Honda 125 VARADERO XLV 2009 — Specifications

When the Yamaha TDR and Cagiva Supercity disappeared from the catalogs without a sound, the 125 trail segment found itself deserted. Honda then stood alone behind the barricade with its Varadero, a machine with a strong character but whose age was beginning to show in the lines. Six years of production is a long time in a segment where young license holders compare everything, judge quickly, and look as much at the design as at the technical specifications. The 2009 redesign was therefore a necessity, not a luxury.

The result vindicates the engineers of Hamamamatsu. The new design borrows its face from several members of the Honda family without ever appearing inconsistent: an optical unit reminiscent of the CBR 125, generous flanks in the spirit of the Transalp 650, rear lights in the vein of the CBF 600. The whole forms a taut, muscular, credible silhouette. Seat at 800 mm, complete dashboard, careful finishes, and now PGM-FI injection is on the program. On this specific point, Honda is catching up on its own range, since the CBR 125 had already crossed this threshold in 2007.

The engine, for its part, hasn't moved from a single cylinder. This 90-degree V-twin of 124.7 cc still develops 15 horsepower at 11,000 rpm for a torque of 9.8 Nm at 9,500 rpm. It's an honest, pleasant-to-use mechanic, which simply requires that you push it in the revs to express what it has in its belly. The problem comes from elsewhere: with 169 kg all full on the scale, the Varadero exhibits a real plumpness for the category. Opinions on the Honda 125 Varadero XLV 2005 and on the previous versions already pointed to this defect, and opinions on the Honda 125 Varadero XLV 2007 confirmed the trend. Nothing has changed on this chapter. The five-speed gearbox does the job, the chain transmission too, but you have to accept the compromise: this motorcycle is ridden engaged, not as a relaxed tourist.

What Honda has understood is that the Varadero buyer is not looking for a simple city machine. He wants to travel, even at 125, even with a B license. The options catalog responds to this ambition with a 45-liter top case, heated grips, a center stand, an engine guard, an aluminum handlebar riser. Enough to equip the beast for a multi-day trip without breaking the bank on aftermarket accessories. At a base price of 5,290 euros, the Varadero remains the most expensive 125 trail machine on the market, but it justifies its price by the level of finish and the real versatility it offers.

Remains a simple question: to whom does it really address? To B license holders who want a compact GT to swallow kilometers. To young A1 license holders who refuse to settle for a small urban bike. To those who still read reviews of the Honda 125 Varadero XLV 2001 to understand what this lineage has built over twenty years. The Varadero 2009 is not revolutionary. It is simply the best version of itself, and in its category, that is quite enough to make the difference.