Motorcycle Maintenance and Mental Health

I have always found that working on motorcycles (and sometimes cars if I’m in the right mood) is a very satisfying pastime. Not because I have saved money in not taking it to a garage, but because the process is slow, contemplative and takes you out of yourself whoever you are. Yes, I know that at times it can be frustrating – dropping that tiny washer just when you need it, but by being prepared to work through all that to get to a higher plain of existence is worth it. With this in mind I thought it would be valuable to invest in a ‘project motorcycle’ for my son and I – men’s mental health and a kind of bonding experience too. So, after a few weeks searching on-line auction houses and Facebook Marketplace and bingo, we found a suitable project 1975 Honda CB125S and rust, lots of rust!

Stage One – collection

Having only seen three photographs of the motorcycle and been told that “it’s been stored in a shed for a decade”, what could go wrong? We arrived in good time (central Torquay), try to find the address (house name not number), rang the door bell and so it begins. We are greeted and swiftly escorted around the side of the house (“be careful of the dogs, they won’t bite”), up the garden, past the shed to a kind of ‘tent thing’ on the side of the shed – this is where the motorcycle has spend its past decade, soaking up the moisture from the ground and the sky and gradually turning that moisture, successfully into rust!

We are short by five pounds of the £350 asking price (my son was hungry en routé and wanted to invest in a ‘meal deal’) So, we offer the contents of my wallet and it’s snapped up! We wrestle the bike (the tyres are flat but the wheels do go round) down the garden and into the back of the Skoda (Fabia – a popular model for collecting motorcycles in) and we wheel-spin out of there!

It’s an almost a complete motorcycle, it turns over, missing side panels, no battery, no ignition switch, no steering lock etc etc but I think it will do the job. And with the aid of a few dedicated parts suppliers (Wemoto.com being the main go-to one) and every missing part can be found (I hope) to help us breathe life back into this tiny classic.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Stage Two – diagnosis

The bike was separated from the rear of the car, pushed onto some level ground, air pumped into the tyres and on closer inspection it doesn’t look too bad. Well, I am a very optimistic person. It’s mainly all there and the rust is predominatly just ‘surface’. With a tried and trusted application of sand paper followed by a liberal coating of Hammerite (smooth black) the frame could be transformed into something acceptable (not perfect).

Step one – lubricate: spray everything with ‘penetrating oil’ – all the gaps where anything moves (or should move), anything rusty and anything else. Two minutes of spraying and the back garden offers a unique smell of engineering (for some reason my wife doesn’t like this odour). Rust turns into an ochre earthy sludge, followed by the patio slabs – more stern looks from the kitchen window!

After an hour or so of spraying wiping, buffing etc and a bucket of dirty rags the bike doesn’t look too bad. The levers all work and things that should turn do turn.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Designed with AI

My son decided that he would like the bike in black – and manifests ‘our project’s vision’ using AI (Gemini).

It does a very acceptable job, although it has positioned the exhaust pipe on the wrong side for some reason. original image or right (before AI did its thing) – it even cleaned the paving slabs, found a front mudguard and moved my garden, umbrella stand!

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

A little Honda History

The Honda CB125S is a small (1880mm long) lightweight (99kg), air-cooled, four-stroke single-cylinder motorcycle manufactured by Honda from 1971 to 85. They are renowned for their robustness, simplicity, reliability and great petrol consumption (75 to 90 mpg).They have been adopted globally as a classic work-horse – reflecting this the petrol tank was slightly flattened to enable families to carry luggage (and at times children) with ease.

The engine features a single overhead camshaft (SOHC), five speed manual gearbox, and delivers approximately twelve / fourteen horsepower (depending on the production year). It’s comfortable, fun, nippy (on a good day you can achieve 60mph) and easy to ride!

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Beware Pattern Parts

Genuine spare parts are just that – the parts your vehicle is maunfactured with. Also known as Original Equipment (OE), they are supplied in a motorcycle manufacturer’s branded box and are guarantee to fit your motorcycle exactly (no hammer required). They will also ensure that your vehicle’s warranty remains valid. However, they are usually the most expensive option when carrying out repairs or servicing.

Original Honda parts are expensive, and if you are on a budget ‘pattern parts’ are an option. Pattern Parts (also referred to as aftermarket or replacement parts) are called that because they are manufactured using the pattern (template) designed by the manufacturer. Costs do vary but as a rule, pattern parts are cheaper than genuine (OE) parts, making them a highly attractive choice for anyone working on older motorcycles.

But (the big but), pattern parts often don’t exactly fit – they are manufactured with less stringent tolerances, so holes may not line up with bolts or (as I found) some channels are much too small to actually fit. Centre Stand: £25.60 pattern part / £83.09 Original part.

The second but – but, with a little drilling and buffing they can fit and with a saving of £57.49, perhaps they are worth it.

A brand new set of four indicators (pattern from Ebay) = £16.00 – now to see if they fit?

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Stage Three – Getting it started

With the arrival of a new ignition switch, battery and replacement carburettor (the original one’s lid didn’t seat itself correctly and kept popping off) we have all of the components to start the bike (supposedly). The petrol tank interior is massively pitted with rust, so that’s another future job or a further investment if it can’t be repaired – for now some petrol pipe and a plastic bottle will do to feed the carburettor.

So, which coloured wire goes on which terminal for the ignition switch? I found a nice wiring diagram on-line so fingers crossed, it will help navigate the next task.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

© Carl Middleton – July 2026.

Motorcycles are good for you…

… … …

#hodacb125s

Wayfinding companies in Taunton 

Wayfinding Somerset

Wayfinding strategies

NHS Hospital Wayfinding strategy

Way finding and signage in taunton