its usability, it struggles to make more than 50-60 with 14 stone of me on the back. It could do with a clock, I've zip tied a cheap digital clock on to the handlebars. The headlights are a bit puny too, it's fine in town, but once you get out into the country or on a bigger road you realise how weak they are. All that said though, I think it is primarily designed as an urban commuter and in that role it excels. Well over 100mpg, cheap to tax,easy to ride, give it a wash down and oil once a week and it seems fine (I've had mine for nearly a year). The only problem I've had was avoiding the M25 trying to get to Heathrow and I think it overheated in the traffic jams, it started having fuelling problems. But after letting it cool down for a few minutes it was fine and the problem hasn't recurred. If you only want a 125 (and not a high powered one at that) this could be for you.

Bought as new as a commuter bike and can't wait to get rid of it. Looks the part. That is the only plus point. The rest is all negative. have had problems from near enough from buying it. Very sluggish. Struggles to maintain 50 mph. struggles to change down in gears. What doesn't help is that you're tied in to expensive services with Honda dealers to keep your warranty valid.

The CBF makes for a great commuter but if you're looking for a quick, fun bike at 17, this won't be the one. I found that the tyres were too skinny and feel like you'll topple over if you tip into a corner too quick and also that the metal parts do tend to rust away if left in the rain overnight. Main components that rust are the top fork bolts, gear changes, pedals, brakes...list goes on. Other than my gripes, the CBF is a great commuter but with a top speed of 70mph on a good day, it's not for the speed seeking, 17 year olds. I have to say though, the engine is brilliant, you can give that little 125 engine as much grief as you want and it will still come fighting back.

I have owned my CBF125 for a while now, its the 2009 model and has covered now just over 25,000 miles which is quite alot for a little bike. I have serviced the bike regularly (New plug,oil etc) and it works well. My only slight reservations are the paint on the exhaust which does flake off after a while, however I have taken it off the bike sanded it down and resprayed it with matt black BBQ paint which is heat resistant and does the job. Also due to the mileage it is now a little smokey when in traffic, so it is off to my local garage next week for a new set of piston rings and an exhaust valve seal. Which means it should be good for another 25,000 :-) I've got to say even with its minor ailment it still got me to work and back every day (about 20 miles there and the same back) effortlessly... :-) As the 1970s advert said, "Good things happen on a Honda"!

I can tell from the other reviews that this seems to be a popular choice but in my experience I absolutely hate the thing & think it's bloody dangerous! I bought this bike in january new from a dealer and was excited about going to pick it up but that excitement dissapeared in about 2 days. It just didn't feel right the ride is awful and it feels as if the bike wants to slip out from underneath me when tackling anything that remotely looks like a bend! I had previously been riding a cbr 125 and loved it so thought that staying with a honda made sense whilst training for my big bike test, I am pleased to say I have just passed and am now shopping for my 1st big bike and I can't wait to get rid of this pokey horrible dangerous little bike!!

Firstly let's start with the economy. I am 15 stones and 6'1" tall and find the performance of this 125 to be very good considering the engine size. I have used it for a few hundred miles, mostly at 60 mph on a daily commute (15 miles each way). The economy for me has been 109 mpg, people report varying mpg figures, which can be confusing. I believe this is due to correct servicing and adjustment. I use fully synth oil (after using standard for the first couple of thousand miles - to help hone the bores and achieve optimal compression), the valve clearances must also be kept correctly adjusted, which must be done with the oil change every 2.5k miles. It is my belief that the MCN test bike shall likely have had a hard time and not have been kept at its best. It's not expensive to keep the bike as it requires, it only takes one litre of oil, and the valve adjustment is 30-60 mins at a relaxed pace and attention to detail. So buy quality and take your time ;-). another obvious adjustment is the chain, the bike has a centre stand, so it's a simple but essential job, to keep drive train power losses to a minimum. The standard tyres have been slated, I have not tried them in the wet much, but in the dry I have no problem with them. I would replace them with the highest quality rubber I can, but only when they are worn. Honda's are always held in high regard for the quality of the finish, which is why I am so surprised that I can not be so positive about this bike. The metal paint, be it tank, frame forks etc, are all painted badly. The quality control must be almost non existent at the factory, and could have been easily avoided (Yamaha manage to do it just fine!). This said, I would still choose the cbf over the other 125's. I'm sure I am causing confusion at this point, so let me clear this one up. Ybr's and cg's are good bikes for round town use, but with the lack of streamlining /wind protection, you shall be lucky to see 60mph, let alone hold it comfortably. So why not go for the fully faired cbr or Yzf's then? Don't get me wrong, they look superb, especially the Yzf's, but they are not and shall never be fast bikes, so why would you choose to be leaning forward at an uncomfortable angle with your weight more on your wrists and genitals :-/ This is where the cbf slots in perfectly, it has good styling, good wind protection, punching a hole through the air and all done in comfort! Paint can be touched up, or even re sprayed, if you buy new you have warranty - so keep a close eye and use it if needs be. I would choose this cbf over all other 125's, but with a little * attached. If Yamaha were to create a 125 in the same mould as the cbf, that shall likely be better... But as yet (like Tigger) Honda is the only one!

I bought the CBF125 to get onto geared bikes gradually rather than doing 4 days on the DAS and then jumping onto a 900cc bike. I think I made a great decision. Especially with the bike I chose. It has everything you need: Tachometer, fuel gauge, etc. Gear changes are good and the clutch is good (but I must admit I have no experience of other clutches!). I use the bike for commuting in London and its perfect for the job. It uses so little petrol it's easy to forget to fill it up. I get 200miles to a tank before I fill it up again. I worked out my fuel economy as about 115 mpg which for town driving is great. With road tax at £16 you can't go wrong. I've only had it for 2 months so can't speak about reliability other than to say I've had no problems so far. The ride is responsive (good when black cabs pull out in front of you). Suspension isn't great but okay for the money. Front brake is fine (no locked wheels yet) but rear brake is a drum brake which will always be naff. It won't set your heart racing but it's a nice looking bike, quite fun to ride for its engine size and so cheap to buy and run. By riding it rather than getting the tube, I save well over £500 per year. Plus I don't get to work all flustered after being crammed on a tube train.

I bought a Honda cbf 125 brand new in 2009 which cost £1795 on the road. The same bike now would cost around £2500. I have owned larger bikes since passing my test in 2003. I sold my cbr 1000 for the cbf purely for commuting. The fuel economy of my bike was outstanding returning around 100 mpg regardless of the riding style. My best top speed was around 60 mph, very rarely above this. I never had any issues or problems with regard to reliability and always carried out my own servicing as I did take issue with the hourly service rate charged by Honda. I have read other reviews who describe handling as outstanding, I did not find this and found the bike to feel as though it wanted to tip away from underneath if you tried to corner hard. This may have been due to the tyres which were the original ones fitted when new which were made in India. On the positive side after 7000 miles they were showing very little sign of wear. I used the bike all year round and the only real area of concern was a little rust on the swing arm. The only reason I parted with the cbf was due to the fact that riding in the wind can be very dangerous as gusts can carry you several feet sideways. The brakes were ok but not fantastic. For what I paid the cbf was a very good bike that was good value for money. I am not sure that the current price tag would be such a bargain as there are other bikes that will probably perform better for a similar price. Probably not built to the same quality though. If you look after the cbf the depreciation value will be minimal. After 3 years I part exchanged my bike and got £1300 from a dealer. Apparently there is a shortage of cbf 125's as many never see their first MOT due to accident damage from novice riders. My bike failed the first MOT as the swingarm bolt was not as tight as it should have been. This was tightened up and the certificate was issued. I am a keen biker interested in the various machines on offer. Many reviews talk about performance usually associated with riding ridiculous speeds etc, I find that if I decide what I want my bike to do on a daily basis and stick within the perameters you identify that the bike will work for you and give many years of reliable affordable transport, as the cbf did for me. In many ways I was sad to see it go.

I bought a Honda cbf 125 brand new in 2009 which cost £1795 on the road. The same bike now would cost around £2500. I have owned larger bikes since passing my test in 2003. I sold my cbr 1000 for the cbf purely for commuting. The fuel economy of my bike was outstanding returning around 100 mpg regardless of the riding style. My best top speed was around 60 mph, very rarely above this. I never had any issues or problems with regard to reliability and always carried out my own servicing as I did take issue with the hourly service rate charged by Honda. I have read other reviews who describe handling as outstanding, I did not find this and found the bike to feel as though it wanted to tip away from underneath if you tried to corner hard. This may have been due to the tyres which were the original ones fitted when new which were made in India. On the positive side after 7000 miles they were showing very little sign of wear. I used the bike all year round and the only real area of concern was a little rust on the swing arm. The only reason I parted with the cbf was due to the fact that riding in the wind can be very dangerous as gusts can carry you several feet sideways. The brakes were ok but not fantastic. For what I paid the cbf was a very good bike that was good value for money. I am not sure that the current price tag would be such a bargain as there are other bikes that will probably perform better for a similar price. Probably not built to the same quality though. If you look after the cbf the depreciation value will be minimal. After 3 years I part exchanged my bike and got £1300 from a dealer. Apparently there is a shortage of cbf 125's as many never see their first MOT due to accident damage from novice riders. My bike failed the first MOT as the swingarm bolt was not as tight as it should have been. This was tightened up and the certificate was issued. I am a keen biker interested in the various machines on offer. Many reviews talk about performance usually associated with riding ridiculous speeds etc, I find that if I decide what I want my bike to do on a daily basis and stick within the perameters you identify that the bike will work for you and give many years of reliable affordable transport, as the cbf did for me. In many ways I was sad to see it go.

I bought a Honda cbf 125 brand new in 2009 which cost £1795 on the road. The same bike now would cost around £2500. I have owned larger bikes since passing my test in 2003. I sold my cbr 1000 for the cbf purely for commuting. The fuel economy of my bike was outstanding returning around 100 mpg regardless of the riding style. My best top speed was around 60 mph, very rarely above this. I never had any issues or problems with regard to reliability and always carried out my own servicing as I did take issue with the hourly service rate charged by Honda. I have read other reviews who describe handling as outstanding, I did not find this and found the bike to feel as though it wanted to tip away from underneath if you tried to corner hard. This may have been due to the tyres which were the original ones fitted when new which were made in India. On the positive side after 7000 miles they were showing very little sign of wear. I used the bike all year round and the only real area of concern was a little rust on the swing arm. The only reason I parted with the cbf was due to the fact that riding in the wind can be very dangerous as gusts can carry you several feet sideways. The brakes were ok but not fantastic. For what I paid the cbf was a very good bike that was good value for money. I am not sure that the current price tag would be such a bargain as there are other bikes that will probably perform better for a similar price. Probably not built to the same quality though. If you look after the cbf the depreciation value will be minimal. After 3 years I part exchanged my bike and got £1300 from a dealer. Apparently there is a shortage of cbf 125's as many never see their first MOT due to accident damage from novice riders. My bike failed the first MOT as the swingarm bolt was not as tight as it should have been. This was tightened up and the certificate was issued. I am a keen biker interested in the various machines on offer. Many reviews talk about performance usually associated the riding ridiculous speeds etc, I find that if I decide what I want my bike to do on a daily basis and stick within the perameters you identify that the bike will work for you and give many years of reliable affordable transport, as the cbf did for me. In many ways I was sad to see it go.

I have a 2010 CBF 125, I use it in all weather except ice and snow to get to work. I have covered 12600 miles in under 2 years. This was my first bike and didn't/still don't have a clue about bikes so went with the bike brand name known for its reliability and build quality, Honda. On the good side it has started every time with no worry at the first attempt. It has cut out once or twice but not enough to worry me. The finish and fit seems quite good. Admittedly I could have washed it a few more times but it is showing signs of wear, rust on the exhaust header and corroding on the engine cover, paint flaking off the forks near the hub and paint flaking off the wheels. What I really wasn't impressed with was the FOUR!! warranty issues I had to put the bike in for. The first was a split engine gasket on the side causing an oil leak, the second was a problem with the primary clutch cage (or something similar to that) where due to the fact the bike is built in India and not Japan Honda as a whole are having quality and quantity issues with parts for the CBF 125. I had to wait a month to get my bike back from the dealer and that was only after complaining to Honda head office otherwise it could have been monthS. The third issue was with the generator that was burnt out and left me without a headlight or rear light while on my way to work a night shift. That took a week to fix and while that was in for a service at the same time they notice the gasket on the top of the engine was seeping. The exhaust has also just started to rattle at tick over. All that and a service interval of only 2500 miles. It is an ideal city bike but if you have to travel on roads with limits over 50 for any length of time you will struggle with a head wind when the top speed will drop to 50. As a whole the bike has been ok but I would struggle to recommend it.

I got this bike in January and and have moved on this month onto a 650cc after passing my full test. My experience of bikes are limited but this bike was a fantastic start. It's easy to ride so a really good confidence boost when you first take to the open roads. I did 2500 miles in 3 months and salot of that was long distance communting so word of advise stop every hour to stretch your legs or you will suffer. I came off on some diesel 2 weeks after buying it, the brake pedal needed bending back into place which wasnt a problem but be aware its flimsy to say the least. Overall I loved every minute I got to ride it and I always had a smile on my face when I did. They only reason I got a bigger bike was because I was sick of not being able to overtake caravans, which to be fair there was nothing this bike could do about it anyway. And in 3 months I probably only spent £60 on fuel, I'll never take the bus again.

Picked a second hand 2011 up with a few miles on the clock, this is my first bike after passing my CBT, it is a great run around and puts a smile on my face, its a 125 so it is not going to win any drag reaces but given i am in my 30's i am not into anything other than feeling safe and enjoying my ride which this bike gives me. Easy to maintain and keep clean, looks good and will give many hours of pleaseure

I first have ton say I am surprised to read some of the negative reviews on here about this little bike. I have had the bike for 2500 miles now and all is well so far. I runs really well and I get well over 100 mpg (I check every time and I honestly usually get between 110 – 120 mpg. As people have said it goes along at 50 really well and will sit at 60 – 65 until you get a hill and she reluctantly drops down to 50. You don’t ever have to go into the red to get a response out of the engine (I have a model with a rev counter) I have come back to riding after a 15 year break and thought I would put a few miles on this little bike before getting back to something better, but I have to say the allure of 120 mpg is stopping me at the moment. That is probably sacrilegious on a msn website but I am still enjoying this little bike and genuinely having fun and all the time it delivers 100 + mpg it will have paid for its self in a very short period of time. £90 for the 2500 service all in seems reasonable. Another armature comment but it she is easy to keep clean and tidy after a wash and brush up she looks like she has been ridden out of the show room so I have not been troubled with poor finishing …yet! There is a bit of plastic on her but I don’t intend dropping her so that shouldn’t be a problem. I insurance fantastically cheap considering I have no claims All in all I am delighted - comfortable to fide I usually only go 30 miles max on a journey, unbelievably cheap to run tax and insure. I have ridden bigger bikes when abroad and I could never say this rides like anything other than a 125 but steering and cornering really do make it feel like a bigger bike. I am 6ft and don’t have any problems with the overall size of the bike. If you are considering this to take you test on I would highly recommend it I would imaging it would be great on the mod 1 cone exercises and u turn and would hit the 50k on the speed parts with ease keeping it in 2nd gear. It may not be a Sunday bike for a ride with the local club but as a get on it go to work / town / shops it does the job and I guess that is what it is built for? I may be lucky or too early but I am delighted with my cbf and think I will be keeping it for a few more services yet.

bought this bike due to so called honda reliability, had the bike for just under 2 years and its been used for around 700 miles and garage stored rest of the time, now bike wont start and told by local honda dealer that there is water in cylinder, then told honda wont cover this under warranty and basically told to go away and they (local dealer and honda customer service uk) dont care. so overall the bike is poor, poor build quality and finish and poor service from honda, have owned yamaha's and triumphs before with no probems and excellent service so woud expect more from honda, avoid this bike at all cost.

bought this bike due to so called honda reliability, had the bike for just under 2 years and its been used for around 700 miles and garage stored rest of the time, now bike wont start and told by local honda dealer that there is water in cylinder, then told honda wont cover this under warranty and basically told to go away and they (local dealer and honda customer service uk) dont care. so overall the bike is poor, poor build quality and finish and poor service from honda, have owned yamaha's and triumphs before with no probems and excellent service so woud expect more from honda, avoid this bike at all cost.

I've had my CBF for 12 months now and it has barely put a foot wrong. After owning a god-awful Gilera ratbike, reliability was key for me and this is where it excels. Always starts first time and aside from cleaning and two standard services, I have had to make no adjustment to it in the first 5000 miles. My only warning would be careful if you are over 6ft, I am a bit tucked up at 6ft but it doesn't really show until 50 miles into a ride... Although not excelling in the performance department it does what it says on the tin. It's perfectly suited for a 20 mile commute and I don't know what the MCN testers were doing to it but I always get over 100MPG however I ride it! It runs away from the lights nicely in town and is fine up to about 50 where it looses puff but will sit happily at an indicated 60-65 on the A roads. I've done 180 miles trips on this bike before and aside from a slightly hard seat it didn't bat an eye. A great little thing to learn on and then to keep on as a reliable (very!) cheap to insure workhorse commuter.

great until you want to work on it. poor fixings corroded at 12 months old. lack of tyre choice, fitting Conti's helps. poor fueling means cuts out until warm. if they'd used some grease while building it, would have helped, took 1 hour to remove rear wheel for tyre change. all that said, it is doing 140mpg!

My first bike and I've had it for a little over a year now. First used it as a learner, then kept it on as a cheap commuter. Light and perfect for whizzing round London streets, happy enough up to 50mph and fast enough at the light. I get about 120MPG out of the thing as well. The only mechanical issue I had was with the fuel gauge, it stopped working and I had it replaced on warranty. It also rusts a bit, within a month or so I had some sections repainted, also under warranty as well. Since then some surface rust has appeared on the pipes and a few nuts. You also get three years AA cover included in the purchase price and Honda service has been spot on.

first bike for over 20yrs... great to be back on 2 wheels, bought it 3 mnths old 1.6k on the clock now 7.5k . first impression is its a great wee bike , and i get over 100mpg doin 45 miles a day on wynding A roads . bad bits back tyre is gash , and you need to replace it with a 180 as noone make 190 rear tyres , and the build quality aint as good as you expect from a honda ,after 7k needed wheelbearing and a new brake disc , wee silly things but these are annoying , overall though a good bike to start on.

okay so the suspension is lacking but its not meant for the track. theres no tachometer (rev counter) which is my biggest complaint. driving carefully i got over 100mpg out of it and 60mpg on a bad day. very cheap to run, you'll need to do something about the corrodible parts in winter to make it last. great first bike, hits an indicated 73mph with chin on the tank and knuckles pointing up. recommended upgrades and extras are; heated grips, top box, tail pack and put together your own toolkit.

own a Honda CBF125, have done since january, and it now has 8000 miles on the clock, courtesy of a 60mile round trip commute, threw town, down county lanes and down the dual carriage way. Ive had 75 out of it on a calm day, abut normally do around 70 for about 10 miles and no surprises with anything. So teh reliabilty os typical Honda. I would have something bigger but only being 17 means I have an A2 license, so this is good for now, and i couldnt be happier. For what it cost me. and the fact im new to biking, the performance is more than good enough, even though it runs out of poke at 60 or so, it corners fine even with standard tires, i now have Pirelli MT75's on it, as previously mentioned, and it's so much better, but stock is fine, if a bit iffy in the wet. The headlamp is good, and the seat isn't that bad, as long as the road aint to bumpy, teh rear shocks are a bit bouncy, but good enough, and the little screen does work, having tried it without, but i now have a bigger ermax one on it, to make it a bit better on the A50. It feels planted and balance in everyday normal riding and corners and does roundabouts well. It makes town riding and traffic aboslute joy cause its so light and easy to ride, with enough poke to get you in and out. I regularly get about 320 miles before I need to fill up, which at £1.04 a litre works at about a £10 for 320 miles, very good indeed :) All in all a very good bike, sharp looking and perfect for a first bike, and from what I've heard, good for everyone else as well, weather beginer or verteran. Would highly recomend

The CBF is a great bike, Its economical, its cheap to run and overall is huge fun to ride. On the downside though, the gear box is a bit tempromental and the pillion seat is awkward to get back on when u hav removed it to get at the really small tool box. Another thing you could say is on the downside is that it lacks the power to climb hills at a faster speed, But what am I expecting its only a 125cc after all. I am currently learning to ride on it and use it to get to work everyday. Overall I would say it is a brilliant bike that is a journey of discovery and I love it to bits.

dont get me wrong The honda CBF 125 on a dual carriage way or motorway is painful, but it copes well with national speed limits and its the nuts at inter city riding. off the line it goes like a bat with its arse on fire. but beware of the gear indicators on the speedo, they lie. When it says you should be in second you should be in third unless you like the fear of explosion. all in all it pisses all over a CBR and the YBR and dont get me started on 125 mopeds. unless its a vespa. buy one and youll love it.

being new to motorcycling (at the age of 33) i needed a practical bike to learn on and for commuting to work. after comparing other bikes in its class, i found the CBF 125 to be the better choice. it is easy to handle, looks modern and i am getting 120mpg commuting to work.the engine has good torque for when i make a mistake and pull away in 2nd gear however the TVS tyres are not the best for wet weather and has a negative impact on your confidence so i would recommend changing them. i now have Pirelli MT75's on and the bike feels a lot more stable and has boosted my confidence. it is not a bike for long rides out or on motorways because of the soft rear suspension and low top end but that can be expected however as a practical all year round commuting and those trips to the shop, this is the best choice. even when i get my full licence i will keep this bike for commuting and get a bigger bike for those long trips on the motorway.

I bought my CBF125 at the end of April '09 - as soon as I test rode it I knew I wanted one. Being on an A2 license I wanted something to take me the 15 mile / 45 minute commute to work every day that was going to be reliable, fun and cheap to run - the CBF125 has these covered easily... For a learner or someone commuting primarily on 30mph roads this is an ideal bike, I easily get over the 250 miles/tank indicated in the MCN review and have had a top speed of 75 out of it (downhill!). I recently bought a rack & top-box for it which improves the practicality & will invest in the new taller screen in a couple of months to see me to the end of my riding 'season' (December, January & February I take the train to work). I'll be more than happy to run this bike for two years until I get my full license (and the warranty expires) then will trade-up to something bigger - primarily to give me a bit more oomph when riding 2-up or on those occasions when I need to hit the dual carriageway. A great first bike that I would heartily recommend!

Test rode one of these a few months back and also rode a CBR125. My current bike is an ER6F and I wondered about changing onto a 125 to save money. Equipment is good for the commuter, it has a large fuel tank, good headlight, centre-stand and hugger. Only obvious things missing were heated grips and an enclosed chainguard. I also have grave concerns about the quality of the exhaust downpipe. Even on my demo machine it was looking a little rough. Handling around town was brilliant, it was very sure around roundabouts etc and had enough performance to keep up with traffic. Initially I did struggle in traffic to know it was still running as there is no tachometer and it is so quiet but after a short while I just had faith. Performance out of town was much weaker, it could reach and hold 60-65mph given a long enough road and felt like it was slightly under geared particularly compared to the CBR125 that has an extra gear and struggles to hold it against a wind or up a gradient. It compares well with the CBR for commuting. Its significantly cheaper (when tested £1800 vs £2600 but both prices have risen enormously in the last few months) and is well equipped. The engine felt like it has a bit more low down than the CBR whilst the CBR is fractionally faster on the flat. Comfort wise the CBF was fine but a little too upright particularly in wind whilst the CBR was very uncomfortable around town on the wrists. Equipment wise the CBR does not have a hugger or a centre stand and its speedometer is much less clear. Price wise the CBF is significantly cheaper than the CBR (when tested £1800 vs £2600) which makes it a very hard decision. At the time of the test the service intervals and costs were not available for the CBF but the CBR has a service interval of 2500 miles which is very small for a commuter machine (The Yamaha YZF-R125 has a 4000 mile service interval which is much better)

I bought this bike as my first ever bike in March 09 mainly for commuting. Positives: Cheap to run, good fun, lightweight, great for learning Negatives: Misfires sometimes in colder weather(?), bouncy back suspension, drum rear brake. In general i am really happy with this wee bike, i have got the bike bug now and will soon sit my bike test.

I got this on an 09 plate bang on 1st April 09. It was my first geared bike and from my experience its been a great introduction into the world of gears. Easy riding on the CBF125 will get you 100MPG. Some people question the build quality of this bike because it was manufactured in India but after owning this bike for over 4 months I can say everything is still holding together FIRMLY. I will have my full licence very soon and plan to keep this bike because of it's great B-road & filtering abilities. It leaves the majority of 125cc bikes at the lights. This looks and feels just like a big bike. It will also turn heads on the street. I have even seen people take pictures :)