Description
Additional photos of this Honda NS125R are available here for your perusal.
Thanks to 125Stradali.com, a website dedicated to Italian-built 2-strokes, we can fill you in a bit on the history of this rare machine that’s almost never found in the US. One would assume that a Honda sold in their home market of Japan would also have been built there, but this oddball was actually built by Honda Italy and then exported to Japan.
In the early 80s, the 125cc market was fiercely competitive in Italy due to licensing regulations. The local government placed high taxes on imported motorcycles, so Honda made sure that their plant in Atessa (founded in 1976) was cranking out 125s to compete.
As stated in a Bike magazine review in 1989, the “NS125R is italian in everything but in name. Still, the bike loses nothing being from Italy and gains in the form of Marzocchi front and rear suspension, Dell’Orto carburation, and looks that are geared towards a style-conscious market – Italian youth.”
Honda Italy offered a NS125R as well as a NS125RII, the latter named for having two front brake discs. According to 125 Stradali, Honda Japan requested a special model for 1987, the NS-RII Adriatico “exclusively for the Japanese market.” They also state that just 1,146 examples were built.
The seller of this example (VIN: HI-TC01*190855) acquired it six years ago on eBay.
The odometer shows 9,272 kilometers (5,761 miles).
The white portion of the tank was discolored due to age, so he repainted it.
Before the seller acquired this machine, the wheels had been powdercoated. All other paint besides the white on the tank is original.
While the seller was transporting the bike to us from Oregon to be listed, it got a scrape on the left side of the tail. We also note some minor scratches on the right side mirror stalk. Our White Glove service can take care of this for the next owner if desired.
Ricki wheeled this around to get the running video up top – he noted that it runs well but that the front brakes are a little stiff. As always, our White Glove service is available for any pre-delivery work the next owner may require.
Currently located at our facility in Santa Monica, California for anyone that would like to inspect it (please make an appointment), this NS125R is offered on a clean Oregon title. Sold with no reserve, it’s guaranteed to find a new home. Have any NS125R stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the comments below!
