Honda’s family of mini motos in the U.S. is getting a little bigger now that the 2025 Honda Dax 125 has been added to the lineup. We could call this the latest chapter in Honda’s ongoing project to bring back its cute classic bikes. It’s also a glorious return for the Dax to America since this is the latest evolution of the beloved Honda Trail 70, which appeared in the U.S. in 1969 and went on to become a bestselling bike commonly seen at campgrounds or strapped to the back of RVs.
Despite its popularity in America throughout the 1970s, Honda didn’t mark the 2022 Dax revival for the states but is now correcting the oversight by releasing the Honda Dax 125. Maybe we can chalk it up to the sudden popularity of the Trail 70 among collectors, but mini bikes with retro flair, such as the Monkey and Super Cub, are inherently awesome. It only makes sense, then, to bring the Trail 70 back, albeit with a host of modern touches to make the old bike feel new.
The marquee feature of this new Dax is the semiautomatic four-speed transmission, which relies on a centrifugal clutch. Riders don’t have to pull the clutch lever for gear changes. In fact, there is no lever to begin with, which might take some getting used to for folks who know and love the original Trail 70. The new Dax will be powered by the same 125cc air-cooled single that powers the Grom and Trail 125, among others. The single-cylinder engine gets almost 107 miles per gallon fitted to this bike, which is good because the tank built into the frame holds just one gallon of gas.
The new Dax has a low saddle height of 30.6 inches and weighs 236 pounds wet. That ought to make for a friendly bike that excels at running errands around town, especially considering the semiautomatic gearbox. The Dax will ride on 12-inch tires and wheels borrowed from the Grom, and it’s also fitted with disc brakes front and rear as well as standard ABS. It’s a modern mini moto through and through.
But the classic Honda looks and iconic T-Bone frame are still there, giving the bike strong retro appeal without the downsides of owning a classic motorcycle. The version that’s coming to the U.S. for the 2025 model year even nods to the original Trail 50 and 70 models, the latter of which was also known as the CT70 on foreign markets and designated the ST70 in Japan.
As Honda tells it, a Boise, Idaho, dealer named Herb Uhl started modifying Honda Super Cubs in 1960 for use on rugged terrain and better performance. His creations were so popular that American Honda sent one to the company’s HQ in Japan and the official Trail 50 was born, spawning the CT line. By 1969, the Trail 50 was redesigned as the CT70, or Trail 70, sporting a new T-shaped frame, which looked a little like a dachshund—hence the Dax nickname.
The recent release of the Honda Trail125 revived the styling of the original Trail Cub, but the chunky revised CT/ST frame remained missing from the U.S. up until now. The Dax 125 will go on sale later this year in October for a starting price of $4,499. With this new release, it’s clear that Honda’s mini bikes are going through a well-deserved renaissance and have gained a new lease on life all these decades later. Whatever your inclination is, it seems Honda makes a mini moto tailored to you, whether that’s the Super Cub, Monkey, Trail 125, Grom, or, now, the Dax 125. A cute bike like this isn’t going to light anyone’s Arai on fire, but practical, charming motorcycles that easily get over 100 mpg are always welcome.
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