2023 Honda ST125 Dax Guide

2023 Honda ST125 Dax: RIDING IS FUN.

Introducing the 2023 Honda ST125 Dax…

Sprinting joyfully out of the traps – and after a 41-year absence from Honda’s European line-up – the new 2023 Honda ST125 Dax joins the Monkey and MSX125 Grom in Honda’s mini-bike line-up. Authentic, robust and offering simple riding pleasure, it features a pressed steel frame, 31mm USD forks, 12-inch wheels and air-cooled SOHC two-valve engine with four-speed gearbox and centrifugal clutch. Full LED lighting, compact negative LCD display and pillion grab rail complete the full specification list, and the intangible and timeless appeal of the unmistakeable Dax styling is something no spec sheet can encapsulate.

Honda’s pocketful of mini motorcycles has struck a chord with young and old riders alike. The re-imagined Monkey 125 tugs at heart strings that remember the golden 1970s while providing thoroughly modern, compact and funky urban transport for riders of any age. The MSX125 Grom serves up left-field, customisable style for ‘Generation Y’ but also as perfect paddock transport in the worlds of car and bike racing.

2023 Honda ST125 Dax a new bike joins the fold. The ST125 Dax fully owns the genuine authenticity of the 1969 original* but brings thoroughly 21st century performance from chassis, engine and ergonomics. The most recent version of the Dax was produced from 1995 to 2003 for the Japanese market. The more recent European success of its siblings has hastened its return and its mischievous charm and easy-going riding proposition bless the ST125 Dax with an extra layer of desirability.

Of course, nostalgia will play a part in the Dax’s appeal to riders now in middle age – riders who may have owned a Dax in their youth and are pleased to see it return. Equally, ‘retro’ is important to younger owners; that’s real retro, not faux. A certain style sets some machines apart and the Dax has just that in abundance thanks to the form of its iconic T-shaped frame. Which is also how the bike got its name: extending from under the seat to the handlebars, and sitting atop the small 12” wheels, the look is reminiscent of the universally-adored Dachshund. Or Sausage Dog, to give it its everyday English name…

Unique, easy, usable and great fun. That’s the new Honda Dax. A faithful old friend is back.

As it should, the Dax keeps it simple. A steel frame provides strength and houses the fuel tank while 31mm USD forks, twin rear shocks and 12-inch wheels with chunky tyres provide light steering and good suspension performance. Braking is via hydraulic discs front and rear with ABS control.

Robust and fuel efficient, the 124cc SOHC two-valve engine’s power is linear in delivery with smooth torque. A centrifugal clutch manages shifting between the four ratios so there’s no need for a handlebar-mounted clutch lever. It offers twist-and-go simplicity with the added entertainment of changes via a traditional left-foot gear lever.

All lighting is LED and a circular LCD display shows exactly what the rider needs to know. The pillion gets a chromed grab rail, too.

RIDING IS FUN

Which is why the Dax is back. Born in the late 1960s, all the things that made it so good then – small size, easy-going engine and light steering – make it even more enjoyable today. We’ve added more power, an upgraded frame, suspension and brakes, but the simple essence remains the same: Dax and relax, riding is fun.

Honda Dax 125 Wide Tyres
Wide Tyres for Good All-Round Traction
This is a tough little bike and it wears suitably chunky tyres; 120mm wide up front and 130mm rear for sure-footed grip on rougher ground.

Honda Dax 125 Hydraulic Disc Brakes with ABS Control
Hydraulic Disc Brakes with ABS Control
Just right for every level of riding experience, the brakes deliver effective stopping power, with the benefit of ABS back-up to manage braking in all conditions.

Honda Dax 125 Full LED Lighting
Full LED Lighting
Round LEDs in the circular headlight add even more appeal. The front indicators also act as position lights, improving visibility to other road users.

Honda Dax 125
Authentic to Every Last Nut and Bolt
The Dax is a true style icon of the 1970s, brought back for the modern day with big performance packed into a small bike. Riding’s never looked, or felt, so good.

Honda Dax 125 low seat and wide, upswept handlebars
Easy Riding Enjoyment for Everybody
A low seat and wide, upswept handlebars make for light steering and great balance, especially at low speed. There’s also more than enough room for a passenger.

Honda Dax 125 Engine
Smooth Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency
Quiet-running and fuel-efficient, the engine is a pleasure to use. A centrifugal clutch adds twist-and-go simplicity for gear shifting. Just move, and enjoy.

Honda Dax 125 Wide Tyres
Wide Tyres for Good All-Round Traction
This is a tough little bike and it wears suitably chunky tyres; 120mm wide up front and 130mm rear for sure-footed grip on rougher ground.

Honda Dax 125 Hydraulic Disc Brakes with ABS Control
Hydraulic Disc Brakes with ABS Control
Just right for every level of riding experience, the brakes deliver effective stopping power, with the benefit of ABS back-up to manage braking in all conditions.

Honda Dax 125 Full LED Lighting
Full LED Lighting
Round LEDs in the circular headlight add even more appeal. The front indicators also act as position lights, improving visibility to other road users.

Honda Dax 125
Authentic to Every Last Nut and Bolt
The Dax is a true style icon of the 1970s, brought back for the modern day with big performance packed into a small bike. Riding’s never looked, or felt, so good.

Honda Dax 125 low seat and wide, upswept handlebars
Easy Riding Enjoyment for Everybody
A low seat and wide, upswept handlebars make for light steering and great balance, especially at low speed. There’s also more than enough room for a passenger.

Honda Dax 125 Engine
Smooth Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency
Quiet-running and fuel-efficient, the engine is a pleasure to use. A centrifugal clutch adds twist-and-go simplicity for gear shifting. Just move, and enjoy.

MOTORCYCLES MAKE MEMORIES
Magic ones, too. That first twist of throttle, the feeling of moving forward, of individuality. Of freedom. This is what the Dax does. It opens the door of motorcycling wide open, for anybody and everybody and does it with authentic, cheeky charm. After 40 years away from Europe a faithful old friend is back, ready to make new memories.

The 2023 Honda Dax will be available in the following colour options:

Pearl Nebula Red

Pearl Cadet Grey

2023 Honda ST125 Dax Totalmotorcycle.com Key Features

• T-shaped pressed steel frame integral to handling and looks
• 31mm USD forks, twin rear shocks and 12-inch wheels provide a smooth ride
• Hydraulic disc braking front and rear with ABS
• Full LED lighting and LCD instrument display
• 124cc, air-cooled SOHC two-valve design produces 6.9kW and 10.8Nm
• Stress-free centrifugal clutch and four-speed gearbox
• Fuel economy of 63.7km/l (WMTC mode)

The Dax bounds back into Honda’s European motorcycle range

• The evocative Dax name returns to Honda’s European line-up after an absence of 41 years
• 2023 Honda ST125 Dax joins the Monkey and MSX125 Grom in Honda’s unique European mini-bike line-up
• The Dax got its name from the Dachshund dog, with its short legs and long body
• Unique, iconic T-shaped pressed steel frame provides around-town agility, ample strength for two up riding
• Features 31mm USD forks, twin rear shocks, 12in blacked-out mini-bike wheels and ‘balloon’ tyres
• Air cooled 124cc EURO5 engine, centrifugal clutch and four-speed gearbox
• Two dynamic colour options

After an absence of 41yrs, the Honda Dax is set to finally return to Europe, joining the Monkey and the MSX125 Grom in Honda’s unique mini-bike line-up.

With its iconic pressed steel T-shaped frame, no other motorcycle, big or small, cuts the same shape as the Dax. The frame, which extends from under the seat to the chrome handlebars, is reminiscent of a Dachshund with its short legs and long body, which led to the naming of the original ST50 Dax in 1969.

The 2023 Honda ST125 Dax keeps the unmistakeable, iconic look of the original, with the frame (which also houses the fuel tank) providing plenty of strength for two up riding. Suspension is taken care of by 31mm USD forks matched to twin rear shocks. Completing the classic look, these are paired to blacked out 12in mini-bike wheels, complete with fat, balloon-like tyres which allow effortless around-town agility. Lighting is full LED and the Dax features a striking, compact negative LCD display, chrome handlebars and pillion grab rail.

Delivering smooth power and torque from the EURO5 compliant 124cc SOHC two valve, air- cooled engine, the Dax features a centrifugal clutch and four speed gearbox for relaxed, enjoyable riding, solo or two up.

The 23YM Dax will be available in two dynamic colour options: Pearl Nebula Red and Pearl Cadet Grey, complete with both a classic Honda Wing logo and a model logo featuring the eponymous canine.

2023 Honda ST125 Dax Totalmotorcycle.com Features and Benefits

Styling & Chassis

While the Dax is small, its proportions provide enough room to be comfortable for two adults to ride.

The styling really is the frame; everything is attached to, or held within it, giving the Dax its unmistakeable retro look. As do all the other parts; the thick dual seat – seat height is just 775mm – chrome high-set handlebars and the 1970’s dirt bike-inspired upswept muffler with drilled, slotted and chromed heat shield. The frame’s mid-section wears a black stripe with ‘Dax’ picked out in quirky font, right next to the classic Honda Wing logo that marks its special heritage. A unique finishing touch comes in the form of a cartoon image of a Dachshund.

A chromed mudguard leads and sits below the evocative, circular headlight. To add extra charm to the light, signature round LEDs are used and the front indicators/position lights sit snugly in between low and high beams. The compact instrument display is a round, negative LCD while the rear taillight and indicators take their cues from the headlight and are also LED.

There’s a neat chrome grabrail for the passenger to hold while a cover seals the drive chain away from weather and loose clothing. A rear carrier and heated grips are available as optional extras.

The iconic T-shaped frame design houses the fuel tank, is authentic in aesthetic detail and constructed in pressed-steel with modern engineering know-how. Rake and trail are set at 24.9°/84mm with wheelbase of 1020mm. Wet weight is just 107kg.

31mm USD forks provide supple suspension response and, combined with the wide upswept handlebar, easy steering. Twin rear shocks are tuned for smooth compliance, even with a pillion. Blacked-out 12-inch rims (from the super-cool MSX125 Grom) wear fat, balloon-like tyres; a 120mm wide front and 130mm rear. They add sure-footed grip allied to nimble agility.

Single-channel ABS manages braking force. Hydraulic front and rear calipers grip 220/190mm diameter discs respectively.

Engine

Drawn from the new Super Cub C125 – so flexible, efficient and durable – the Dax’s 124cc air-cooled engine features a SOHC two-valve cylinder head, with relatively long stroke and high compression; bore is set at 50mm, stroke at 63.1mm with compression ratio of 10.0:1. Peak power of 6.9kW arrives @ 7,000rpm, with peak torque of 10.8Nm @ 5,000rpm.

The engine’s strong performance means that even two-up a 90km/h cruising speed is achievable, with smart acceleration from low speed – just what’s needed for lively around-town amusement.

On the left-hand side of the bike the distinctive oval air box, filter and connecting tube ensure smooth, efficient airflow through the clean side, delivering crisp throttle response and driveability. The upswept muffler and heat shield is evocative of that golden motorcycling era of the ‘70s. A single catalyser is all that’s necessary; thanks to precise ECU settings and the engine’s combustion efficiency, EURO5 compliance is achieved.

In keeping with the laid-back, easy to ride feel the gearbox is a 4-speed unit (with neutral at the bottom) operated via centrifugal clutch, without the need for a clutch lever. At standstill the rider simply selects the gear required with the left-hand foot lever and, as the throttle is opened, the clutch operates automatically and does so through each ratio change, up or down.

Various low-friction technologies, like an offset cylinder and roller-rocker arms in the head, ensure impressive fuel economy of 63.7km/l (WMTC mode). This gives the Dax a range of approx. 240km from the 3.8L fuel tank.

Origins of the Dax
In 1967, The Monkey Z50M was introduced in response to the demand for a ‘leisure-oriented bike’ for the American and European markets. Although well received, especially in America, by adults and children alike, thanks to its adjustable seat height and foldable features which allowed it to be loaded into a car, for 1969 American Honda requested a larger bike for its customers, but one that was still filled with the spirit of Monkey.

After visiting the US to better understand the requirements, engineers, inspired by the T-shaped frame of the CS90, which was a very popular bike in Japan, developed the Dax to have lower and longer proportions (compared to the Monkey) that allowed adults to have a more relaxed riding position as well as ride two up. The fuel tank, wiring and other components were housed in the T-shaped frame to create a unique, but also simple – and now iconic – design.

Dax Milestones
1969 ST50/70 Dax Honda

Built for the export markets of Europe and the USA the original Dax was nifty, nimble and easy to ride. It appealed to both die-hard motorcyclists and recreational users as it was just plain fun. This is the bike that launched many two-wheeled journeys.

The engine was based on the well-established Super Cub engine, but with the addition of modifications to both the intake and exhaust system to provide more torque at low-mid range.

Available in both 50cc and 70cc versions, the Dax featured a 3-speed automatic centrifugal clutch, telescopic front suspension, hydraulic rear suspension and wide tyres with a unique tread pattern for stability and handling even when off-road.

1972 ST90 Mighty Dax

The ST90 Mighty Dax featured a more rigid T-shape frame, wider, more upright custom style ‘mini ape’ bars, high level front mudguard and a bigger engine that packed more speed and acceleration. The new larger 14in wheels came fitted with semi-off road pattern tyres to increase handling performance and stability, even when off-road.

1973 CY50 Nauty Dax

Aimed squarely at the RV (Recreational Vehicle) leisure market, the Nauty Dax was developed to offer even better riding performance and stability over rough terrain. Changes to the valve timing and the final drive – now with 4 speeds – increased torque in the low to mid range. With a new exhaust, fuel tank, side covers and unique rectangular shaped headlight, the Nauty Dax also featured a stepped seat and funky paint scheme. The new light and rigid diamond frame and the new fat balloon tyres made for easy rolling over rough campsite terrain

1995 ST50 Dax

After 14 years, the Dax returned to the Japanese market. All the iconic design cues remained in place – a pressed steel backbone frame, telescopic suspension, wide foldable bars, chrome mudguard, muffler and block tyres – and were joined by the addition of a longer seat. The 50cc engine featured an automatic cam chain tensioner and magneto ignition for easy starting. Enjoying an eight-year production run, the ST50 Dax finally went off sale in 2003.

2023 Honda ST125 Dax

Straight out of the traps with a useful, usable 124cc engine, four speed gearbox and centrifugal clutch the Dax makes a welcome return to the Honda minibike fold, joining the Monkey and MSX125 Grom.

2023 Honda ST125 Dax – Totalmotorcycle.com USA Specifications/Technical Details
US MSRP Price: from $3799 USD
Canada MSRP Price: $ 4149 CDN
Europe/UK MSRP Price: £  GBP (On The Road inc 20% Vat)

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2023 Honda ST125 Dax – Totalmotorcycle.com Canada Specifications/Technical Details

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2023 Honda ST125 Dax – Totalmotorcycle.com European Specifications/Technical Details

Manufacturer Specifications and appearance are subject to change without prior notice on Total Motorcycle (TMW).