Upgrading a Honda CBR-125R to a CBR-150R

As the Honda CBR-125R get more popular, the Honda CBR125 is Britain's top-selling motorcycle for several years. The Honda CBR-125R is a fantastic road legal learner bike perfect for first time rider.

The Honda CBR-125R with its Liquid-cooled, two-valve, single-cylinder, four-stroke, 124.7cc engine produces enough power to get first time riders experience the feeling of riding a sporty bike. But after about one year, most Honda CBR-125 owners want to sell the bike as the 13 horsepower engine doesn't provide enough power.

But why sell the bike, if you can for as little as 10,000 Baht (217 Euro, or 294 US$) can upgrade the big to a CBR-150R, with original Honda parts. The differences between the Honda CBR-125 and his bigger Thai brother the Honda CBR-150 is only the cylinder, piston and cylinder head assembly.

Buying the original Honda CBR-150 part is for people who plan to visit Thailand for a holiday no problem at all, it is not uncommon that foreigners buy this '150cc upgrade kit' says a shop owner who also shows us quickly several more Honda CBR upgrade variants starting from 130cc to all the way up to 195cc. This third party bore-up sets are even cheaper then the original Honda 150cc set.

The shop owner explains us that with the 195cc bore-up kit, which includes a sport camshaft, piston, cylinder, cylinder head assembly which includes larger DOHS 4-valves and an un-limited ECU/CDI with a simple manual, the modified Honda CBR can produce twice the amount of horsepower compared to the stock Honda CBR-125.

Just when we want to leave the owner of the shop, points out that with more power 'over 26 horses' we also need to consider other modifications. And he shows us racing front forks and Brembo brake assemblies with disc brakes that are much larger then standard on the Honda CBR-125. Other stuff we get to see are rear swingarms, racing, air-filters, exhaust pipes, gas rear shocks, and the guy is not stopping ... we need an excuse to get away...