epidemiks
New Member
So I've been living in Cambodia for a couple of years, and have owned a little Honda 125 for the past 12 months and it's provided much pleasure with some great southern coast rides, mild countryside offroad action, and also a few journeys up along the Mekong, but I've decided to pull it off the road for a month or two and show it some love and possibly give a touch of the cafe racer/brat style without sacrificing the pillion (the missus would kill me).
While investigating what's possible, available, and affordable here in Phnom Penh (there's no one in town who can do powder coating, for instance), I've discovered the bike is pretty much a Frankenstein monster of indeterminate origin. Or just a Chinese copy of a Honda.
Cambodia is pretty much a 'bang things together until they work' kind of place, and the mechanic I bought it from is no different, so there were a few parts which definitely weren't original - the stator cover was salvaged from a Sangyang/Sym a few days before I took possession of it.
It was sold as a CG125, and the tax papers say the same, but I can find no CG that matches. From trawling bikepics.com and lots of other resources, the closest match I can find is a 78 CB125. Some identifying features that make me think it's a 78 CB:
But, then there's the frame number.. not Honda number from what I can tell. There's no VIN plate, but I gather that was normal for 70's bikes..
Frame: MC07-1102452
Engine: EM-016530
So, can anyone give any advice as to what exactly I'm riding? I'm not overly concerned if it's not a genuine Honda.. The tax papers and reg card says it is, so for a Cambodian that's as good as the real thing!
It rides beautifully, nimble but solid, turns lots of Khmer heads as "vintage" bikes are unusual (Cambodia is 1990's + SuperCub/Daelim scooter territory), makes 100km/h on the highways (not that there's many highways capable of sustained throttling here), and tows both myself and the missus (both foreigners) around town without complaint.
And, yeah, hi all.
While investigating what's possible, available, and affordable here in Phnom Penh (there's no one in town who can do powder coating, for instance), I've discovered the bike is pretty much a Frankenstein monster of indeterminate origin. Or just a Chinese copy of a Honda.
Cambodia is pretty much a 'bang things together until they work' kind of place, and the mechanic I bought it from is no different, so there were a few parts which definitely weren't original - the stator cover was salvaged from a Sangyang/Sym a few days before I took possession of it.
It was sold as a CG125, and the tax papers say the same, but I can find no CG that matches. From trawling bikepics.com and lots of other resources, the closest match I can find is a 78 CB125. Some identifying features that make me think it's a 78 CB:
- mechanical actuated front disc
- frame shape
- front fender shape and lower rear tether
- side cover shape
- the speedo/tacho and cluster match CB's of the same year (though I've only found photographic match on a CB550 cluster)
But, then there's the frame number.. not Honda number from what I can tell. There's no VIN plate, but I gather that was normal for 70's bikes..
Frame: MC07-1102452
Engine: EM-016530
So, can anyone give any advice as to what exactly I'm riding? I'm not overly concerned if it's not a genuine Honda.. The tax papers and reg card says it is, so for a Cambodian that's as good as the real thing!
It rides beautifully, nimble but solid, turns lots of Khmer heads as "vintage" bikes are unusual (Cambodia is 1990's + SuperCub/Daelim scooter territory), makes 100km/h on the highways (not that there's many highways capable of sustained throttling here), and tows both myself and the missus (both foreigners) around town without complaint.
And, yeah, hi all.
