I recently had the privilege of picking up a very special bike: a 2002 Honda CR125R that carries a lot of history for me. This machine was purchased new in 2002 by a close family friend, Joe. At that same time, Joe’s brother bought one as well, and his son picked up a leftover 2001 model (which I also now own today).
Sadly, Joe has since passed, but I was given the opportunity to purchase his CR125R — and I can’t put into words how grateful I feel. Joe was someone I truly looked up to, and owning his bike feels a bit like having my own Ferrari. It’s not just a CR125R — it’s a reflection of Joe’s meticulous approach to building something truly lightweight and unique.
Lightweight, Meticulous Details
Joe’s attention to detail shines through everywhere on this bike. Nearly every aluminum part has been drilled for weight savings (with the exception of the frame itself), and the list of titanium and carbon components is staggering:
Dry carbon fiber fork guards, clutch cover, stator cover, chain guide/guard, and top engine mount
Full titanium hardware — every single bolt, including axles, swingarm bolt, and subframe bolts
Titanium fork springs
Fro Systems titanium footpegs
Titanium handlebars
DID 520ERV3 chain
Renthal 53/12 gearing
No Toil air filter
Dyno Port pipe (Dyno Port: 315-258-5618)
Ron McCord pulse induction carb system
V-Force reeds
iCat spark booster
Bark Busters
Rekluse Z-Start auto-clutch (installed in 2004, possibly one of their earliest kits)
Rekluse rear hand brake kit — rear foot brake removed
Acerbis 2-piece front fender, OEM plastics and graphics everywhere else
Bridgestone M203/204 tires
Engine: Max Power 145cc Build
The engine is the crown jewel of this build — a full 145cc Max Power setup with serious attention to detail.
Work performed included:
Cylinder replated and offset bored
Porting and decking of cylinder base
Head rechambered and CC’d for offset bore
Crankcases split, inspected, machined, and reassembled
New rod installed, crank trued, and balanced with tungsten
Special crank cam modifications
Updated to CR125 ’07 crankshaft for improved durability
Water pump shaft replaced
Main bearings, studs, and seals updated throughout
Compression came out at 170 psi open and 180 psi closed (gauges vary). The goal was a reliable engine that would run on 91 octane and deliver as much low-end as possible — and Max Power delivered.
Why This Bike Matters to Me
Beyond the titanium, carbon fiber, and Max Power motor, this bike means something deeper. Joe built this CR125R with care and precision, and now I get to carry on that legacy. Owning this bike feels like a tribute to him, and every time I look at it or ride it, I’m reminded of what it represents.
It’s light, it’s fast, and it’s rare — but more importantly, it’s personal.
Future Plans
For now, my plan is mostly to preserve the bike as Joe built it. I’ll keep it dialed in, maintain it meticulously, and showcase it at rides and events. It’s already an incredible machine — and I don’t want to change too much of the history that’s built into it.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my 2002 CR125R. I’ll keep updating as I spend more time with it, and I’ll drop in more photos as I go.
*note- if anyone on here recognizes the bike from other threads that maybe Joe had, please share them with me!
Do you know Joe’s handle on this site ? If not , Michael may be able to find it for you 🤷♂️. Awesome to see that the bike is in good hands and respected for its history.
Thank you! I’m not sure what his handle may have been. He was very active in tracking his cars as well. When he had his Porsche Cayman his handle on the Porsche forum was simply his name ‘josephsdesimone’ it may be the same over here I will have to try a search 👍🏼
Very cool build.
All of the M6 bolts look to have recesses machined on the heads, I wonder if that's how they were manufactured originally or if they're modified?
The rear brake mod is interesting, any idea of the reasoning for it?
Seems a shame to have big bulky bark busters on this bike! I guess they're on there for a reason.
Intrigued by the carb as well, any chance of some more pics?
I hadn’t even noticed the bolts until you pointed it out, but you’re spot on—they definitely look like they’ve been machined a bit more than a standard bolt. Not sure if that’s how they came or if someone put some extra work into them.
As for the rear brake mod, I’m not totally sure what Joe’s thinking was. The Rekluse brochure that came with the bike shows it was a brand-new product at the time, so maybe he just wanted to give it a try. I feel like once you’re used to it, it could be pretty cool. For me though, since I haven’t ridden it yet, the idea of the front brake being “normal” but the rear being opposite of how it would be on a BMX/MTB is definitely something I’d need to adjust to.
I agree with you on the bark busters too—they are a little on the bulky side. A slimmer set (carbon fiber would be sweet) is probably worth looking into at some point.
I also grabbed a few photos and some paperwork on the carb setup. My other CR125 that came from Joe has the same setup, so I’ve gotten a little familiar with it and have read up on it too. From what I’ve found, it really shines on bigger bikes like the CR500. On my other mostly stock 125 with this setup, I run a plug that’s two steps hotter (7) and a 320 main / 30 pilot, instead of the stock 420 / 40. The air screw has a ton of range, so I never have to re-jet for different temps or altitude. Honestly, it kind of feels like an early version of a Lectron, before those even existed.
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That's kinda hilarious on the carb mod. It took me a moment but I think I figured it out. That's a glorified version of a boost bottle setup. Different setup than I've seen of it.
It looks like it's goes from the manifold loops up with the U connector to one of the carb vents. Why it requires that custom made reed block manifold. Popular mod back in the early 80's. Look up boost bottles mxa had an article online about how it works.
The carb wings another Popular early 2000's mod. It was supposed to give you better throttle response at the different slide throttle openings. I believe later on they found out didn't really work and restricted air flow.
Left hand rear brake woods guys liked because it was easier for down hill braking supposedly.
The bolts could be a aftermarket kit or just oem honda bolts. They started using them as oem bolts like that in 05.
Sure spent a lot of time messing about with that mikuni carb. When a keihi pwk swap would have been better.
Cheers for posting, it sure is an interesting build. A lot of time, effort and thought has gone into it. Thanks for sharing!
It's always fun owning a bike with a story behind it.
Carb mod is a version of the Yamaha boost bottle for sure. FYI Lectron carbs have been around since the late 70s with continued improvements to the system for years.
Lots of neat mods to the bike and he definitely liked spending money. It would be interesting to see how much stronger that bike runs over the more traditional modification available.
Youre correct, same concept as the boost bottle. Here is a pretty good article on it. https://bannedcr500riders.com/viewtopic.php?t=13889
The carb wings I don’t think I would notice it working but will keep it for the nostalgia.
Ive not heard of using the keihi pwk, but that’s something I will look into for the other bike with the current mcord setup.
Thanks!
The carb wing will help a 125 with low end. Most 125 towards the end ran 38mm carbs (same as a 250) to give them that sweet top end over rev. It was at the cost of low end as the velocity through the carb was pretty slow and made them run larger pilot jets leading to poor throttle response. The wing increases that velocity which helps the pilot circuit and throttle response. Can you feel it, a little bit but it definitely helps clean up the jetting.
The PWK air striker is the gold standard of carbs. It just does a better job with tuning and getting the most out of an engine.
The hole depth is different in titanium bolts, depending on the manufacturer...
Mettec...
Motostuff...
Pro-bolt...
Thanks everyone for the added info 👍🏼
Had the rear shock rebuilt since it was leaking after sitting so long. My suspension guy said it has a three-stage shim stack and a piston that he has never seen before.
I had originally planned to use the stock spring when reinstalling but decided to use the Titanium spring that Joe had on the bike. The Titanium spring is 4.6kg
Got it outside for a couple quick pictures.
Want to sell the IKat ? I need it. Thx
Sorry, nothing from this bike will be for sale until I am dead, unless the original owners family would want the bike back at any point ❤️. I believe the icat or its new version can be purchased online still.
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