Honda SS125A

Last updated
Honda SS125
1969 Honda SS125 right side.jpg
1969 Honda SS125
Manufacturer Honda
Production1967–1969 [1]
AssemblyJapan
PredecessorHonda CS125
Successor Honda CB125, CB125K
Class Standard
Engine 124 cc (7.6 cu in) air-cooled SOHC parallel twin
Bore / stroke 44 mm × 41 mm (1.7 in × 1.6 in) [2]
Compression ratio 9.4:1 [2]
Power 13 PS (9.6 kW) @ 10,000 or 10,500 rpm [3]
Ignition type Six volt points
Transmission 4-speed manual [1]
Frame type Pressed steel "T-bone" type frame
Suspension
Brakes Single leading shoe drum front and rear
Tires
  • Front: 2.75 x 17
  • Rear: 2.75 x 17
[2]
Weight105 kg (231 lb) [2]  (dry)
Fuel capacity8.2 L (1.8 imp gal; 2.2 US gal) [2]
Oil capacity1.2 L (0.26 imp gal; 0.32 US gal) [2]

The Honda SS125A is a motorcycle manufactured by Honda from 1967 through 1969.

The SS125A was based on the Japan-only Honda CS125 along with two other variants, the CD125 and the CL125A, all three of which shared many common components with the CS125. The larger capacity CD175 was also similar in design, up to 1969, although with a more touring-oriented styling.

Although the variants shared common components, many were unique to this range and, combined with the relatively short production run, can make spare parts difficult to obtain today. Certain items, such as silencers (mufflers) for the low slung exhaust [1] are very rare and command a premium when sold.

In spite of its stylish appearance, [4] [5] the motorcycle was criticised for lack of performance, [6] and was effectively superseded by the CB125 in 1971.

Specification

1969 Honda SS125 "sloper" engine 1969 Honda SS125 engine.jpg
1969 Honda SS125 "sloper" engine

The SS125A had 17 inch wheels; the front rim was either 1.4 inches or 1.6 inches wide while the rear rim was 1.6 inches wide. [2] The 124 cc twin cylinder engine was basically same as the earlier CA95/CB92 layout, using the left side of the engine for the timing chain to the camshaft. [1] It used a Keihin Seiki vacuum carburetor, as opposed to the earlier engines, which were equipped with a slide valve type. The home market (Japan) version was built using a 180 degree crankshaft, as opposed to the 360 degree layout in the U.S.models. [3]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Mitchel, Doug (2005). Honda Motorcycles: Everything You Need to Know About Every Honda Motorcycle Ever Built. Iola, WI US: KP Books. p. 47. ISBN   0-87349-966-2. LCCN   2005922949 . Retrieved 2014-11-11.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Honda 125 Model CD125 CD125A SS125A CL125A Owner's Manual. Japan: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 1968. p. 54.
  3. 1 2 Shop manual Honda 125 175. Japan: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. 1972.
  4. "The Honda Ss125 Gallery" Archived 2010-01-11 at the Wayback Machine , Classic Motorbikes.
  5. "Interview: Denny Berg". BikeEXIF. Warkworth, NZ: Garagista Media. Archived from the original on 11 October 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  6. Silver, Bill (March 2013). "Guide to 125-250cc Honda Street Twins". Motorcycle Classics. Topeka, Kansas US: Ogden Publications. CL125A and SS125A (1967-69). Archived from the original on 23 July 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Straight-twin engine</span> Inline piston engine with two cylinders

A straight-twin engine, also known as an inline-twin, vertical-twin, or parallel-twin, is a two-cylinder piston engine whose cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CB series</span> Line of Honda motorcycles

The CB Series is an extensive line of Honda motorcycles. Most CB models are road-going motorcycles for commuting and cruising. The smaller CB models are also popular for vintage motorcycle racing. All CB series motorcycles have inline engines. The related Honda CBR series are sport bikes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CB750</span> Four cylinder engine motorcycle

The Honda CB750 is an air-cooled, transverse, in-line four-cylinder engine motorcycle made by Honda over several generations for year models 1969–2003 as well as 2007 with an upright or standard riding posture. It is often called the original Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Shadow</span> Honda cruiser motorcycle

The Honda Shadow refers to a family of cruiser-type motorcycles made by Honda since 1983. The Shadow line features motorcycles with a liquid-cooled 45 or 52-degree V-twin engine ranging from 125 to 1,100 cc engine displacement. The 250 cc Honda Rebel is associated with the Shadow line in certain markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CB700SC</span> Type of motorcycle

The CB700SC Nighthawk 700S is a carburated, air-cooled, in-line four-cylinder motorcycle marketed by Honda solely in the United States for model years 1984–1986, with a standard or neutral, upright riding position, 6-speed transmission, hydraulic valve lifters, shaft drive, front bikini mini-fairing, gear indicator and 16" front wheel. At its introduction, the motorcycle carried a list price of $3,398.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CB450</span> Type of motorcycle

The Honda CB450 is a standard motorcycle made by Honda from 1965 to 1974 with a 444 cc (27.1 cu in) 180° DOHC straight-twin engine. Producing 45 bhp, it was Honda's first "big" motorcycle, though it did not succeed in its goal of competing directly against the larger Triumphs, Nortons, and Harley-Davidsons in the North American market at the time. As a result, Honda tried again, leading to the development of the four cylinder Honda CB750 that marked a turning point for Honda and beginning of the "superbike" era of motorcycles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CL125</span> Type of motorcycle

The Honda CL125 was a scrambler motorcycle made by Honda from 1967 to 1974. Two different engines were used through the models life: 1967-1969: CL125A 124cc 2 cylinder 4-stroke, 1973-1974: CL125S 122cc 1 cylinder 4-stroke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CG125</span> Honda motorcycle

The Honda CG125 or Honda CG is a commuter motorcycle made by Honda of Japan. It was in production from 1976 to 2008 in Japan and has been in production since 1992 in Pakistan. The CG was originally manufactured in Japan, but the source for the European market was eventually moved to Brazil in 1985, and to Pakistan and Turkey in 1992 for the W and M models. The CG125 is powered by a 124 cc (7.6 cu in) four-stroke, overhead valve, single-cylinder engine that has changed little over the years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CD175</span> Type of motorcycle

The Honda CD175 is a 174 cc (10.6 cu in) motorcycle made from 1967 to 1979 by the Honda Motor Company. Described by Honda as a "great new all-rounder, at home around town or putting the highway behind you", it was the touring model in Honda's 175 cc motorcycle lineup that also included the sportier CB175 and the off-road CL175 version. The CD175 shared some components and design elements in common with other models from Honda including the early-model pressed steel backbone frame, sometimes known as "T bone".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CB175</span> Motorcycle

The Honda CB175 is a standard motorcycle made by Honda from 1969 to 1973. It had a 174 cc (10.6 cu in) four-stroke, straight-twin engine with a single overhead camshaft, two valves per cylinder, dual slide-valve carburetors, and dual exhausts. It was also equipped with a five-speed gearbox, 12-volt electrics, kick and electric start, front and rear drum brakes, turn signals, speedometer with trip meter, and tachometer, and was rated at 20 bhp (15 kW). An update in 1972, brought a more rounded gas tank and changes to the air box covers, along with some other minor trim changes. The CB175 was discontinued for 1974 and replaced by the CB200, a similar bike already in production. Although not technologically remarkable, Honda's small twins of the 1960s and 1970s were among their best sellers. Dual sport scrambler CL175, SL175 enduro style and touring CD175/CA175 versions were also produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Transalp</span> Dual-sport motorcycle

The Honda Transalp is the XL400V, XL600V, XL650V, XL700V, and XL750 series of dual-sport motorcycles manufactured in Japan by Honda since 1987. With the exception of XL750, the Transalp bikes series feature a liquid-cooled, four-stroke 52° V-twin engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BSA C15</span> British, 250 cc single cylinder motorcycle, produced by BSA in the 1960s

The BSA C15 was a 250 cc single-cylinder ohv motorcycle manufactured by the British company BSA from September 1958 until 1967, and was BSA's first four-stroke unit-construction bike. For most of that period, after the introduction of 'Learner Laws' in 1961, a 250 cc was the largest capacity solo machine that a learner could ride unaccompanied when displaying L-plates in the United Kingdom. A road-going Sports derivative was added in 1961, and off-road versions, for Trials and Scrambles, were also available in the range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CB250N/CB400N</span> Type of motorcycle

The Honda CB250N and CB400N Super Dream are motorcycles manufactured by the Honda Motor Company from 1978 to 1986. The successor to the short lived Dream model, it had a series of revisions including a six-speed transmission and what Honda termed as European styling which resembled the CB750F and CB900F. It was a popular model for Honda with 70,000 bikes sold in the UK alone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CM250C</span> Type of motorcycle

The Honda CM250 is a 234 cc (14.3 cu in) parallel twin cylinder air-cooled OHC four-stroke cruiser motorcycle produced by the Honda corporation from 1981–1983 with a top speed of 85 mph and delivering 70mpg. The 234cc North American market variant was coded as the CM250C and was the precursor to the current Honda CMX250C, also known as the Honda Rebel 250. The European market variant was identified as the CM250TB.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda CB400T</span> Type of motorcycle

The Honda CB400T is a range of motorcycles built by Honda. In the United Kingdom it was known as the Dream, whereas in the United States it was known as the Hawk. A Honda CB250T version was also available for UK licensing reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meguro motorcycles</span> Japanese motorcycle brand

Meguro motorcycles were built by Meguro Manufacturing Co motorcycle works (目黒製作所), founded by Hobuji Murato and a high-ranking naval officer, Takaji Suzuki, in 1937. One of the first Japanese motorcycle companies, it became a partner of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd, and was eventually absorbed. Named after a district of Tokyo, Meguro had its roots in Murato Iron Works, which was established in 1924. Meguro Seisakusho, which had once developed a copy of a Harley-Davidson V-twin, was established to design and build gearboxes for the nascent Japanese motorcycle industry. Abe Industries, which had once produced its own motorcycle, merged with Meguro in 1931. The brand is being revived by Kawasaki with a new K3 model to be introduced in Japan on February 1, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BSA motorcycles</span> Former British motorcycle marque

BSA motorcycles were made by the Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited (BSA), which was a major British industrial combine, a group of businesses manufacturing military and sporting firearms; bicycles; motorcycles; cars; buses and bodies; steel; iron castings; hand, power, and machine tools; coal cleaning and handling plants; sintered metals; and hard chrome process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda C92, CB92, C95 Benly</span> Parallel-twin motorcycle

The Honda C92 Benly is a 125 cc (7.6 cu in) parallel-twin motorcycle made by Honda from 1959 through 1965. Running concurrently were the CB92 Sports and the slightly larger C95 150 cc (9.2 cu in), called the CA92 and CA95 in the US. These twins took their styling and design cues from the larger-displacement Honda C71, C76, C72, C77 Dream series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridgestone (motorcycle)</span> Brand of motorcycles produced by the Japanese tire manufacturer between 1952 and 1970

Bridgestone motorcycles were a division of the Bridgestone Tire Co. of Kyōbashi, Tokyo, Japan that produced mopeds and motorcycles from 1952 to 1970. Initially producing power assisted bicycles, the division moved on to producing mopeds and then motorcycles. The motorcycles were technologically advanced and powered by two-stroke engines. The high technical specification resulted in the machines being more expensive compared to other manufacturers models. Production was stopped in 1970 to protect the supply of tyres to other manufacturers.