CB125K3 - Future Project

[Craizeehair]

I may have bitten off more than I can chew here!

I managed to pick this up for a very reasonable price, they aren’t a bike I know anything about but I thought it might make a nice next again project for when I’ve finished my other, more straightforward CB350.

As a novice I feel a bit out of my depth looking at this lot, lots of odds and sods in boxes, nothing at all is labelled, it looks as through the harness has been mullered, the carbs not complete etc,etc…

Not sure what handlebars these are as they don’t look like anything else I’ve seen.

It isn’t for now so I have time to try and get my head round it.

I know these aren’t the lifeblood of the forum but does anyone have any advice or nuggets of wisdom for me to take on?

[Rozabikes Tim]

Good luck. Be nice to follow something not often seen on here. Love that particular style of Honda tank / paint scheme.

[Bryanj]

Pure guess but with those bars could it be a us import, again a guess but pre 72?

[Laverda Dave]

Well done Johnny.
I echo Tim's comment, it will be nice to see the restoration of this on the forum and will make a nice change from the fours.
You've got your work cut out though but I'm sure you'll do it with your skills👍.

[Craizeehair]

Very kind of you to say so Dave but I think you may have the wrong man!!

I hope to improve my skills but they’re nothing to write home about now!

[royhall]

Yes agreed a nice little project. Fortunately they are a quite straight forward simple bike. You should have fun rebuilding that.

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[Toko_Jo]

Lovely little bikes with very high revving engines 5-speed gearboxes much sought after by CB92 Benly owners.
Very few imported officially to UK even though it was featured in the Honda UK brochure.

Ash did put an nice scan of that brochure on here a few years back but it's sadly got lost in the server swap.

Member RGP750 ( Richard) on here has a genuine UK one he is just finishing totally rebuilding with lots of NOS goodies (exhausts) . Ash rebuilt the starter and coil for it and softened the inlet rubbers I believe.

[Craizeehair]

I’m pretty sure the handlebars aren’t genuine but not certain. The wiring from them is a braided type cable.

Is there any way of finding out for sure the country of origin of the bike?

[Toko_Jo]

I’m pretty sure the handlebars aren’t genuine but not certain. The wiring from them is a braided type cable.

Is there any way of finding out for sure the country of origin of the bike?

Hard to say as a bit of a mish-mash of parts. Does it have km/hr speedo ? If so it could be French  or JDM (very popular in Japan), doesn't have a  UK rear lamp bracket and hasn't got the German style rear lamp arrangement. Bars look typical Yank aftermarket though.
Probably about 1971 manufacture I reckon.

[Craizeehair]

It has a km/ph speedo, I was talking to the chap I bought of from and he has some recollection of there being talk of French origins but he can say for sure.

I’m going to leave this for now as I have the CB350 on the lift and this one is taking me away from that.

But one last thing if I may?

DSS has carbs for the French, German and Swedish models. Does anyone know, it matter if this bike isn’t one of those, what would be the difference if fitting them?

[Toko_Jo]

It has a km/ph speedo, I was talking to the chap I bought of from and he has some recollection of there being talk of French origins but he can say for sure.

I’m going to leave this for now as I have the CB350 on the lift and this one is taking me away from that.

But one last thing if I may?

DSS has carbs for the French, German and Swedish models. Does anyone know, it matter if this bike isn’t one of those, what would be the difference if fitting them?

This is the carb sheet you need attached. Make sure you have PW18 carbs not PW20 and check for the correct needles etc in this table. Often subtle carb setting changes to suit different regions exhausts but I would forget about that and just go by this table particularly on the jet needles.

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[Craizeehair]

Thank you, much appreciated

[Toko_Jo]

Here goes Craizy ... this is the Honda UK brochure image  for the CB125K3 that was lost     when the server changed on here. I think less than 50 were actually sold officially in the UK market though, which is a bit strange and a real shame.


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[Craizeehair]

That’s a pretty looking thing, much more suited those bars, rather than the strange looking things it has come with, they will be on the shopping list for sure!

Thanks for that.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Looks a fun little project, those semi-ape hanger bars definitely need replacing with something closer to normal like in the photo.