Honda Dax 125 Review: A Tiny Time Machine With a Giant Soul

It’s just a 125cc mini bike, meant for ice cream runs, not mountain passes. Yet that’s exactly what I set out to do: an epic loop from Salt Lake City to Park City, over Guardsman Pass at nearly 10,000 feet, then back into the valley to meet the lunch crew. No freeways allowed. Just secondary roads, some paved and some not.

The Honda Dax Test Ride

The Dax makes just 9.3 horsepower at sea level. At Utah’s elevations, that drops closer to six. Would it breathe at 10,000 feet? Could those fat little wheels handle real switchbacks? This ride would test the machine and me.

Outfitted in my finest 1970s “protective” gear, I broke the leash and let the Dax run.

Why Honda Called It the “Dax”

Back in 1960, Honda wanted people to ride motorcycles without looking like Marlon Brando in The Wild One. They built the tiny “monkey bike” for kids at Tokyo’s Tama Tech amusement park. It was silly, approachable, and instantly popular.

In 1969, Honda followed with a pressed-steel framed mini that looked suspiciously like a dachshund. Naturally, they called it the Dax. With 10-inch tires, folding handlebars, and buckets of charm, it won people over.

When it came to America, Honda figured nobody would buy a bike named after a wiener dog, so they rebadged it as the CT70 “Trail 70.” Farmers, campers, kids, and even the U.S. Forest Service loved it. More importantly, it became the starter bike of a generation.

Childhood Memories of the CT70

When I was a kid, the neighbors had an orange CT70 with a black frame stripe. I was green with envy. The kids tore around town on it while their dad disappeared to secret fishing holes. On weekends, they folded the bars down, stuffed it in the back of a wood-paneled station wagon, and vanished on adventures my five-year-old brain could only imagine. That little Honda lit the fuse.

The Modern Honda Dax 125

Fast forward to today. The modern Dax still runs the bulletproof 125cc thumper shared with the Grom and Monkey.

• Honda Grom – the hooligan, cheap, cheerful, and always trying to wheelie past cops.
• Honda Monkey – pure nostalgia, packing more retro charm than physics should allow.
• Honda Dax – the friendly dachshund, a long bench seat, semi-auto gearbox, retro styling, and smiles wherever it goes.

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Performance at High Elevation

Climbing into the Wasatch, the Dax strained. At 8,000 feet, it could barely muster 40 mph. By 10,000 feet, the little motor was down to five or six horsepower, buzzing like an angry beehive. And yet, I couldn’t stop grinning. Every sweeping corner was a dare, and even though 55 mph felt heroic, the agility made me feel like I was flying.

On gravel, the Dax bounced happily. Fat tires and twin shocks smoothed out the worst of it. It’s no dirt bike, but it doesn’t embarrass itself either.

Conquering Guardsman Pass

The real test came at Guardsman Pass, steep, twisty, and nearly 10,000 feet up. With the throttle welded open, the Dax dug in. Cars piled up behind me. Pride alone kept me from rolling off. And then, miracle of miracles, I passed a BMW at 33 mph. The Mighty Dax had conquered Guardsman Pass.

Is the Honda Dax Worth Buying?

After 60 miles of full-throttle riding, I arrived late for lunch, visor covered in bugs and heart completely stolen.

I know this bike is ridiculous. It’s slower than scooters, less practical than a full-size motorcycle, and not especially cheap. But here’s the thing: back in the 1970s, a CT70 cost about $400, roughly $4,000 in today’s money. The Dax still costs about the same, which makes it both absurd and perfectly true to its roots.

I tried to be unbiased. I failed. I love this bike. I love the logo shaped like a dachshund. I love blipping the semi-auto downshifts. I love how it makes me feel eight years old again.

Final Thoughts

The Dax isn’t really a motorcycle at all. It’s a memory, wrapped in nostalgic blue paint and pressed steel. No ride modes, no lean-sensitive ABS, no Bluetooth, no frills. Just joy.

That’s why I think the Honda Dax might be the coolest retro bike you can buy. It gives you the past the way you want to remember it, with fuel injection, electronic ignition, and brakes that actually work.

Thank you, Honda, for keeping this delightful little oddball alive.