Is The Honda Trail 125 A Good Bike For Beginners? Here's What You Need To Know

There are plenty of motorcycles on the market by the top brands and while the Honda Trail 125 might've been something that caught your attention if you like going off-road, it's actually a fine option for beginner riders thanks to its low price, low weight, and compact size. The MSRP for the Trail 125 comes in at $4,099 so it doesn't represent a huge hit to your wallet.

However, the Trail 125 is a mini-motorcycle. This means it has a small size similar to bicycles and some scooters. It has a small step-over frame and a 124cc engine. These factors make it an easy bike to learn on, but if you're on the taller side you might have issues feeling cramped as noted by Motorcyclist's review of the bike. While it has trail in its name, the Honda Trail 125 can hit the roads too, just don't expect this to be a bike you take on the interstate.

The top speed of about 55 mph makes this a bike suited more to city streets and trails instead of highways. It makes up for that with the 100 mpg that means you don't have to fill up the tank very often. The transmission isn't fully automatic, but it ditches the clutch and allows you to shift using your left foot. This lets a new rider go through the four speeds with ease, but it comes with the downside of not learning the way most manual bikes shift using a clutch on the handlebar. For off-roading, automatic transmissions are welcomed by many people due to the ever-shifting terrain, but manual transmissions give the rider more control.

Based on Cycle World's review, rough roads and hills were no issue for the Trail 125 and riding it is very easy. It's not a bike that's going to replace a high-end adventure bike, but neither would you expect that of an entry-level, beginner-friendly bike. With a wet weight of 259 lbs, it's easy to maneuver, which is always nice when you're winding around the dirt trails.

Honda's Trail 125 is a good bike, but it has competition within the same brand. The 2024 Honda XR150L comes in with an even lower MSRP at $3,099 and it also tackles paved roads and trails, making it a great choice for beginner dual sport motorcycles. The XR150L is a bit faster than the Trail 125 with a top speed of 68 mph. A big factor to consider is what you're visually looking for in a bike. If you prefer a more traditional looking bike over something more akin to a scooter, then the XR150L is a good alternative — we're big fans of the 2023 model.

Outside of Honda, the Kawasaki KLX 140R is a bike with similar performance thanks to a 144cc engine. The MSRP for this bike is $3,699 so it's in between the XR150L and the Trail 125. It comes with a manual clutch and five speeds to shift through, so while it's still good for newer riders it has more to keep track of. However, this gives the rider a better sense of how manual bikes work and more control over the ride as a whole. As a potential downside, you're getting a classic dirt bike look instead of the scooter design of the Trail 125.