For the past three decades I've had an on/off relationship with a Honda SS125. A sixties vertical twin shoehorned into a pressed-steel frame. It wasn't quite my first bike. That honour belongs to a Tiger Cub. The least said about which the better! The Honda was a great relief after the British mechanical horror. These days, it wouldn't pass for sophisticated or smooth. Back in the late sixties it was almost state of the art. A marvellously robust engine that revved and revved without any seeming limits. Didn't have much power below 6000rpm. A chassis that was adequate, the tyres more of a limit than anything else. The brakes were good for the time but rather dangerous amongst modem cagers and their mad antics.
I've gone through dozens of bikes but never quite got around to selling the Honda. It buzzed through some atrocious winters. Commuted aggressively when the main bike was too much of a handful or too uncomfortable for such mundane chores. Acted as a stand-in between other bikes. The Honda didn't seem to mind, would start up after being neglected for a few months.
I've gone through dozens of bikes but never quite got around to selling the Honda. It buzzed through some atrocious winters. Commuted aggressively when the main bike was too much of a handful or too uncomfortable for such mundane chores. Acted as a stand-in between other bikes. The Honda didn't seem to mind, would start up after being neglected for a few months.
Running costs were mostly an oil change every 800 miles and about 65mpg. Tyres and chains wore out every few years; an amazing contrast with modern tackle. Corrosion more of a problem than engine worries. Ignoring the fact that the gearchange became more false neutrals than working ratios. All of the metalwork has been eaten away by the rust or cracked up from old age. Plastic guards and chainguard were the easiest part. The seat was re-manufactured with a GRP base. The petrol tank replaced with a new one in 1987. Starting to rust through again now! Can tell when they start to go by the reserve refusing to work, its gauze filter at the bottom of the tank all gummed up. Even the frame will rust from the inside out unless rust-proofed every couple of years.
The wheels eventually lost all their chrome. The rims and spokes rusted through fo a dangerous degree. Could almost feel them distorting in heavy bends. Perhaps that was just in my mind. Had them rebuilt with alloy rims and stainless steel spokes. No problems since. A bit of an indulgence but given the machine's loyalty and ruggedness the bike had won a reward.
The exhaust system is another bit of metalwork waiting its chance to disintegrate. The carburation is quite susceptible to holes in the silencers. Flat spots can become a real nightmare. The air filter causes similar problems when all gummed up - better it than the engine. Combine those two, a hell of a messed up power delivery results. The engine always seemed to tun very lean below 6000rpm. After which the power tush cleaned up everything very nicely - on a decent exhaust. Bought two new exhaust systems for the old thing. Both discounted, the only way to clear up the power delivery. Universal cans don't suit the engine at all.
At one point, around the end of the eighties, had a surfeit of electrical problems. Not that the electrical system is up to much. Crap lights and horn, the former very dangerous on unlit country roads. Have to follow a car to see where I'm going. The electrical problems started with the battery dying quickly. Then the rectifier burnt out. After spending a small fortune on replacements an auto-electrician diagnosed that the alternator was breaking down! Used bits off a CD175 worked OK.
SS125 parts are very rare. Luckily, the engine is as it came out of the factory. Not bad for a 42300 miler! Regular 500 mile maintenance sessions helped - carburation, ignition timing, camchain tensioner tweak and valve clearances. About an hour's work once I was used to the engine. Chassis and electrical parts replaced with whatever the breaker has going cheaply if I can't find anything suitable from my own stash.
The bike's still running OE suspension. It wore to an extent during the first 15 000 miles, hasn't got any worse. This is a pretty light bike, no real problem keeping it on line. Top speed's about 75mph. Buzzes a bit too much flat out, I prefer 70mph. That's also a viable cruising speed. Not much left for further acceleration.
The wheels eventually lost all their chrome. The rims and spokes rusted through fo a dangerous degree. Could almost feel them distorting in heavy bends. Perhaps that was just in my mind. Had them rebuilt with alloy rims and stainless steel spokes. No problems since. A bit of an indulgence but given the machine's loyalty and ruggedness the bike had won a reward.
The exhaust system is another bit of metalwork waiting its chance to disintegrate. The carburation is quite susceptible to holes in the silencers. Flat spots can become a real nightmare. The air filter causes similar problems when all gummed up - better it than the engine. Combine those two, a hell of a messed up power delivery results. The engine always seemed to tun very lean below 6000rpm. After which the power tush cleaned up everything very nicely - on a decent exhaust. Bought two new exhaust systems for the old thing. Both discounted, the only way to clear up the power delivery. Universal cans don't suit the engine at all.
At one point, around the end of the eighties, had a surfeit of electrical problems. Not that the electrical system is up to much. Crap lights and horn, the former very dangerous on unlit country roads. Have to follow a car to see where I'm going. The electrical problems started with the battery dying quickly. Then the rectifier burnt out. After spending a small fortune on replacements an auto-electrician diagnosed that the alternator was breaking down! Used bits off a CD175 worked OK.
SS125 parts are very rare. Luckily, the engine is as it came out of the factory. Not bad for a 42300 miler! Regular 500 mile maintenance sessions helped - carburation, ignition timing, camchain tensioner tweak and valve clearances. About an hour's work once I was used to the engine. Chassis and electrical parts replaced with whatever the breaker has going cheaply if I can't find anything suitable from my own stash.
The bike's still running OE suspension. It wore to an extent during the first 15 000 miles, hasn't got any worse. This is a pretty light bike, no real problem keeping it on line. Top speed's about 75mph. Buzzes a bit too much flat out, I prefer 70mph. That's also a viable cruising speed. Not much left for further acceleration.
Been caught out a number of times when some cager speeds up as I try to get past. Probably mortally offended by the vintage looks of the SS! Had to brake, nip in behind the auto. Loss of face but better than hitting something head-on. No major accidents, just the odd scrape. The bike shrugged off the damage from the slide down the tarmac. A tough little thing that responds well to a good kicking!
Acceleration is better than the restricted 125s, but not from a standing start. The bike needs a few yards to wind itself up, to get some momentum under its wheels. No way I'm going to abuse the clutch or try for a wheelie. The transmission isn't up to it! The other limitation, the knowledge that it's easy to knock the box into a false neutral. Despite this, I haven't yet managed to float the valves. Must try harder. I usually crack along at a good pace in third and fourth gear.
Breakdowns are rare. Had the fuel pipe fall off once. The gearchange lever came loose, making me think the box had finally failed. The thread in the lever stripped but I drilled right through, used a nut and bolt. Poor starting was down to a dead capacitor. Fuel overflowing due to some grit in the float needle's valve.
Nothing major, all easily sussed and fixed. Have to be careful with the bolts in the engine, dead easy to strip a thread if too much pressure's applied. The engine casings look a little rough but I'm sure the internals are fine. The inverse of the situation with old Brits - all superficial shine hiding crap engineering.
Comfort, riding position and ease of riding (except for the gearchange) aren't that far off the levels achieved by modem Honda commuters. But when I leap back on to my modem superbike - Honda CBR600, naturally - it feels incredibly advanced, amazingly powerful and superbly stable. It's almost worth keeping an old Honda just to confirm the progress made by modem bikes. And to save the latter from the rigours of winter commuting!
James Malling
Breakdowns are rare. Had the fuel pipe fall off once. The gearchange lever came loose, making me think the box had finally failed. The thread in the lever stripped but I drilled right through, used a nut and bolt. Poor starting was down to a dead capacitor. Fuel overflowing due to some grit in the float needle's valve.
Nothing major, all easily sussed and fixed. Have to be careful with the bolts in the engine, dead easy to strip a thread if too much pressure's applied. The engine casings look a little rough but I'm sure the internals are fine. The inverse of the situation with old Brits - all superficial shine hiding crap engineering.
Comfort, riding position and ease of riding (except for the gearchange) aren't that far off the levels achieved by modem Honda commuters. But when I leap back on to my modem superbike - Honda CBR600, naturally - it feels incredibly advanced, amazingly powerful and superbly stable. It's almost worth keeping an old Honda just to confirm the progress made by modem bikes. And to save the latter from the rigours of winter commuting!
James Malling