Honda Monkey (2018-2021) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and associated service intervals for the Honda Monkey re-released in 2018.
Originally introduced in 1961 as a children’s ride for Honda’s Tama Tech — a Honda-owned amusement park in Japan — the Honda Monkey series of mini bikes today have reached cult classic status.
The Honda Monkey is a classic “do everything” bike. You can ride it to the shops, or you can ride it around the world (if you want an unusual adventure, anyway).
The modern Monkey has a 125cc EFI engine, with the top of the line model being equipped with ABS for added safety (it’s standard in many markets, like in Europe).
The Monkey could be seen as the Honda Grom but in a more utilitarian, adventure-ready configuration.
Here are the other Honda miniMOTO maintenance schedules:
- Honda Monkey (2018-2021)
- Honda Super Cub C125
- Honda Grom 2014-2020
- Honda Grom 2021+
- Honda Navi 2016+ (2022+ in the US)
- Honda Trail 125 / CT125 2021+
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Service intervals for the Honda Monkey
Like other motorcycles in the Honda miniMOTO range (which mostly share the same engine), the service intervals for the Honda Monkey are quite short, with a 4000 mile / 6400 km service interval at which you not only change the oil, but also inspect or replace the spark plug and check the valve clearances.
The Honda Monkey, like most variants of the miniMOTO range, doesn’t have an oil filter to replace and just have an oil screener and centrifugal filter. Honda recommends you get a mechanic to service these properly.
Make sure you keep your chain clean and lubed. Despite being small-engined bikes, the Honda Monkey is often ridden in conditions that can put a lot of stress on a chain (e.g. getting it dirty or wet), which means you need to pay attention to it.
Luckily, as an air-cooled engine, there’s no liquid coolant to replace in the Honda Monkey.
What you need to service your Honda Monkey
Doing your own service on the Honda Monkey is part of the ownership experience. But what oil, spark plugs etc. should you use? Apart from general standard motorcycle maintenance tools, here’s what you need to service your Honda Monkey.
| Part | Honda Monkey Spec |
|---|---|
| Oil | Honda recommends SAE 10W-30 oil that’s API classification SG or higher or JASO T 903 standard MA or higher. There are a lot of oils that fit the bill, but Honda recommends Pro Honda GN4 10W-30. Note — there’s no oil filter to change on the Honda Monkey, just an oil centrifugal filter to clean out (see the schedule below) |
| Spark plug | Manual specifies NGK CPR6EA-9. |
| Brake fluid | The manual specifies DOT 3 or DOT 4, but recommends Honda DOT 4 brake fluid. |
| Air filter | Use a K&N HA-1219 as an easy drop-in replacement (2018-2021 models only) |
| Chain maintenance | Service your chain regularly! Either use a Motul chain care kit, or with Motul chain paste. |
| Grease | Use lithium soap-based grease and silicone grease for external pivot points, like the sidestand and bearings. |
| Brake pads | EBC FA375HH for the front and FA343HH for the rear (slightly different to the Grom). |
Honda Monkey Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Honda Monkey.
- Beyond the end of the maintenance schedule, repeat at the frequency interval shown below.
- Honda recommends you get wheels, steering bearings, and engine oil screen and strainer serviced by a qualified Honda mechanic “in the interest of safety”.
Maintenance Procedures:
- I: inspect and clean, adjust, lubricate, or replace, if necessary
- C: Clean
- L: lubricate
- R: replace
| mi x 1000 | 0.6 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 1 | 6.4 | 12.8 | 19.2 | 25.6 | 32 | 38.4 | Periodic |
| Engine Oil (Pro Honda GN4 10W-30) | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | Replace every year |
| Engine Oil Strainer Screen | C | C | C | |||||
| Engine Oil Centrifugal Filter | C | C | C | |||||
| Air filter (HA-1219) | R | R | More often when riding in dusty conditions / rain | |||||
| Spark Plug (CPR6EA-9) | I | R | I | R | I | R | ||
| Valve Clearance | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Engine Idle Speed | I | I | I | I | I | I | I | |
| Brake Fluid (Honda DOT 4) | I | I | I | I | I | I | Replace every 2 years | |
| Brake Pad Wear (FA375HH for the front and FA343HH for the rear) | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Brake System | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Brake light microswitch | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Fuel Line | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Throttle Operation | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Crankcase Breather | C | C | C | C | C | C | More often when riding in rain / at full throttle | |
| Evaporative Emission Control System (if fitted) | I | I | ||||||
| Brake Light Switch | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Headlight Aim | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Clutch System | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Side Stand | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Suspension | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners | I | I | I | |||||
| Wheels/Tires | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Steering Head Bearings | I | I | I |
Maintaining Your Chain on the Honda Monkey
It’s important to maintain your chain on the Monkey, as on any chain-driven motorcycle. Use a good-quality chain lubricant like Motul chain paste, or a Motul chain care kit which comes with a couple of handy tools to maintain the chain.
Honda recommends you follow the following chain maintenance schedule, with a little more aggressive chain maintenance than on larger motorcycles designed to cover more distances.
| Chain maintenance item | Every |
|---|---|
| Check drive chain lubrication condition, lubricating if necessary | 300 mi / 500 km |
| Check drive chain slack, adjusting if necessary | 300 mi / 500 km |
Notes:
- Do these items (checking/adjusting slack, and checking/applying lubrication) more often if you ride your Monkey in dusty or rainy conditions.
- Always lubricate the chain after washing the motorcycle.
Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Honda Monkey
The manual specifies the following tyre sizes, says the Honda Monkey ships with the following tyre brands, and specifies the following tyre pressures.
| Tyre | Size | Brand(s) | Tyre pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front | 120/80-12 65J | VEE RUBBER V133 | 29 psi (200 kPa) |
| Rear | 130/80-12 69J | VEE RUBBER V133 | 29 psi (200 kPa) |
About the Honda Monkey
The Honda Monkey is a miniature adventure bike that is designed to do anything. It’s part of Honda’s miniMOTO series that includes the Honda Grom MSX125, for example.
The Honda Monkey is actually an old class of motorcycle. You can still find some on the used market with carburettor-fed engines if you’re patient (depending on the geography).
But that old design was in need of an update — while the concept definitely was not. People loved the old Monkey and love the new one, too!
The Honda Monkey is thus powered by the same engine as on the Grom, a horizontally mounted air-cooled 125cc thumper. It looks like the original engine, but like the rest of the Grom, it’s actually totally modern.
The new Monkey’s engine has a single overhead camshaft and two valves and a PGM-FI system to fuel it. Like on the other motorcycles in the MiniMoto class, power is scarce, with a scant 7 kW / 9 hp at 7000 rpm, and not much torque. So people do play with the gearing to get more out of them, depending on the final intended use case.
Even though the ride gear is basic, it works very well. The front end forks and dual shocks at the rear give 4 inches (10 cm) of travel, but the ride is gentle and forgiving. It makes the Honda Monkey not just easy to ride, but an excellent starter bike.
Honda slightly updated the 2022 Honda Monkey with a slightly higher power engine, a different airbox, a five-speed gearbox (up from four), and a few more accessories.
Manual for the Honda Monkey
The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the Honda Monkey from the 2020 model year.
You can download it from here.
