Honda Super Cub C125 Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals
This is the maintenance schedule and associated service intervals for the Honda Super Cub C125.
The Honda Super Cub or Honda Cub is one of Honda’s mini motorcycles with a 124 cc engine. Many motorcycles have held the Super Cub name in the past, but the most current version has a 124cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine. It has an electric start, fuel injection, ABS, and an automatic transmission. It shares the same basic platform as the Honda Monkey.
The classic Honda Super Cub’s US advertising campaign, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda”, had a lasting impact on Honda’s image and on American attitudes to motorcycling, and is often used as a marketing case study.
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 Super Cub C125
Like other motorcycles in the Honda miniMOTO range (which mostly share the same engine), the service intervals for the Honda Super Cub 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 Super Cub C125, 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 Super Cub C125 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 Super Cub C125.
What you need to service your Honda Super Cub
Doing your own service on the Honda Super Cub 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 Super Cub.
| Part | Honda Super Cub 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. Note — there’s no oil filter to change on the Super Cub, just an oil spinner 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 | Honda part number 17210-KWW-640, harder to find, so get from your dealer. |
| 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 FA691HH for the front, and rear is a drum shoe, part EBC 352 (different to the Grom and Monkey, which have a rear disc). |
Honda Super Cub C125 Maintenance Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for the Honda Super Cub C125. At higher odometer readings, repeat at the frequency interval established here.
Honda recommends you take your motorcycle to a qualified mechanic for the engine oil strainer screen and centrifugal filter, as well as checking the steering head bearings and wheels/tires.
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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km x 1000 | 1 | 6.4 | 12.8 | 19.2 | 25.6 | 32 | 38.4 | Replace every |
| Engine Oil (Pro Honda GN4) | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | Year |
| Engine Oil Strainer Screen | C | C | C | |||||
| Engine Oil Centrifugal Filter | C | C | C | |||||
| Spark Plug (CPR6EA-9) | I | R | I | R | I | R | ||
| Valve Clearance | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Air Cleaner | R | R | More often if riding in wet / dusty areas | |||||
| Engine Idle Speed | I | 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 if riding in rain or at full throttle. | |
| Evaporative Emission Control System (CA only) | I | I | ||||||
| Brake Fluid (Honda DOT 4) | I | I | I | I | I | I | 2 Years | |
| Brake Shoes/Pads Wear (FA691HH, EBC 352) | I | I | I | I | I | I | ||
| Brake System | I | I | I | I | 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 | 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 |
Chain maintenance on the Honda Super Cub C125
It’s important to maintain your chain on the Super Cub, especially as it’s a bike you’re likely to put through its paces as an everyday commuter in all kinds of conditions.
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:
| 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 C125 in dusty or rainy conditions.
- Always lubricate the chain after washing the motorcycle (same as if you ride through rain).
Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Honda Super Cub C125
The manual specifies these tyre sizes for the Honda Super Cub C125, as well as these tyre pressures, and recommended brand of tyre.
| Wheel | Tyre size | Tyre pressure (cold) | Tyre brand ships with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front | 70/90-17M/C 38P | 29 psi (200 kPa) | IRC NF63B YD |
| Rear | 80/90-17M/C 50P | 33 psi (225 kPa | IRC NR94 |
About the Honda Super Cub C125
The modern Honda Super Cub C125 is one of Honda’s tiny pocket bikes, like the Grom and the Monkey. Like those motorcycles, it has a 125cc air-cooled fuel-injected single-cylinder engine that makes 9 hp and 8 lb-ft — in fact it’s the same engine in all of Honda’s Minimoto motorcycles.
That little engine is linked to a 4-speed transmission with a centrifugal clutch — no need to pull a clutch lever to change gears, making the Super Cub very practical and easy to ride. By the way the original Cub (with a 50cc engine, many years ago) also had this setup, to make riding as simple as possible.
The riding position of the Honda Super Cub and low seat height also means it’s easy to put your feet down down.
The engine has been updated for recent years and is now fuel injected. The brakes, too — ABS is standard in many markets.
The Honda Super Cub is not going to be your first choice for a lot of western uses, but I guarantee you’ll see a lot of postal workers and delivery riders using them for everyday work.
Manual for the Honda Super Cub C125
The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the Honda Super Cub C125.
You can download it from here.
