The CM125 is a parallel twin cylinder air-cooled OHC four-stroke cruiser motorcycle

Cruiser (motorcycle)

Cruiser is the term for motorcycles that mimic the design style of American machines from the 1930s to the early 1960s, including those made by Harley-Davidson, Indian, Excelsior and Henderson. The market for models evocative of the early cruisers has grown to embrace 60 percent of the U.S...

 introduced by Honda

Honda

is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

 in 1982. The tall engine combines the bottom end of the squat CD125 Benly motor with the high cylinder head of the sportier CB125T

Honda CB125

The CB125 was a motorcycle made by Honda from 1971-1975 . It had an overhead camshaft engine with a 9500 rpm redline. It could comfortably maintain speeds of and had a top speed of around...

.

Description

The design uses popular North American cruiser styling and copies features found on larger cruisers. The CM125 has high handlebars, megaphone silencers, a teardrop-shaped petrol tank and a stepped seat. More chromium- plated and polished alloy parts are found on this model than on the CB125 and CD125 models. The ignition lock is situated between the instrumentation, which consists of two binnacles containing a speedometer

Speedometer

A speedometer is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a land vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the 1900s, and as standard equipment from about 1910 onwards. Speedometers for other vehicles have specific names...

 and a set of three warning lights (neutral, turn, high beam). The same key activates the steering lock and a plastic tool box situated under the off-side side panel. The drum brakes are actuated by a cable in front and a rod in the rear.

The appearance of this model, heightened by its twin cylinder engine, meant it enjoyed particular popularity in the United Kingdom, where learner motorcyclists are by law restricted to machines of 125 cc and below until they pass their riding test and obtain a full licence.

The CM125 Custom was eventually replaced by the Honda CA125 Rebel custom model.