Herb Uhl helped shape modern motorcycling in ways most riders benefit from—but few know. In 1960, working from a small motorcycle shop in Boise, Idaho, Herb developed what would become the Honda Trail Bike—widely regarded as the first motorcycle-based recreational off-road vehicle. That idea didn’t just create a product. It created a movement.
How would you like to help Herb Uhl get into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame? The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame accepts nominations from the public.
WHY HERB UHL BELONGS IN THE HALL OF FAME
✔ Originator of the Trail Bike Concept
The Honda Trail 50 (CT series) introduced a new kind of riding—accessible, versatile, and built for exploration.
✔ Catalyst for an Entire Industry Segment
Trail bikes led directly to:
Recreational + business off-road riding worldwide
Today, this category represents billions of dollars in global impact.
✔ Early Honda Importer & Innovator in the U.S.
Before factory production:
Converted Honda Cubs into trail-ready machines
Helped prove and expand the market
✔ Competitive Credibility
ISDT (International Six Days Trial) competitor, 1969 at age 40
The first U.S. father-son team in the event’s 44-year history
Herb was a Silver Medal finisher, and his son, William, won a gold medal
They both rode Sachs factory competition bikes
✔ A Lifetime of Contribution
At 97 years old, Herb continues contributing ideas to improve motorcycle design—most recently through his work on practical, rider-centered adventure bikes.
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
Many pioneers are recognized long after their contributions have changed the world. Herb Uhl’s work helped define how millions of people experience motorcycling today. It is time to formally recognize the man behind the ATV movement.
I’m honored to share that I’ve been invited to serve as keynote speaker at the 50th Annual Idaho Vintage Motorcycle & Bicycle Rally & Show, hosted by the Idaho Vintage Motorcycle Club in Caldwell, Idaho.
At 97 years old, I’ll be speaking about the subject of my newest book, The Best Adventure Bike: How to Own the Best Adventure Bike Now, and why the adventure category is ready—once again—for a reset led by riders, not marketing departments.
This event holds special meaning for me. Idaho has been home for much of my life, and the vintage motorcycle community understands something that modern industry often forgets: the best motorcycles were built when design served riders first.
The story I’ll be sharing isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about design fundamentals, real-world riding, and how the same thinking that led to the original Honda Trail Bike applies directly to today’s adventure motorcycles. The bones are already there. The question is whether we’re willing to see them—and act.
Do you have a fantastic idea for an invention? That’s great news! Everyone has a special idea or invention that the world needs to see. Sharing your idea can make a big difference and help things move forward in a big way. It’s your sacred responsibility to share your ideas. If you do it right, you can also make a lot of money from it.
1. Document Your Idea
Start by writing down every detail about your invention, including how it works, its purpose, and how it’s different from existing products. Keep a dated inventor’s journal and have it signed by a witness. This documentation will be crucial when you seek help and protection for your idea.
2. Research and Protect Your Idea
Conduct a patent search to ensure your idea is unique. You can use resources like the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website for this. Consider filing a provisional patent application to secure a filing date while you further develop your idea. This gives you a year to refine your invention and file a non-provisional patent application.
3. Create a Prototype
Develop a working prototype of your invention. This will help you test its functionality and make any necessary improvements.
4. Seek Professional Help
Consult with a patent attorney or a professional invention development company to guide you through the patent process and help you refine your idea. They can assist with preparing your patent application, including the written description, the claims, and the drawings.
5. Market Your Invention
Once your idea is protected, start marketing it. You can approach companies that buy invention ideas, such as Idea Buyer, Sharper Image, and Dewalt. You can also consider licensing your idea to a company or do-it-yourself manufacturing and marketing your product using crowdfunding resources.
6. Government Resources
Explore government grants and resources for innovation and entrepreneurship4. Local Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) can provide guidance and support.
7. Online Platforms
Use online platforms and forums to connect with other inventors, get feedback, and find potential collaborators.
Getting help with your invention idea involves documenting your idea, conducting research, protecting it through patents, seeking professional help, and marketing your invention. By following these steps, you can turn your idea into a reality and make a significant impact.
You can always get a copy of my book, How to Make a Patent for an Idea, to help you even more with your invention idea. And if you’ve read my book and think you could use some subjective feedback on your invention idea, contact me.
In How to Make a Patent for an Idea: Survive the Invention Process, Help Humanity, and Make a Ton of Money, Herb Uhl, a practical inventor renowned for creating the first two-wheeled ATV, delivers an indispensable guide for aspiring inventors. At 95 years old, Uhl’s wealth of experience and passion for innovation shine through every page, making this #1 New Release book stand out in patenting and product development literature.
A Comprehensive Guide with a Unique Perspective
Its comprehensive and realistic approach sets Uhl’s book apart from others on the same topic. Uhl thoroughly explores various strategies for developing product ideas and engaging in advanced thinking processes. He helps readers determine whether the patent process suits their invention, offering the valuable insight that patenting isn’t always the best route. Instead, he introduces the option of bypassing the patent route to go straight to manufacturing and marketing. This approach emphasizes working smarter, not harder, to achieve financial success.
Encouraging Innovation and Overcoming Fear
One of the most inspiring aspects of Uhl’s book is his unwavering belief that everyone has a million-dollar idea capable of benefiting society. He urges readers not to let fear or self-doubt prevent them from sharing their ideas. Instead, he encourages proactive participation in the evolutionary process of innovation, emphasizing the importance of every idea as a link to future progress. Uhl’s motivational tone is infectious, instilling confidence and possibility in his readers.
Overcoming Subconscious Hurdles
Uhl’s straightforward writing style makes complex concepts accessible, ensuring readers can follow along without feeling overwhelmed. He addresses the subconscious hurdles that often prevent people from pursuing their inventive ideas, offering practical advice on building confidence and taking decisive action.
The Risks and Rewards of Patenting
While Uhl advocates protecting intellectual property, he also cautions inventors about potential pitfalls. He discusses how the patent process can sometimes backfire, leading to complications that may deter or financially burden inventors. Furthermore, he warns against the risks associated with bank financing and partnerships with organizations like the Small Business Administration (SBA), which may not always have the inventor’s best interests at heart.
The Revised Poor Man’s Patent
For those operating on a tight budget, Uhl introduces a revised version of the “poor man’s patent.” This method provides a cost-effective way for inventors to safeguard their ideas while they test the market.
Practical Advice for Market Success
Drawing from his extensive experience, Uhl shares valuable insights into successfully bringing a product to market. He emphasizes the importance of product sizing for optimal shelf display and efficient shipping and highlights the benefits of utilizing free packaging materials, reducing costs, and enhancing profitability.
Cautionary Tales and Actionable Advice
Uhl’s extensive experience is evident as he shares cautionary tales that cover all aspects of idea promotion, patenting, manufacturing, funding, and partnering. These stories serve as warnings and lessons, guiding readers through potential pitfalls with actionable advice. Uhl’s guidance is practical and grounded, making complex processes understandable and manageable for readers at any stage of their invention journey.
Experience the Fulfillment of Innovation
How to Make a Patent for an Idea is more than just a guide to the patenting process; it’s an invitation to experience the exhilaration and fulfillment of bringing an idea to market. Uhl’s wisdom, accumulated over a lifetime of inventing and repurposing, allows readers to significantly impact the world while achieving personal satisfaction and financial rewards. His concise, no-nonsense delivery ensures that readers can quickly grasp and apply the concepts, making this book a practical manual for anyone looking to successfully navigate the world of invention.
A Brief, No-Filler Approach
Uhl’s delivery is brief and to the point, stripping away unnecessary filler to focus on essential information. This approach ensures that readers can quickly grasp and apply the concepts, making the book a practical manual for inventors at any stage of their journey.
Conclusion
Herb Uhl’s How to Make a Patent for an Idea is a must-read for aspiring inventors. It combines practical advice with motivational guidance, making it an invaluable resource for those looking to turn their ideas into reality. Uhl’s passion for innovation and belief in every idea’s potential make this book an inspiring and practical tool for achieving success in the invention process. Whether you are a seasoned inventor or just starting, Uhl’s insights will help you navigate the complexities of patenting, manufacturing, and marketing your product, ultimately leading to personal and financial fulfillment.
Author Inventor Herb Uhl
Author: Herb Uhl
Herb Uhl, who pre-designed the Honda Trail 50 and is credited as the inventor of the two-wheeled ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle), has significantly impacted the motorcycle industry. His modification of Honda Cubs laid the groundwork for trail bikes, three-wheelers, and ATVs. Uhl’s “Smaller Adult Motorcycles: Long Awaited New Market Segment” proposes high-end motorcycles for shorter riders seeking quality rides. He taps into an untapped market segment, addressing motorcycle ergonomics for men and women of shorter stature 1.
Additionally, Uhl shares his story of creating the Honda Trail motorcycle, a pivotal moment in motorcycle industry history 2. His influence extends beyond inventions; it shapes how we ride today 3.
In summary, the book and Herb Uhl’s contributions offer valuable insights into patenting and motorcycle innovation. Whether you’re an inventor or a motorcycle enthusiast, their work is worth exploring.
They are moving in the right direction. Kawasaki is the first motorcycle manufacturer to acknowledge that the other half of the world’s possible motorcycle riders even exist.
The 2023 Kawasaki KLX230 S
They have spent the necessary R&D time to make a properly suspended low-seat height all-purpose motorcycle that will fit most short-inseam riders all over the world.
Finally, someone is getting the idea that there is an expansive segment of riders that are not comfortable with the standard seat height of motorcycles. I have been reporting this huge oversight to the motorcycle manufacturers since Honda adopted my original design modifications for their trail bike many years ago, leading to the first two-wheeled ATV.
Enter Kawasaki’s KLX230 S for 2023 which has adopted some of the ideas I presented in my 2016 Smaller Adult Motorcycles: Long Awaited New Market Segment book. I am pleased that someone answered the call. This should lead to making the motorcycle market more accessible to riders who have waited in the wings for a more safe-feeling ride on a bike that will accommodate a shorter inseam.
The official word from the Kawasaki team is, “A deeper dive into the data showed an opportunity to satisfy more potential customers by prioritizing lower seat height. With this, we also recognized that it was critical to stay authentic to the KLX concept by offering a lower seat height while maintaining true dual-sport capability.”
They also took another look at the off-road suspension system and conducted a redesign of it to mitigate the spectrum of small bumps in the road as well as rugged off-road terrain challenges affecting both front and rear suspension.
Cycle News field tested and featured the 2023 Kawasaki KLX230 S in its January 24, 2023, issue and demonstrated its ability to enthusiastically impress an avid rider with a 31.5-inch inseam.
Following is the road test from Cycle News that tells all about it:
According to the reviewer, “The KLX230 is certainly a beginner’s friend,” adding that it will appeal to advanced riders as well because, “the devil horns will pop out real quick and the progressive suspension will invite you to push harder.” Adding that, the bike will offer a thrilling experience for “more experienced riders who perhaps don’t have the mobility to throw a leg over an XR400.”
Now what Kawasaki needs to do is make a dedicated frame for their motorcycles built for smaller adults. By making this move, they can have a fully plush seat height of 28 inches and easily provide for almost all of us short-inseam people.
Herb Uhl reviews UBCO’s Electric Trail Adventure Bike. The new company sought Uhl’s opinion of their latest model as he was the inventor of the first 2-wheeled ATV in the fifties. Herb’s design spawned a whole series of trail bikes from Honda.
Herb Uhl’s review follows:
I got to try out UBCO’s 2-wheel drive trail-utility bike with an electric motor in each wheel. The brand manufactures their units in New Zealand.
Their electric trail bike had enough battery for 2 to 3 hours of trail use, depending on how hard you ride it.
The bike was very well built with beautiful welds and well worked out controls.
What I most liked about both wheels pulling is that no leaning was necessary and at almost 0 speed, I could pick my way around most trail junk with almost no effort.
Most of the weight of the bike was that stupid battery.
Electric in-wheel is perfect for a trail bike, just like electric power to all wheels makes sense in a car or pickup. What does not make sense is getting electric power from a battery.
I know you have all seen lightning, so we all know we are surrounded with electric power. Since it exists, it can be harvested.
There are two problems with that; 1) No one has figured out a way to charge us for all that free power, 2) It would add to our freedom, and that must be squelched at all costs.
One of the first things to change when society goes the way of the do do bird, is we will be able to harvest that unlimited energy at the point of use.
My research shows that a small module that weighs 5 pounds or less would provide all the energy a trail bike needs, and you would never run out of fuel.
You think it’s not possible?
Nikola Tesla introduces battery-free electric powered car in 1931
In 1931 Nikola Tesla ran a Pierce-arrow that had been converted to a Westinghouse electric motor, around the Buffalo/New York-area for several hours, sometimes at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour.
The car had no batteries allowed and a witness said Nicola only took a rather large black box with him, hooked up some wires, and away they went.
Do you suppose Dr. Tesla was harvesting electrical energy at the point of use?
10 years before Tesla, brothers introduce electric car powered by atmospheric energy.
Electric cars running on atmospheric electricity were introduced as early as 1921, ten years before the Tesla run.
Tesla’s first experimental electric car project was built in 1897, did not have a storage battery, and never had to stop at a service station. The only mechanical moving parts in his car were the wheels and steering apparatus. Tesla used a new kind of primary battery. The battery could power the car for 500 miles, then could be simply roadside replaced in less than a minute.
The only thing that keeps us from harvesting energy at our homes or on vehicles now is various varieties of greed.
According to stats from UBCO, the all-wheel drive 2×2 electric bike weighs in a 330 lbs., has a 75-mile range, and can operate up to 6 hours with its 3.1kWh battery on a full charge.
Given that Honda and Yamaha’s earliest attempts at racing machinery were designed to be used on the rugged dirt-surfaced courses in Japan like Asama Mountain, they were off-roaders as much as road racleers – street scramblers, if you like, and often shod with knobby tires.
The German Adler Cross scrambler may or may not have provided the inspiration for the Honda RC70 – it depends who you ask. This particular restoration belongs to Dutch spare parts company, CMS. Photography by CMS
It was not until the early ‘60s that the designs became slightly more refined (coincidentally with the increased popularity of motocross in Japan as a result of Australian Tim Gibbes’ Racing Schools conducted there from 1963). But back in 1957, what Honda offered the budding racer was what the factory termed the RC70F, a 250cc twin using the C70 (and later C71) engine, which had the “rotary” gear box favored by several of the Japanese manufacturers. This had first gear at the bottom of the shift pattern, followed by neutral, followed (if the rider kept pressing downwards) top gear and so on.
The RC70 was offered for sale in Japan as early as 1958, and one school of thought has it that the overall look was influenced by the German Adler Cross Scrambler. The two certainly shared many similarities, notably the long-travel leading-link front suspension and the wide cradle tubular steel frame. The frame itself is remarkably similar to the Adler. The RC70 was available with or without lighting.
Of course, the late ‘50s was also the period when Honda was keenly eyeing the U.S. market, taking the significant step of setting up their own distribution center in California-American-Honda in early 1960.
Herb Uhl Herco Engineering, Boise
However, prior to that, at least four examples of the production RC70 found their way to the USA. Two went to Herb Uhl, who had a motorcycle dealership in Boise, Idaho, and who had competed in the International Six Days Trial in Europe on two occasions, riding with his brother Bill who was an Expert-class flat track rider. Herb noted later, “I imported a couple of RC70 off-road bikes from Honda Japan in early 1959 and they had excellent leading-arm forks.
About the same time, another pair of RC70s was sent to Alan D’Alo in California. D’Alo was an amateur racer from Norwalk, California, who annually competed in the Catalina Island “Grand Prix” on an MV Agusta. The Hondas were imported ostensibly to test the market, and came with basic C70 250cc Dream engines.
Local racers were still wrestling with the left-side sift gear levers on these early Hondas, because many of the European racing bikes came with right-side shift transmission selectors. Having to remember which side of the engine to change gears with, as well as coping with the “rotary” gearbox function, was more than most riders wanted to deal with back then.
The “fix” for the RC70 riders was to commandeer engine assemblies from the 1959 CE7ts, once they were released for sale through the fledgling AHMC distributorship. The electric-start CE71 was Honda’s U.S.-spec “dream Super Sport” model, which featured a conventional return-shift transmission, a larger 24mm carburetor (vs. 22mm carburetors that were stock on Dream engines) and a horsepower upgrade due to higher compression pistons and more aggressive camshaft timing.
One of the RC70s was assigned to budding motocross rider Preston Petty, who later founded the plastic mudguard revolution that found a ready market in the booming off-road scene. Petty won several local Southern California races on the RC70F, which later had a CE7t engine fitted. As the Honda was developed, some reports say Petty trimmed off the factory-installed leading-link suspension front end and machined up a new steering head which could hold British AJS telescopic front forks and a wider, smaller 18-inch front wheel in place of the standard 2.75 x 19-inch front tire.
The RC70F varied slightly in specification during the period of its cataloged existence, some being fitted with a high-level exhaust pipe with a substantial muffler on the right-hand side, others with straight-through pipes exiting in front of the right-hand rear shock absorber, and others with low road-style pipes and muffler. There were also dry-sump versions available.
The 1960-61 pre-production Honda 250 Scrambler prototypes also came with single-carb Dream engines, but with return shift transmissions. When the 1961 CN72 Hawk, sport bikes were released, the first thing that happened to the “next generation” 250 Scrambler was again a motor transplant, but this time from a CB72, which had dual carbs, even higher compression pistons and a 10,000 rpm redline.
In fairness to Honda, they were not the only ones who offered “rotary gearboxes” to the public. Early Yamahas, the Bridgestone 175s and Litac motorcycles also had this feature for a few years, among other now-extinct manufactured models. Honda continued to offer the rotary-gearbox option of domestic 250-305cc Dreams and CYP77 Police bikes into the mid-1960s, but no other “larger” models were so equipped after that.
In 1956, I went into the motorcycle business part-time with the pricey sum of $500.00 as my total capital investment. That was everything I had to risk. I was living in Boise, Idaho, and it was a nice little town in those days. We had roads, yes—but more importantly, we had trails heading straight into the foothills and mountains east of town.
Back then, no one hauled their dirt bike in a pickup. You just rode it from your house to wherever you wanted to go. The mountains were our playground.
Nickolas Gray from Detroit, Michigan, had just become the importer for Maico, a German brand with legendary quality. They built real enduros and scramblers with 250cc engines—exactly what we needed for Idaho riding. Before I came along, the popular bikes were Triumph, BSA, and Harley-Davidson. Big 500cc, 650cc, and 1000cc machines. Fine motorcycles, but you needed real skill to ride those big bikes in the dirt.
Most anyone, though, could have fun on a 250cc and develop skill as a side effect.
I understood that.
Very soon, I had sold so many Maicos that I had to quit my day job working on cars and become a full-time motorcycle dealer. I rented an abandoned flower shop, put up a sign, and just like that, I was in business.
By 1958, we had outgrown the flower shop, and, still working from that original $500, I put down a deposit and bought an abandoned service station farther up the street. It had a tall glass front, perfect for a showroom. Behind it was a repair area. That old service station became one of the most exciting motorcycle shops in the Northwest.
Over the years, my store was associated with 30 different motorcycle brands from 9 different countries. I did that because my loyalty was never to a manufacturer. It was always searching for what the rider wanted.
The First Honda Comes to Boise
Here’s something many people don’t realize: I was the first importer of a Honda motorcycle of any kind into the United States. After that, the Honda Company arrived in the USA.
I got the Super Cub, called the C100 or CA100 at the time, which was a scooter-like motorcycle with a pressed-steel frame, 50cc engine, three-speed transmission, and automatic clutch, and 17-inch wire wheels. It was simple, light, reliable, and brilliantly engineered.
There was just one problem. Boise didn’t want city transportation bikes.
In 1960, Boise was still a small town. People didn’t need scooters to commute through traffic. They needed something that could climb a mining road, cross a ranch, or get them into the hills for hunting season.
The Super Cub, as delivered, wasn’t that bike. Most dealers would have said, “It won’t sell here.” I didn’t see it that way.
One of my strengths is my ability to understand what the public wants in a specific product line. When I was a dealer, I understood the customers wanted a trail bike, nd nothing good was available in that category.
The Super Cub was light. It was dependable. It had a low center of gravity. It had a step-through design simplicity. What it lacked was gearing, tires, protection, and rugged purpose. So, I built what the factory had not yet imagined.
In my custom shop at Herco Engineering Co., I began modifying the Super Cub to my trail and ranch specifications. I changed gearing. I added protection, and I had knobby tires built for that size wheel. I configured it for hunting, trail riding, ranch work, and open-road travel.
What I created was not a scooter anymore. It was the first motorcycle-derived ATV. Sales escalated rapidly.
Before long, I was selling more Honda Cubs than all the dealers in the Los Angeles region combined. That caught Honda’s attention. They came to Boise to see what was going on.
I introduced them to my trail bike based on their Super Cub. They studied it carefully. They asked for specifications. They even took one of my bikes home to reverse engineer it.
In no time, Honda had production models of what became the Trail series, culminating in the legendary Trail 90.
The Trail 90 became the biggest-selling adventure bike in the world.
Did I get paid for my extra design-work?
No. I just sold way more motorcycles because I had what the customers were looking for.
I never saw a penny from that innovation itself, only for the results.
But understand this: it was never about the money. It was about making motorcycles better for the rider. It was about recognizing a need and filling it.
And frankly, Honda building my design meant I could sell more bikes with less effort, because the product now arrived already suited for my customers.
That single shift, from city transport to trail utility, helped launch an entire segment of the motorcycle industry.
From that point forward, the evolution was unstoppable:
Trail bikes
Three-wheelers
Four-wheelers
Side-by-sides
All of it traces back to one simple realization: riders wanted machines that could go where the roads ended.
People sometimes forget that the Jeep was the first automotive-derived ATV. Look at how that evolved into today’s off-road trucks and super-duty machines. The same thing happened in motorcycles. A lightweight transportation machine became a utility vehicle. A utility vehicle became a trail platform. That platform became an industry.
What began as a modified 50cc Honda in Boise, Idaho, led to multimillion-dollar windfalls for major manufacturers.
In the annals of motorcycle history, people talk about big names and big factories. But innovation does not always start in Tokyo, Munich, or Milwaukee.
Sometimes it starts in an abandoned flower shop or glass-front service station. Sometimes it starts with $500 and a willingness to see what others overlook.
I did not invent the motorcycle. I did not build the Super Cub, but I understood what the public wanted before the factories did, and when you can see potential inside an existing design, and you are willing to act on it, you can change an industry.
That is the real legacy. Not money. Not fame. Contribution.
And the satisfaction of knowing that somewhere, someone is riding a trail bike today because a dealer in Boise decided a city scooter deserved to climb a mountain.
The Honda CT125 is back/new for 2021. Turns out Herb was onto something all those years ago.
Herb Uhl Herco Engineering Boise ID
Back in 1960, there was a Honda dealer in Boise who was selling far more Honda 50 step-thru motorcycles than a dealer nestled in the mountainous ranges of Idaho had any right to.
That man, Herb Uhl, had noticed the rugged ability of Honda’s 50 before even Honda had. (To be fair, Honda had only been in the U.S. for one year at that point.) And he had been taking The Little Bike That Could and throwing a few choice mods at it, like knobby tires, removing the leg guards, and fitting a larger rear sprocket to turn it into a trail bike.
Buyers were snapping these things up left and right, and it eventually came to the attention of Honda in California, so Herb sent one of his creations to the U.S. HQ for a bit of analysis by Honda’s Jack McCormack, then sales manager of American Honda.
It was a brilliant little machine,” McCormack said to writer Aaron Frank in his book. Honda Motorcycles. “It worked so well because it was light and with the automatic clutch, you could climb logs. To do that on a big bike, you had to have a certain amount of skill. I saw lots of possibilities for something like Herb was doing, selling it as a bike that you could go in the woods and hunt or fish with.
McCormack was so enthused about Uhl’s 50 that he sent it back to Honda’s home base in Japan demanding a production version. Honda, being the small and nimble company they once were before becoming the conglomerate they are today, obliged and created the CA100T Trail 50 for the 1961 model year.
Like the Cun/SuperCub, the ST became a motorcycle that could take you to the farthest reaches of the earth on barely the smell of an old rag. In the 60 years since the first CA100T Trail 50 landed here in the U.S., there’s only been five model updates – 1964 for the CT200 Trail 90, 1969’s CT70 Trail 70, 1981 saw the introduction of the CT110, and 2021 for the new CT125 Trail 125 ABS.
The bones of 60 years of CT’s still reside in the 125. The ride position has barely changed in 40 years.
The CT110 saw the longest model run of almost any production bike ever created and has a special place in my heart as the motorcycle the postman came to deliver our mail on each day while I was growing up in Australia.
The new version in the 125 Trail 125 ABS (silly name, I know), was first shown to the public at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show and borrows heavily from the Super Cub that was released in the U.S. that year.
The Super Cub’s two-valve, single overhead camshell, fuel-injected, 125cc single cylinder motor has been donated, although the CT gets a longer intake and a different exhaust which helps better low-end power, as well as a three-tooth larger rear sprocket, and the CT still retains the trademark heel/toe four-speed auto clutch gearshift.
The SuoerCub’s frame has been used as the blueprint for the CT’s but there’s some pretty big differences between the two.
First, the wheelbase is 0.5 inches longer at 19.4 inches, the front suspension has got 0.4 inches extra wheel travel to 4.3 inches, ground clearance is increased by 11 inches, and the seat height has been raised 0.9 inches to 31.5 inches.
The headpipe has been reinforced, there’s different handlebars with a much sharper upsweep and there are17-inch knobby tires mounted on rims with stainless steel spokes.
Disc brakes front and rear have been fitted to replace the CT110’s drum brake setup, and the gas tank gets an extra 0.4 gallons of capacity to register 1.4 gallons. Finally, there’s a step guard to protect the bottom of the motor.
Riding the CT125, it really doesn’t feel that far gone from the CT110, and that’s a good thing. This is about as unintimidating a motorcycle as you can possibly buy, with the 125cc motor good for (in my hands) a whopping 50 mpg with a downhill and a tailwind. This is a bike designed to get you to faraway places, and one made in such a way you could fix most problems with a Swiss army knife.
The power is enough that it keeps up with traffic on back roads but, like the Super Cub, don’t go taking this on any freeways unless you want to become someone’s hood ornament.
The braking performance is better than I remember from when I had my
In designing a motorcycle there are several critical measurements that must first be finalized.
From watching customers decide which bike to buy, over the years, and from my own riding experience, the first and most important measurement to be locked in should be the seat height. After all, these machines should be built to fit people and people come with various inseam lengths, within certain ranges.
Currently, go anywhere all-purpose motorcycles called “adventure bikes” seem to be built for people who are in the 32 through 36-inch inseam range. There simply are no all-purpose motorcycles built for the 25 inch through 30-inch inseam range.
In reality what this means is approximately 60% of the world’s population can’t buy a “go anywhere adventure type motorcycle” to fit their body at any price. The only motorcycles available to them are some of the cruiser models and motorcycles built for young children to learn on.
To put this into perspective the adventure type bike is the popular two-wheel equivalent of the crossover style car that’s the biggest seller now in the automotive market.
It seems to me there is a huge chunk of business available to the company who takes the time to develop a line of go-anywhere motorcycles to fit the 25-inch through 30-inch inseam range of people. With all the millions of short people, which includes most females and a huge percentage of males available as customers, that market could be larger than the current motorcycle market we see now.
Some original design work will have to be done for sure, but the prize available in the end will be a whole new market for motorcycles every bit as large as the current market or larger.
To see if you would be a customer in this new market segment simply measure your inseam length.
It’s an often ignored safety issue, but the closer you can come to being able to touch the ground flat-footed at stops or in panic situations, the more control you have over your motorcycle.
My motorcycle passion has always been in trail riding and off-highway competition. To do that with my 27-inch inseam length, I’ve always had to build my own special motorcycle frames with components from various bikes to achieve the control and comfort I desired. One thing I learned early on, was that the maximum suspension travel I could use with my inseam length was 7 inches.
My effort then became to experiment with various 7-inch travel forks to see which ones gave me the control, handling, comfort and safety trail riding and off-road racing required, with my inseam length. The best handling and smoothest riding ones were leading link forks from Dot, Greeves and Sachs.
1964 DOT leading forks
1967 Greeves leading link fork
Sachs/DKW leading link forks
Both Dot and Greeves had relatively useless Villiers engines, so I simply used their forks, which were great, with much higher tech engines from other makers in my modified 29-inch seat height frames. With about 2 inches of suspension sag, as my weight found the seat, I could put my feet flat on the ground. With my race clothes on, and ready to ride, my weight was right in the 160-pound range so it didn’t take huge engines to make me very competitive overall.
So there I was racing through the forest, or the desert, in relative comfort as most of those around me were wearing themselves out on motorcycles that didn’t fit them and certainly didn’t ride as good as mine.
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
Visit the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame website →
YOU CAN MAKE YOUR VOICE MATTER
The Best Adventure Bike: How to Own the Best Adventure Bike Now 
