Had one of these in 1976. 50cc E110 engine. Blew it up chasing a bus down a hill at 34mph. First engine rebuild I ever did aged 17. Apart from engine size and disc breaks, the real difference was that mine had fold-down handle bars: extremely handy for chucking in the back of an estate car.
Had a Chinese dax copy and fitted a 125 piitbike motor in it. Every ride was a laugh and upset a lot of big bikes around Bristol. It was so maneuverable in traffic. Im a big guy which made it even funnier
I’ve had one since late January and with over 500 miles on it, I can say from experience that they are so much fun to ride and customise. The 3 Harley’s in the garage haven’t been out since I got it.
It's amazing how fun the smaller bikes are. Some of the most fun I've had has been on those. The downside for me was sinking so much money into mods. You'll never get back even close to what you spend... but they're constantly crying out for farkles and performance mods.
So tell us: what is the acceleration like? Can you do a wheely in first, like one could on the ST70? what is the top speed, the reviewer stopped accelerating!?
Tomorrow makes 1 month of ownership, already over 500km ridden and I am totally in love with this bike and is super frugal! I can manage the advertised consumption!
I have a Monkey Bike called Clyde and absolutely love it. I have had it just over a year done over 2000 miles on it. I use it to go to the supermarket, trips the coast, country road trips. it is the most fun I have had om a bike, it makes me smile every time I ride it and it is the only bike I will keep forever. I use my other bike if I need to do longer trips that require a motorway.
Great review of the new DAX, nice to see Honda still bringing out the retro mini bikes .I've an MT-09SP and a Honda Monkey, I have to say I get as much joy from the little bike as the big albeit in very different ways, I've had the monkey for 4 years now and it's a keeper. Smiles for miles!! Takes me back to my youth 😂 2 wheel fun in its purest form, laugh a minute every ride guaranteed!
I use to ride a similar Honda to this on a farm in the mid to late 60s. I’m nearly 66 now so that was many moons ago. So much fun. Thanks for rekindling memories for me. Nostalgia. Cheers.
I the late 60's in New Zealand, on a hilly sheep farm, my Dad had a Honda CT90 - slightly step through but fitted with knobblies was fine as a farm bike! We also had a Kawasaki 100 which I drove on the more muddy and hilly paddocks. I kept both maintained and was a start to my Mechanical Engineering career and motorcycle rider when I was 16 yrs old!! A truly fun bike!
Back in ‘72, my Bev’s Dad owned a motorcycle shop. One day after school, she came around to my house on a new 70cc Dax, and said ‘let’s go for a ride!’ I said ‘sure, hop on the back!’…and she did! We did hundreds of kms riding around our area as teenagers! A brilliant little bike, 3 speed gearbox with centrifugal clutch and ran on the sniff of an oil rag. 50 years later, we’re still riding together today albeit on a GS1200👍😎🏍️🇿🇦🍺
Love a little Honda, and have owned several, and this one is typically excellent, but so frustrating that Honda continues to refuse to bring the much more practical CT125 to the UK market.
I was just about to write the same thing and there are a lot of other people thinking this as well. Lots of riders are resorting to importing to get one this way even though it pushes the price up considerably, there are even petitions started.
The Dax is the best of the Honda minibikes in my book...Here's why I love it so much : Back in the late 60's and into the 70's I was a teenage motorcycle racer and our family had a ST-70, which was the Dax here in Canada, to use as a pit bike at the racetrack. That big seat came in handy when my mum and dad wanted to travel to the other end of the track to watch the action. Lot's of times it held my sister as well - 3 on a DAX! And, at the races, most of the families had a Dax or a Monkey bike and so us teenagers would organize little flattrack races in the pits.... and thanks to it's mighty 70cc and longer, better handling chassis, the Dax usually won. I had at least as much fun on that little bike as I ever had out on the racetrack! And, for carving through city traffic, it rules! I wish it still had the fold down handlebar that made it easy to put in the boot. We carried ours on a bumper rack on the front of dad's sedan, pulling the trailer with the race bike and gear on it.
I remember as a child I had several honda sl70,s and my friend have the honda st90 which looked just like the Dax. Still some of the best small bikes ever made.
Love the look of these little Hondas. As a Vespa rider too I really enjoy these small bikes just to nip round the lanes on here in N Ireland. Looking forward to see the review on the Grom. Great review.
I have been riding for 43 years as of today. ( got my first bike on my 10 th birthday) . We learn something knew everyday, I had no idea how the gear box worked on these bad boys. Thank you Andy.
Small Honda’s are so much fun ! I have a C125 Super Cub myself, same gearbox as the Dax. You have to think of the gear change as clutch and gear change all on one lever, and smooth it out with your foot accordingly, especially when down shifting and matching your speed to the selected gear. Once you get the hang of it you’ll be swift and smooth, and happy as Larry. 😉👍
I had one as well back in the day, a 70cc version and loved it. This really brings back some great memories for me, thanks so much for posting your review. I am not in the market for a new bike but would seriously consider buying this bike if it was available here in Canada.😊
Love Honda’s small retro look bikes. Picked up a CT 125 a few months ago and it has been a blast to ride and modify. Hoping they bring the DAX 125 stateside. Great review! Keep up the good work.
My first road bike was the Honda st70 I paid £50 in 1983 it was a p reg unrestricted I used it for work and it ran on a spit. I used it for a couple of years never missed a beat I traded it up to a Suzuki gp100 two stroke two burnt out pistons later changed back to a four stoke Honda Honda 250 super dream with a side winder side car and passed my test on that been a Honda fan forever.
My Son has a Grom and we both love to horse around on it. He uses it for his daily rider during the summer when it's not snowing. Same engine as the Dax and great on fuel!
Looking forward to the other “mini” reviews! A major concern about these small bikes is the “steal-ability” factor. They need to be chained to something solid to avoid them being lifted into a van.
I have both and never worry. ....Life's too short. If anyone wants any bike, they can just chuck it in a van. Most have this as a 2nd bike and also have a car. Just make sure you have good insurance
I'm looking forward to the Grom review, despite having two older Dax bikes I prefer the Grom, plus points being slightly lighter, a larger fuel tank, 5-gears and a manual clutch. the original Dax has a fuel tank with just 2.5 litres and with a carburettor 12hp engine that is a real pain.
We had campers on trucks in the 60's. RV s came later when Winebago pretty much invented them. People would mount them on a rail attached to tje front bumper of the pickup truck. The big competitor was the Rokon
I love these small Hondas - indestructible, economical and a perfect learner & around town bike . . . . . but they haven't brought them to Canada . . .but that being said I'm like you in that for 99% of my riding I prefer a full size motorcycle. Honda are putting this same basic engine in several of their small bikes like the Grom - although the latter does have a "proper" gearbox. If I lived on a tropical island I'd have one of these.
Great review...But you've kind of missed the point when comparing with other , bigger bikes. The Grom, I agree is pointless. I mean, if you want a street naked, buy a full size one. The Monkey and Dax though, are completely unique and not mini versions of anything. I used to love touring and motorways, These days though, i just love having fun, riding country lanes. So I've had The Monkey for 3 years and The Dax for 3 months. So much fun and so many smiles. Have now given up all my bigger bikes! 😂
I have a GS and a Monkey the Monkey is great if you’re only going a couple of miles down the road. A lot easier to get out of the garage and park up at the other end (and it makes everyone smile.) Only potential down side is everybody wants to talk to you which is not so good if you’re in a hurry, but you can’t knock 100+ mpg. Some insurers won't cover them as they are too easy to pick up and put in a van.
Ahh the old Crunchie 90 gearbox. Man we use to stomp down and abuse those Honda's as teenagers back in the day. They were still very reliable though even with all the abuse/neglect. Go on do a top speed run on the motorway. We wanna see the top speed!
Massive market in upgrading this engine up to 143cc combined with a 22 tooth sprocket as opposed to the 23 one gives you great low end torque and up to 65mph
Shop around dealerships for availability. I ordered mine in January and have been told to expect May delivery. Only to find out another dealership 30 miles away have them in stock.
Give it a real test. Ride it to North Kapp and do as much of the TET as possible. When I was young these and the Trail 90/110 were very hot items. We had a 55 mph speed limit everywhere and plenty of two lanes to ride on. The Grom is a very hot seller here. Same engine. Very dependable. Something RV's carry with them and pit bike
Hiya TMF Thank you for this review, its really nice that you don't just review what you like and are interested in, I like you have no need for such a bike but I was interested to hear your thoughts about the bike and how it rides etc. Good on Ya.
I remember getting a go on the old version in Liverpool ( circa 1972 ) . If I remember correctly it was 70cc auto clutch 3 speed ,same as c 70 cub carb fed engine ,with 6 volts electrics & drum brakes front & rear . I got it up to around 45 on clock & it felt faster due to it being so small . The late Sid James & Barbara Windsor can be seen riding one ,at the end of a 1970 ‘s Carry on film . The new l 25 semi auto Honda cub type engines ,have a double clutch set up. the centrifugal clutch is situated in front of a standard multi plate type clutch & the foot gear lever also doubles as a clutch lever . Once you learn the knack of using the gear lever ,you can smooth out the gear down changers better . I take it you won’t be trading it in for the GS ,to go touring 2 up with Mr Flyer laden with 3 metal boxes on the continent on the DAX any time soon then . 👍
Honda CT 70 was my first experience on a motorcycle in 1973…I was 10 years old. Three speeds no clutch. Now riding on a GS 1250! Cheers! Marc, Quebec, Canada 🇨🇦🏍😉
The originals had fold down bars to make them smaller, the petrol tank had a cap that could shut completely off and they could fit in small vans easily
My generation often learnt to ride on Honda "scooterettes" in fields using a similar clutch-less rev and rip gearbox. So I went from that Left-foot shift with no clutch aged 10, to a 3 speed right foot shift on my Scrambles Bantam 175 aged 14, to a 4 speed left-foot shift aged 16 on my moped. And we just took it all in our stride. I remember Fizzies even had a down for up racing shift. Lol.
Really surprised at the dax im 6’2” and it felt comfortable at the bike show,imagine there a blast if you’ve got the extra cash and a secured place to park one.
Another good review Andy, my own thought is the Dax would make a great short distance commuter bike, say 10 miles max each way, you could use less than a tankful per week. It would be great for heavy traffic, being so small and light, it would be great for filtering through stationary traffic on busy town or city commuter routes.
What a fun bike! I was wondering who it was for and I didn’t think that maybe it would be great for just what you said… bringing along on a camping adventure for quick runs to the store and to town. etc. The whole video I kept thinking I really love that jacket. I really love that jacket. I hope he does the fashion segment at the end. And YOU DID!!! Thank you Andy!
Good review. The semi -auto box is a reason I’d choose the Dax or the Super Cub over the Groom/ Monkey it’s a joy to use in the urban environment compared to a manual. If the Monkey had the same box as the Dax I’d put my money down for one. Dunno why Honda don’t use it across their mini range.
I like these always have, so I’m buying one and part exchanging my CBR 650R for the Dax as I am 61 this year so need to chill, save money and look forward to retirement, good review and like your jacket.
Im in the market for an MSX125 (Grom) to add to the fleet, but im so tempted by this now ive seen your review Andy. You could pop it in the back of the car & take it to use on holiday!
Had a 1990 CT70 called a Mini Trail 70 in the US. This update looks like a good one. I never enjoyed the shifting which was ALWAYS very notchy and jerky. Sold it two years ago and went for the ADV150 scooter which I like much better. Nice report!
Yay love little Hondas! Once you get used to the gear change (blip throttle on downshifts and use front of foot sole not heal) they hustle!! 😂. (Well my wave 110 with same gear change does anyway)
Hi Andy, that was a blast from the past, remembering a very similar offering from Honda in the sixties, the Monkey bike, think it was 50cc, or their about. Two concerns for present day riding though in Blighty, are very small wheels and the deep potholes on our roads, and around town in close proximity of very tall lorry cabs, and being seen. But I suppose one could have it's uses as you so rightly mentioned. Things you do to keep us entertained, ha. Thank you.
I have the CT125 and live on the route of the NC500. These small Hondas are superb on this route, being really agile, lightweight and give you the ability to ride those really small single track roads and have FUN. And you will never enjoy riding Bealach na Bà more with a small, light, agile Honda.
I had a go on a Honda Monkey bike about 3 years ago. Pretty much the same conclusions as you have . Lot of fun, but I don't think I'd want one. It was comfortable although I'm just short of 5'11", I felt a bit cramped on it. The steering was a bit twitchy. I'm a few stone over my ideal weight of about 13 stone, so it had a struggle pulling me along. I think I got it to top out at about 55 MPH on a 60MPH road. My fuller size learner bike, CB125R, that wasn't much good on dual carriageways. It too was a bit twitchy and hard to keep in the straight line, unlike my much heftier Speed Twin, which is much better. So no surprise there ! I also couldn't get the CB125R to go over 65 MPH, although Honda claimed 75 ish. Maybe skinny 17 year olds laying down on the tank might get 75 MPH !! Yeah, 125s aren't too good on 70 MPH dual carriageways, but we sort of already knew that ! They are good around town, and on roads up to about 50 MPH limit. About the smallest capacity bike I think I could live with is a 300cc to 350cc with about 20 to 30 BHP. So the 350 Enfields or the CB350 . I haven't kept up if Honda are going to bring the CB350 to the UK.
Great review as always; I really like your new format of interspersing riding with static views and statistics. Looking forward to your review of the Grom as that’s the mini bike I would buy out of the three. So your comparison of all three will also be interesting.
I have the CT125 in usa 2019 model it gets 120 mpg every time i check. It's slow 45 -50 mph had it 63 down hill with wind at my back but average is 45 mph. Still a great bike i had a st70 in the 70's my first bike. was a blast off road. Thanks
I have a V2 Streetfighter, Bimota db9 and have up until LaNina a Vitpillen. RnineT and 790 duke. I have also a Monkey and a Grom. I still have Grom and the monkey now the KTM, Husky and Beema have gone. Why does a 50 year old with nice bikes have this bike. It is because it appeals to my inner child and back to the days when I was learning. These are great bikes to hone and develop skills as they have not much power so riding smoothly. There are endless amounts of trick bits for them and let’s face it öhlins wouldn’t make suspension if it really wasn’t a race bike. I would guarantee the Flyer and Mrs Flyer would have more adventures on a pair of Dax/Grom/Monkey than probably any other bike and it’s the only thing for bombing up the shops in.
I purchased one in March to replace my 110cc Honda wave for our motorhome only been out A few times but two up it’s perfect for as you say short journeys into towns. The gearbox is the same as the Honda wave It was two years before a Honda dealer showed me how to use it correctly when you come to a junction in 4th gear just stop then push down to go From 4th to 1st ,the reason for the gear change is the big market for these is Asia they are built in Thailand were the national footwear is the flip flop, Love your channel keep up the good work and ride safe. S
I love my Monkey which is virtually the same apart from the gears I think. It's great for nipping to town and exploring the snotty welsh green lanes rather than go through the hassle of getting my big bike out. The only thing I've found though, in common with my electric push bike, whilst they are ideal for nipping to town, leaving them unattended is a real worry as anyone with an angle grinder and a van can nick it easily!
They are so fun, a friend had one in 79' it was called a CT trail 70 here in Canada 🇨🇦. With the rear springs being pretty much vertical you had a really good ride on that large seat. Hopefully you review a Ruckus as well!
This is the same sort of gearbox as my Honda Innova. There are actually 2 clutches - the centrifugal clutch which simply engages when as the revs rise and disengages as you come to a stop, entirely automatically. Then there is a conventional clutch which is operated by the gear change pedal. As you press the pedal to change either up or down, it disengages the clutch, and as you release the lever it re-engages the clutch - so you do have a manual clutch control. With practice gear changes become very smooth (new-comers to the bike tend to treat it just as a gear change, so changes can be a bit abrupt until you realise you have clutch control on the pedal as well). I love it. The big advantage of these little bikes over a 'big bike' is their lightness and agility. You can nip down to the shops on it and park it on the pavement outside wherever you are going as you would a bicycle. You have to find somewhere to park a big bike, Does this bike have a mainstand or just a sidestand? The other feature I'm sure it has (my Innova does) is if you come to a stop in fourth, just press the gear lever down once more and it changes to 1st! (needless to say it doesn't do that unless you are stationary - I don't know how it knows that but it does!). No need to step down 4-3-2-1. Honda also make the 125 Super Cub (the modern version of the Honda 90 step-through) and one that's sadly not available in UK, the 'Hunter Cub' trail bike which looks great fun. Don't underestimate the fun you can have on these small agile bikes. They are 'different' to the fun a bike bike brings, which is why I have a little Innova and big R9T in my garage. And because they are small and agile, their A to B times are nearly always better than a car (motorways excepted) and often at least as good as a big bike.
Agreed. If you wanted to get around town cheaply I’m not sure why you’d pick one of these over a moped or a 125, with it’s gear setup that’s neither that of a conventional bike or fully automatic. I’m always glad to see stuff like this that’s a bit different out there, they do look funky (in a good way) but I won’t be heading to my local Honda showroom to get one for myself!
"You having a Laugh"🤣Literally watching Ricky Gervais's Extras season two now and i saw your thumb nail. My friend had an old Dax in the mid 80's, classic.
Well done TMF by pronouncing Dachshund correctly, they ain't 'Dash-hounds' as so many say. The Dax looks cool but that heel toe thing is a needless faff and would put me off. Look forward to the Monkey review, they look brill and have an extra gear. Thanks again.
You don't have to heel toe them, the idea is that you don't mark the tops of your fancy sneakers or brothel creepers like a single sided gearshift would.
The originals had bars which would pivot and fold up so you could carry it in the rear bonnet, trunk of your car. 70 and 90 cc. Still running for the most part.
Morning Andy, I really wanted a mini bike back when I saw them as a kid. Mum and dad were horrified. I had to wait until I could by a bike of my own. Looks like it would be a lot off fun off road, or to take camping, and go off road. I was never very comfortable on a dual carriageway on my full size 100. I found I would get a lot of buffeting from big vehicles. I’m not particularly big, I felt a bit silly, like a bear on a tricycle. When I tried a grom.
Oh! Loved that, coming from the land of scooters.... You might be interested to know and not sure if it the same on UK bikes. When you come to a STOP and you are in 4th you can press down again, as if you where selecting 5th, this will take you straight to neutral. No need to heal it down 4 times. This is a common feature on most Honda centrifugal clutched bikes. My Honda CT125 and Honda Wave are like this. Would be interested to know if this is the case with UK bikes.. Take care...
Hi Andy , mini bikes are a total riot , pure fun , in my opinion the groms are the best road bikes , the monkey is awesome and the benelli tnt are great too , at the moment I’ve 2 groms , 1 monkeybike and 4 benelli tnts , the dax is next ,you can’t go wrong with mini bikes , their so much fun ,cheap to run , and hold their value , what’s not to like , 🏍🏍👍👍
Hi Andy, bloody brilliant 👍 at 6'6'' and 17 stone I think it would be like a mini moto for me 😂 great review but will stick to my XT1200Z thank you 😃 keep up the great work 👏😊🏍🏁
What a hoot! Over here in the US it was called the Trail 70, and slotted n between the Trail 50 and the Trail 90. I wish I could think of a reason I needed one.
To stop that annoying thing with the visor not staying open a crack just roll a little bullet of blu tack and push it in the recess of the helmet where the closed visor sits. Also very useful stop provide enough air flow to keep the visor from fogging if you don't have a pinlock fitted.
It looks like the old Honda Trail 70 (USA Name) , but with 125cc. That bike had drums on front and rear. Wet, multiplate manual clutch on that. The Honda Navi has a centrifugal clutch as well, though one might argue it's more of a scooter, but the form factor is still mini bike in my mind. A good performance mod for that is an aftermarket clutch that reduces the rotational mass by 2lbs.
I was motorcycle mad damn near right back to about the time I stopped sucking on a dummy. Got my first, an A 100 Suzuki in about 1970 which since I was too young to hold a license I rode around a bush track we had just down the road from my place. There was a bunch of us and 1 had the little 50cc Honda mini trail which was a funky little but, pretty well thought out but tiny thing that we all enjoyed riding, another had Deltex (I think it was called) which I remember as a pretty good, also well set up little machine and another had a Dax. Then I remember it as a 70cc machine, I think a 3 speed but could have been more. I remember it as not being particularly special in any way yet, everybody always wanted to be on it. It was just a cool, pretty comfortable little bike with better road speed than the tiny mini trail. I'm not certain (without cheating and googling it but, I think the handle bars were a separate piece either side with a big plastic knob that when unscrewed allowed you to fold them both down against the fork legs. I know the mini trail had that and may be getting mixed up with it, I'm just not sure. I do remember that the mini trail with the bars down could be tossed in the boot of a car, making them ideal, if too slow for highways, fun little transport from a base camp while traveling. That was probably the biggest draw for the tiny mini trails, the Dax while much better on the road was still fairly compact but, just big enough to be an awkward size to carry when loaded up with other gear and space being at a premium. I do have fond memories of both but, to ride, give me the Dax any day. I did have a quick look, just to see pricing and availability here in Australia, only to find it's not coming here, apparently because it hasn't got bloody ABS, which I hate anyway! Actually, I don't mind the idea of ABS on the front, there's not much worse feeling than coming into a corner under braking to find some loose gravel, oil or anything slipper and feel that front wheel start shooting out from under you but, DO NOT EVER try forcing me to have it on the rear if I can't turn it off! Many times I want the rear to lock, sometimes to show off by trying to spin the rear into a space and swing the arse around as I do, also to stop you just sitting bolt upright waiting for the inevitable bolt upright crunch into the fool who's suddenly launched out in front of you, just like happened on my beautiful BMW S 1,000 R some years ago. That destroyed the very expensive front forks with their fancy electronic suspension which I know I could have minimized if only I could lock the rear and spin it side on. Thanks for the memories anyway, this looks a pretty cool little bike for normal running around.
A fun and interesting video. Thank you. Honda is always proving that they are the greatest motorcycle company of all time because they are still innovating by producing motorcycles which are a bit different than everybody else. Even though the new Dax is a re-incarnation of the old Dax it has been modernized in key areas such as engine power and brakes. (Now, if only they can replace that silly automatic clutch with a real clutch :-) I have owned several small motorcycles over the years, including a Yamaha DT100, Kawasaki G4 100, and Kawasaki G3 90. But my favourite was my Honda S90 because it sounded so much more civilized than the buzzing 2 strokes. Cheers from Canada :-)
My first bike was 70cc Dax back in 1975! Did 4000miles in 4 months... still got the bow legs!🤣🤣 The only bike I fell off twice in 1 day! on the road, I've fallen off lots more off road in 1day😲 Have you worked out how to make it wheelie? Put it in first gear and hold the gear lever down rev the engine and let go of the gear lever... you'll be a wheelie king!! Quite a few changes from mine..it had split rims and fold down handlebars with a fuel filler cap you twisted to close the breather...then you could put it on its side in your car boot... only weight lifters need apply. The bike that got me into bikes... I'll always remember it YTE63N if anyone knows where it is!?
Like all the Honda mini motos, these look like an absolute blast. They aren't cheap, though... I will also add that the fuel economy is a bit less impressive when you consider the speed and acceleration limitations. It's not that for off with a Honda 500 twin if you ride with the same. Still, I sure do want one! Probably the Trail 125 or Grom for me.
We had plenty of these in Australia in the 70s. I had a Honda SL70 and my neighbours had a dax, we'd bush bash on them all day long. My neighbours dax had a lead water pipe as an exhaust pipe, great for night riding.
10:04 I was just saying exactly this about Northamptonshire's roads Andy. I don't think anyone is spending any money on road upkeep. Every route is more or less a slalom these days.
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Had one of these in 1976. 50cc E110 engine. Blew it up chasing a bus down a hill at 34mph. First engine rebuild I ever did aged 17. Apart from engine size and disc breaks, the real difference was that mine had fold-down handle bars: extremely handy for chucking in the back of an estate car.
I got my monkey 2 months ago and approaching 2k miles already, small bikes are so much fun 🤩
Had a Chinese dax copy and fitted a 125 piitbike motor in it. Every ride was a laugh and upset a lot of big bikes around Bristol. It was so maneuverable in traffic. Im a big guy which made it even funnier
Heel and toe gear change and a centrifugal clutch takes me back to my C50 Cub of the 70's.
I’ve had one since late January and with over 500 miles on it, I can say from experience that they are so much fun to ride and customise. The 3 Harley’s in the garage haven’t been out since I got it.
Cool
It's amazing how fun the smaller bikes are. Some of the most fun I've had has been on those. The downside for me was sinking so much money into mods. You'll never get back even close to what you spend... but they're constantly crying out for farkles and performance mods.
So tell us: what is the acceleration like? Can you do a wheely in first, like one could on the ST70? what is the top speed, the reviewer stopped accelerating!?
Tomorrow makes 1 month of ownership, already over 500km ridden and I am totally in love with this bike and is super frugal! I can manage the advertised consumption!
I have a Monkey Bike called Clyde and absolutely love it. I have had it just over a year done over 2000 miles on it. I use it to go to the supermarket, trips the coast, country road trips. it is the most fun I have had om a bike, it makes me smile every time I ride it and it is the only bike I will keep forever. I use my other bike if I need to do longer trips that require a motorway.
Great review of the new DAX, nice to see Honda still bringing out the retro mini bikes .I've an MT-09SP and a Honda Monkey, I have to say I get as much joy from the little bike as the big albeit in very different ways, I've had the monkey for 4 years now and it's a keeper. Smiles for miles!! Takes me back to my youth 😂 2 wheel fun in its purest form, laugh a minute every ride guaranteed!
After watching this I've just literally bought one over the phone...my r6 can stop in the shed for the summer 😂
I use to ride a similar Honda to this on a farm in the mid to late 60s. I’m nearly 66 now so that was many moons ago. So much fun.
Thanks for rekindling memories for me. Nostalgia.
Cheers.
They look so cool! Originally I was planning to get a scooter (address 125) but the design of this classic bike caught my eye.
I the late 60's in New Zealand, on a hilly sheep farm, my Dad had a Honda CT90 - slightly step through but fitted with knobblies was fine as a farm bike! We also had a Kawasaki 100 which I drove on the more muddy and hilly paddocks. I kept both maintained and was a start to my Mechanical Engineering career and motorcycle rider when I was 16 yrs old!! A truly fun bike!
It'd be interesting to see a comparo video of the Monkey bike, Grom and Dax.
I personally favour the Monkey bike style wise.
Coming soon!
The monkey to big needs to go on a diet , the z50,s have far better symmetry
Back in ‘72, my Bev’s Dad owned a motorcycle shop. One day after school, she came around to my house on a new 70cc Dax, and said ‘let’s go for a ride!’ I said ‘sure, hop on the back!’…and she did! We did hundreds of kms riding around our area as teenagers! A brilliant little bike, 3 speed gearbox with centrifugal clutch and ran on the sniff of an oil rag. 50 years later, we’re still riding together today albeit on a GS1200👍😎🏍️🇿🇦🍺
Cool!
I used to have an ST70 in 1976, white with a flowery seat. I rode it all around Ireland and loved it. That gearbox was the same on a C90.
Love a little Honda, and have owned several, and this one is typically excellent, but so frustrating that Honda continues to refuse to bring the much more practical CT125 to the UK market.
I was just about to write the same thing and there are a lot of other people thinking this as well. Lots of riders are resorting to importing to get one this way even though it pushes the price up considerably, there are even petitions started.
@@Neontrifle I would gladly sign the petition! I think in Malta they would sell well too!
Prefer the old CB125 passed my test on one.
The Dax is the best of the Honda minibikes in my book...Here's why I love it so much : Back in the late 60's and into the 70's I was a teenage motorcycle racer and our family had a ST-70, which was the Dax here in Canada, to use as a pit bike at the racetrack. That big seat came in handy when my mum and dad wanted to travel to the other end of the track to watch the action. Lot's of times it held my sister as well - 3 on a DAX! And, at the races, most of the families had a Dax or a Monkey bike and so us teenagers would organize little flattrack races in the pits.... and thanks to it's mighty 70cc and longer, better handling chassis, the Dax usually won. I had at least as much fun on that little bike as I ever had out on the racetrack! And, for carving through city traffic, it rules! I wish it still had the fold down handlebar that made it easy to put in the boot. We carried ours on a bumper rack on the front of dad's sedan, pulling the trailer with the race bike and gear on it.
CT70 in Canada and US. ST70 Japan and Europe
In the UK, ST70 Dax. I had one in the 1970 in yellow with same black frame stripe.
It’s the CT70 you’re thinking of. The ST70 had much larger wheels.
I remember as a child I had several honda sl70,s and my friend have the honda st90 which looked just like the Dax. Still some of the best small bikes ever made.
Man I wanted a SL70 when I was a Kid more than Anything. Never got one though.
Love the look of these little Hondas. As a Vespa rider too I really enjoy these small bikes just to nip round the lanes on here in N Ireland.
Looking forward to see the review on the Grom.
Great review.
I have been riding for 43 years as of today. ( got my first bike on my 10 th birthday) . We learn something knew everyday, I had no idea how the gear box worked on these bad boys. Thank you Andy.
Happy birthday! ….and you’re younger than me!!!
Small Honda’s are so much fun ! I have a C125 Super Cub myself, same gearbox as the Dax. You have to think of the gear change as clutch and gear change all on one lever, and smooth it out with your foot accordingly, especially when down shifting and matching your speed to the selected gear. Once you get the hang of it you’ll be swift and smooth, and happy as Larry. 😉👍
I had one as well back in the day, a 70cc version and loved it. This really brings back some great memories for me, thanks so much for posting your review. I am not in the market for a new bike but would seriously consider buying this bike if it was available here in Canada.😊
Love Honda’s small retro look bikes. Picked up a CT 125 a few months ago and it has been a blast to ride and modify. Hoping they bring the DAX 125 stateside. Great review! Keep up the good work.
I've still got my monkey put over 5k miles on it still going strong and bags of fun on a small power!
Love the mini bikes. I currently have a 1968 Honda cm91 in immaculate shape. So fun!
My first road bike was the Honda st70 I paid £50 in 1983 it was a p reg unrestricted I used it for work and it ran on a spit. I used it for a couple of years never missed a beat I traded it up to a Suzuki gp100 two stroke two burnt out pistons later changed back to a four stoke Honda Honda 250 super dream with a side winder side car and passed my test on that been a Honda fan forever.
My Son has a Grom and we both love to horse around on it. He uses it for his daily rider during the summer when it's not snowing. Same engine as the Dax and great on fuel!
Grom review coming soon!
Looking forward to the other “mini” reviews! A major concern about these small bikes is the “steal-ability” factor. They need to be chained to something solid to avoid them being lifted into a van.
Or a shopping trolley ! LOL
I got news for you ,all motorcycles need chaining to something solid & immovable to prevent them being lifted easily into a van .
I have both and never worry. ....Life's too short. If anyone wants any bike, they can just chuck it in a van. Most have this as a 2nd bike and also have a car. Just make sure you have good insurance
You actually did it! To be fair it looks quite a lot of fun 😮
I'm looking forward to the Grom review, despite having two older Dax bikes I prefer the Grom, plus points being slightly lighter, a larger fuel tank, 5-gears and a manual clutch. the original Dax has a fuel tank with just 2.5 litres and with a carburettor 12hp engine that is a real pain.
We had campers on trucks in the 60's. RV s came later when Winebago pretty much invented them. People would mount them on a rail attached to tje front bumper of the pickup truck. The big competitor was the Rokon
I love these small Hondas - indestructible, economical and a perfect learner & around town bike . . . . . but they haven't brought them to Canada . . .but that being said I'm like you in that for 99% of my riding I prefer a full size motorcycle. Honda are putting this same basic engine in several of their small bikes like the Grom - although the latter does have a "proper" gearbox. If I lived on a tropical island I'd have one of these.
DAX is my dream bike, please come see me in the States little DAX!
Great review...But you've kind of missed the point when comparing with other , bigger bikes. The Grom, I agree is pointless. I mean, if you want a street naked, buy a full size one. The Monkey and Dax though, are completely unique and not mini versions of anything. I used to love touring and motorways, These days though, i just love having fun, riding country lanes. So I've had The Monkey for 3 years and The Dax for 3 months. So much fun and so many smiles. Have now given up all my bigger bikes! 😂
I have a GS and a Monkey the Monkey is great if you’re only going a couple of miles down the road. A lot easier to get out of the garage and park up at the other end (and it makes everyone smile.) Only potential down side is everybody wants to talk to you which is not so good if you’re in a hurry, but you can’t knock 100+ mpg. Some insurers won't cover them as they are too easy to pick up and put in a van.
Ahh the old Crunchie 90 gearbox. Man we use to stomp down and abuse those Honda's as teenagers back in the day. They were still very reliable though even with all the abuse/neglect. Go on do a top speed run on the motorway. We wanna see the top speed!
Massive market in upgrading this engine up to 143cc combined with a 22 tooth sprocket as opposed to the 23 one gives you great low end torque and up to 65mph
Shop around dealerships for availability. I ordered mine in January and have been told to expect May delivery. Only to find out another dealership 30 miles away have them in stock.
Give it a real test. Ride it to North Kapp and do as much of the TET as possible. When I was young these and the Trail 90/110 were very hot items. We had a 55 mph speed limit everywhere and plenty of two lanes to ride on. The Grom is a very hot seller here. Same engine. Very dependable. Something RV's carry with them and pit bike
Hiya TMF Thank you for this review, its really nice that you don't just review what you like and are interested in, I like you have no need for such a bike but I was interested to hear your thoughts about the bike and how it rides etc. Good on Ya.
Honda is sure going all in on making various mini bikes. I just wish I could get a CRF300 L Rally.
I remember getting a go on the old version in Liverpool ( circa 1972 ) . If I remember correctly it was 70cc auto clutch 3 speed ,same as c 70 cub carb fed engine ,with 6 volts electrics & drum brakes front & rear . I got it up to around 45 on clock & it felt faster due to it being so small . The late Sid James & Barbara Windsor can be seen riding one ,at the end of a 1970 ‘s Carry on film . The new l 25 semi auto Honda cub type engines ,have a double clutch set up. the centrifugal clutch is situated in front of a standard multi plate type clutch & the foot gear lever also doubles as a clutch lever . Once you learn the knack of using the gear lever ,you can smooth out the gear down changers better . I take it you won’t be trading it in for the GS ,to go touring 2 up with Mr Flyer laden with 3 metal boxes on the continent on the DAX any time soon then . 👍
Honda CT 70 was my first experience on a motorcycle in 1973…I was 10 years old. Three speeds no clutch. Now riding on a GS 1250! Cheers! Marc, Quebec, Canada 🇨🇦🏍😉
Love the look of these. I wish I had a local commute where I could justify one. The GROM looks absolutely amazing.
Being a Honda I am surprised they didn't fit a carry handle so you could pick it up once you've finished your ride...
The originals had fold down bars to make them smaller, the petrol tank had a cap that could shut completely off and they could fit in small vans easily
My generation often learnt to ride on Honda "scooterettes" in fields using a similar clutch-less rev and rip gearbox. So I went from that Left-foot shift with no clutch aged 10, to a 3 speed right foot shift on my Scrambles Bantam 175 aged 14, to a 4 speed left-foot shift aged 16 on my moped. And we just took it all in our stride. I remember Fizzies even had a down for up racing shift. Lol.
Really surprised at the dax im 6’2” and it felt comfortable at the bike show,imagine there a blast if you’ve got the extra cash and a secured place to park one.
Another good review Andy, my own thought is the Dax would make a great short distance commuter bike, say 10 miles max each way, you could use less than a tankful per week. It would be great for heavy traffic, being so small and light, it would be great for filtering through stationary traffic on busy town or city commuter routes.
What a fun bike! I was wondering who it was for and I didn’t think that maybe it would be great for just what you said… bringing along on a camping adventure for quick runs to the store and to town. etc. The whole video I kept thinking I really love that jacket. I really love that jacket. I hope he does the fashion segment at the end. And YOU DID!!! Thank you Andy!
My pleasure!
Good review. The semi -auto box is a reason I’d choose the Dax or the Super Cub over the Groom/ Monkey it’s a joy to use in the urban environment compared to a manual. If the Monkey had the same box as the Dax I’d put my money down for one. Dunno why Honda don’t use it across their mini range.
The trail CT125 is my personal favourite but unfortunately Honda haven’t brought it to Europe. I get the impression they would sell like hotcakes 😄
I like these always have, so I’m buying one and part exchanging my CBR 650R for the Dax as I am 61 this year so need to chill, save money and look forward to retirement, good review and like your jacket.
Thank you!
Im in the market for an MSX125 (Grom) to add to the fleet, but im so tempted by this now ive seen your review Andy. You could pop it in the back of the car & take it to use on holiday!
Had a 1990 CT70 called a Mini Trail 70 in the US. This update looks like a good one. I never enjoyed the shifting which was ALWAYS very notchy and jerky. Sold it two years ago and went for the ADV150 scooter which I like much better. Nice report!
Yay love little Hondas! Once you get used to the gear change (blip throttle on downshifts and use front of foot sole not heal) they hustle!! 😂. (Well my wave 110 with same gear change does anyway)
Hi Andy, that was a blast from the past, remembering a very similar offering from Honda in the sixties, the Monkey bike, think it was 50cc, or their about. Two concerns for present day riding though in Blighty, are very small wheels and the deep potholes on our roads, and around town in close proximity of very tall lorry cabs, and being seen. But I suppose one could have it's uses as you so rightly mentioned. Things you do to keep us entertained, ha. Thank you.
Thanks for watching again Stephen!
Great looking fun bike. My monkey brings biggest fun on back roads.
I have the CT125 and live on the route of the NC500. These small Hondas are superb on this route, being really agile, lightweight and give you the ability to ride those really small single track roads and have FUN. And you will never enjoy riding Bealach na Bà more with a small, light, agile Honda.
I had a go on a Honda Monkey bike about 3 years ago.
Pretty much the same conclusions as you have .
Lot of fun, but I don't think I'd want one.
It was comfortable although I'm just short of 5'11", I felt a bit cramped on it. The steering was a bit twitchy.
I'm a few stone over my ideal weight of about 13 stone, so it had a struggle pulling me along. I think I got it to top out at about 55 MPH on a 60MPH road.
My fuller size learner bike, CB125R, that wasn't much good on dual carriageways. It too was a bit twitchy and hard to keep in the straight line, unlike my much heftier Speed Twin, which is much better. So no surprise there !
I also couldn't get the CB125R to go over 65 MPH, although Honda claimed 75 ish. Maybe skinny 17 year olds laying down on the tank might get 75 MPH !!
Yeah, 125s aren't too good on 70 MPH dual carriageways, but we sort of already knew that ! They are good around town, and on roads up to about 50 MPH limit.
About the smallest capacity bike I think I could live with is a 300cc to 350cc with about 20 to 30 BHP. So the 350 Enfields or the CB350 . I haven't kept up if Honda are going to bring the CB350 to the UK.
Great review as always; I really like your new format of interspersing riding with static views and statistics. Looking forward to your review of the Grom as that’s the mini bike I would buy out of the three. So your comparison of all three will also be interesting.
Glad you like the format! Scrambles my head to do and makes editing harder but I think it's worthwhile.....
I have the CT125 in usa 2019 model it gets 120 mpg every time i check. It's slow 45 -50 mph had it 63 down hill with wind at my back but average is 45 mph. Still a great bike i had a st70 in the 70's my first bike. was a blast off road. Thanks
This was my first bike when I was a kid I would buy one just to relive my child hood lol great video
Love these mini hondas. They just need to bring the ct125 over here now. They would sell thousands to green laners/adventure riders as a 2nd bike
I have a V2 Streetfighter, Bimota db9 and have up until LaNina a Vitpillen. RnineT and 790 duke. I have also a Monkey and a Grom. I still have Grom and the monkey now the KTM, Husky and Beema have gone. Why does a 50 year old with nice bikes have this bike. It is because it appeals to my inner child and back to the days when I was learning. These are great bikes to hone and develop skills as they have not much power so riding smoothly. There are endless amounts of trick bits for them and let’s face it öhlins wouldn’t make suspension if it really wasn’t a race bike. I would guarantee the Flyer and Mrs Flyer would have more adventures on a pair of Dax/Grom/Monkey than probably any other bike and it’s the only thing for bombing up the shops in.
Grom’s seem to be popular in my part of the Midwest USA. It seems that young fellows like them for learning to wheelie.
I purchased one in March to replace my 110cc Honda wave for our motorhome only been out
A few times but two up it’s perfect for as you say short journeys into towns. The gearbox is the same as the Honda wave
It was two years before a Honda dealer showed me how to use it correctly when you come to a junction in 4th gear just stop then push down to go
From 4th to 1st ,the reason for the gear change is the big market for these is Asia they are built in Thailand were the national footwear is the flip flop,
Love your channel keep up the good work and ride safe.
S
I love my Monkey which is virtually the same apart from the gears I think. It's great for nipping to town and exploring the snotty welsh green lanes rather than go through the hassle of getting my big bike out. The only thing I've found though, in common with my electric push bike, whilst they are ideal for nipping to town, leaving them unattended is a real worry as anyone with an angle grinder and a van can nick it easily!
Monkey review coming next!
@@TheMissendenFlyer Yay!
@@TheMissendenFlyer then benelli tnt 125
They are so fun, a friend had one in 79' it was called a CT trail 70 here in Canada 🇨🇦. With the rear springs being pretty much vertical you had a really good ride on that large seat. Hopefully you review a Ruckus as well!
The engine from the Dax is also in the 125 Cub, one of which I have.
Maybe next year we'll get them in the States. I love my Monkey, but I want one of those.
Cheers from Gatlinburg, TN.
This is the same sort of gearbox as my Honda Innova. There are actually 2 clutches - the centrifugal clutch which simply engages when as the revs rise and disengages as you come to a stop, entirely automatically. Then there is a conventional clutch which is operated by the gear change pedal. As you press the pedal to change either up or down, it disengages the clutch, and as you release the lever it re-engages the clutch - so you do have a manual clutch control. With practice gear changes become very smooth (new-comers to the bike tend to treat it just as a gear change, so changes can be a bit abrupt until you realise you have clutch control on the pedal as well). I love it. The big advantage of these little bikes over a 'big bike' is their lightness and agility. You can nip down to the shops on it and park it on the pavement outside wherever you are going as you would a bicycle. You have to find somewhere to park a big bike,
Does this bike have a mainstand or just a sidestand?
The other feature I'm sure it has (my Innova does) is if you come to a stop in fourth, just press the gear lever down once more and it changes to 1st! (needless to say it doesn't do that unless you are stationary - I don't know how it knows that but it does!). No need to step down 4-3-2-1.
Honda also make the 125 Super Cub (the modern version of the Honda 90 step-through) and one that's sadly not available in UK, the 'Hunter Cub' trail bike which looks great fun.
Don't underestimate the fun you can have on these small agile bikes. They are 'different' to the fun a bike bike brings, which is why I have a little Innova and big R9T in my garage. And because they are small and agile, their A to B times are nearly always better than a car (motorways excepted) and often at least as good as a big bike.
Thanks for that - I couldn't get on with that gear change but maybe I needed to just be a bit more gentle....
It amazes me they knock out another niche mini bike like this and dont bring the super purposeful and stylish ct125 hunter cub to the uk.
Interesting review. Although much like you I can't see a time when I'd ever really want one but they are quite novel & fun I guess.
Agreed. If you wanted to get around town cheaply I’m not sure why you’d pick one of these over a moped or a 125, with it’s gear setup that’s neither that of a conventional bike or fully automatic. I’m always glad to see stuff like this that’s a bit different out there, they do look funky (in a good way) but I won’t be heading to my local Honda showroom to get one for myself!
"You having a Laugh"🤣Literally watching Ricky Gervais's Extras season two now and i saw your thumb nail. My friend had an old Dax in the mid 80's, classic.
It would be the Monkey for me!
I bought one last year and love it. Great fun little things!
My review coming soon!
Well done TMF by pronouncing Dachshund correctly, they ain't 'Dash-hounds' as so many say. The Dax looks cool but that heel toe thing is a needless faff and would put me off. Look forward to the Monkey review, they look brill and have an extra gear. Thanks again.
You don't have to heel toe them, the idea is that you don't mark the tops of your fancy sneakers or brothel creepers like a single sided gearshift would.
The originals had bars which would pivot and fold up so you could carry it in the rear bonnet, trunk of your car. 70 and 90 cc. Still running for the most part.
Morning Andy, I really wanted a mini bike back when I saw them as a kid. Mum and dad were horrified. I had to wait until I could by a bike of my own.
Looks like it would be a lot off fun off road, or to take camping, and go off road.
I was never very comfortable on a dual carriageway on my full size 100. I found I would get a lot of buffeting from big vehicles.
I’m not particularly big, I felt a bit silly, like a bear on a tricycle. When I tried a grom.
Oh! Loved that, coming from the land of scooters....
You might be interested to know and not sure if it the same on UK bikes. When you come to a STOP and you are in 4th you can press down again, as if you where selecting 5th, this will take you straight to neutral. No need to heal it down 4 times. This is a common feature on most Honda centrifugal clutched bikes. My Honda CT125 and Honda Wave are like this. Would be interested to know if this is the case with UK bikes..
Take care...
Hi Andy , mini bikes are a total riot , pure fun , in my opinion the groms are the best road bikes , the monkey is awesome and the benelli tnt are great too , at the moment I’ve 2 groms , 1 monkeybike and 4 benelli tnts , the dax is next ,you can’t go wrong with mini bikes , their so much fun ,cheap to run , and hold their value , what’s not to like , 🏍🏍👍👍
Had 4 dax clones, 2 groms, a benelli tnt, Honda ape 100, totally agree!
Rode a Honda Trail CT70 when I was a kid in the 70's. Great fun.
Hi Andy, bloody brilliant 👍 at 6'6'' and 17 stone I think it would be like a mini moto for me 😂 great review but will stick to my XT1200Z thank you 😃 keep up the great work 👏😊🏍🏁
Cheers Rob, will do…
What a cracker. If you can live with it, it seems a decent bike. Gutted we didn't get the "I can flat foot this bike."
What a hoot! Over here in the US it was called the Trail 70, and slotted n between the Trail 50 and the Trail 90. I wish I could think of a reason I needed one.
To stop that annoying thing with the visor not staying open a crack just roll a little bullet of blu tack and push it in the recess of the helmet where the closed visor sits. Also very useful stop provide enough air flow to keep the visor from fogging if you don't have a pinlock fitted.
I want something like this for the back of my camper to go shopping when away 😊
It looks like the old Honda Trail 70 (USA Name) , but with 125cc. That bike had drums on front and rear. Wet, multiplate manual clutch on that. The Honda Navi has a centrifugal clutch as well, though one might argue it's more of a scooter, but the form factor is still mini bike in my mind. A good performance mod for that is an aftermarket clutch that reduces the rotational mass by 2lbs.
You’ve finally arrived Andy! Had a 2016 Grom or MSX, Dax is on order and awaiting it’s arrival….
I was motorcycle mad damn near right back to about the time I stopped sucking on a dummy. Got my first, an A 100 Suzuki in about 1970 which since I was too young to hold a license I rode around a bush track we had just down the road from my place. There was a bunch of us and 1 had the little 50cc Honda mini trail which was a funky little but, pretty well thought out but tiny thing that we all enjoyed riding, another had Deltex (I think it was called) which I remember as a pretty good, also well set up little machine and another had a Dax. Then I remember it as a 70cc machine, I think a 3 speed but could have been more. I remember it as not being particularly special in any way yet, everybody always wanted to be on it. It was just a cool, pretty comfortable little bike with better road speed than the tiny mini trail.
I'm not certain (without cheating and googling it but, I think the handle bars were a separate piece either side with a big plastic knob that when unscrewed allowed you to fold them both down against the fork legs. I know the mini trail had that and may be getting mixed up with it, I'm just not sure. I do remember that the mini trail with the bars down could be tossed in the boot of a car, making them ideal, if too slow for highways, fun little transport from a base camp while traveling. That was probably the biggest draw for the tiny mini trails, the Dax while much better on the road was still fairly compact but, just big enough to be an awkward size to carry when loaded up with other gear and space being at a premium. I do have fond memories of both but, to ride, give me the Dax any day.
I did have a quick look, just to see pricing and availability here in Australia, only to find it's not coming here, apparently because it hasn't got bloody ABS, which I hate anyway! Actually, I don't mind the idea of ABS on the front, there's not much worse feeling than coming into a corner under braking to find some loose gravel, oil or anything slipper and feel that front wheel start shooting out from under you but, DO NOT EVER try forcing me to have it on the rear if I can't turn it off! Many times I want the rear to lock, sometimes to show off by trying to spin the rear into a space and swing the arse around as I do, also to stop you just sitting bolt upright waiting for the inevitable bolt upright crunch into the fool who's suddenly launched out in front of you, just like happened on my beautiful BMW S 1,000 R some years ago. That destroyed the very expensive front forks with their fancy electronic suspension which I know I could have minimized if only I could lock the rear and spin it side on.
Thanks for the memories anyway, this looks a pretty cool little bike for normal running around.
A fun and interesting video. Thank you. Honda is always proving that they are the greatest motorcycle company of all time because they are still innovating by producing motorcycles which are a bit different than everybody else.
Even though the new Dax is a re-incarnation of the old Dax it has been modernized in key areas such as engine power and brakes. (Now, if only they can replace that silly automatic clutch with a real clutch :-)
I have owned several small motorcycles over the years, including a Yamaha DT100, Kawasaki G4 100, and Kawasaki G3 90. But my favourite was my Honda S90 because it sounded so much more civilized than the buzzing 2 strokes. Cheers from Canada :-)
My first bike was 70cc Dax back in 1975! Did 4000miles in 4 months... still got the bow legs!🤣🤣
The only bike I fell off twice in 1 day! on the road, I've fallen off lots more off road in 1day😲
Have you worked out how to make it wheelie? Put it in first gear and hold the gear lever down rev the engine and let go of the gear lever... you'll be a wheelie king!!
Quite a few changes from mine..it had split rims and fold down handlebars with a fuel filler cap you twisted to close the breather...then you could put it on its side in your car boot... only weight lifters need apply.
The bike that got me into bikes... I'll always remember it YTE63N if anyone knows where it is!?
Excellent review, love the mini bikes and looking forward to the other reviews..
The purpose of the special gear change is for when you are going to the beach and riding in sandals / flip flops 😀
I agree about small-wheeled bikes. For that displacement category, I prefer the Cub or Hunter cub with a good-sized top box. Way more utility to that.
Hi Andy, it’d be fun to get Mrs Flyer’s comparison of this bike vs her “standard sized” Suzuki 125.
Like all the Honda mini motos, these look like an absolute blast. They aren't cheap, though... I will also add that the fuel economy is a bit less impressive when you consider the speed and acceleration limitations. It's not that for off with a Honda 500 twin if you ride with the same. Still, I sure do want one! Probably the Trail 125 or Grom for me.
I first learned to ride on one of these at maybe 6-7? Was huge to me then lol.
We had plenty of these in Australia in the 70s. I had a Honda SL70 and my neighbours had a dax, we'd bush bash on them all day long. My neighbours dax had a lead water pipe as an exhaust pipe, great for night riding.
Suspect the new one goes a bit better :-)
10:04 I was just saying exactly this about Northamptonshire's roads Andy. I don't think anyone is spending any money on road upkeep. Every route is more or less a slalom these days.
What a fun bike, similar to the Monkey, thank you to Honda for these mini bikes, need to have a go on them
More to come!