2007 Honda Wave 125
When I first came to The Philippines in 2004 I swore to myself I would never drive here, relegating myself into the service of taxis, jeepneys, motorelas, and the occasional tricyle, forever. However, on my third trip to The Philippines, after spending several months here, and noting that I was spending around PHP 10,000 (about $200) per month on taxis, I determined that I could buy a scooter and save enough on taxi fare to pay for that scooter.
The reason I did not want to drive in The Philippines was because of the lack of observed traffic rules. People here drive very differently than in the United States. Navigating a crowded intersection here was originally a nervous ordeal for me. Vehicles inch forward to block opposing traffic from getting through in an effort to create an avenue for themselves. It works, but when first observed it does not make a lot of sense, and it does create some pretty dense traffic jams.
The Honda Wave 125 is not really a scooter, because a true scooter uses a flat floorboard for a foot-forward riding position. In addition, a true scooter’s motor is either under the seat or attaches to the rear wheel. The Honda Wave 125 uses foot-pegs which are positioned as on a traditional up-right riding position motorcycle. It uses an “underbone” frame, which is a single tube with the engine mounted under the frame. This gives the step-through that makes the Wave look like a scooter.
The actual foot peg position and the engine positioning of the Honda Wave makes it a motorcycle not a scooter, but still I call it a scooter, as most people do.
This baby is a model of efficiency. It’s a single overhead cam, 2-valve, 4-stroke engine displacing 124.9 cc’s. Four gears and a clutchless transmission, which means you don’t want to start this baby up in first gear and give it any kind of throttle at the same time. I did learn how to do wheelies on this thing: rev it up in neutral and then stomp it into 1st gear.
The Honda Wave gets 34 kilometers per liter, that’s 80 miles per gallon.
I’ve been told it that it has a top speed of 136 kph (84 mph), but the fastest I’ve ever had it was 110 kph, and that was going down a hill. On a flat road it might do 110 kph on it’s own if the road was long enough. With a rider cutting a much smaller swatch of wind than me it might do 120 kph under the same conditions.
The Honda Wave 125 is parts-manufactured in Japan, but it is assembled in The Philippines. This gives the final product a much lower sticker price than it would otherwise get. The same machine, with final assembly in Japan, would cost twice as much.
Modifications are limited to a wire luggage rack mounted on the neck, a Kitti Racing exhaust pipe, and green neon undercarriage lights. The exhaust pipe is mainly there for increased noise. There is no perceptable change in power because of the pipe. The pipe is not really loud, but it does create enough noise to get most other vehicles on the road aware there’s a bike in the vicinity, and to that end the pipe serves its purpose.
Future modifications may include mag wheels to allow for tubeless tires. (Wire-spoke rims require a tube because of all the holes in the wheel for the spokes to pass through. Mag wheels have no holes and thus allow for tubeless tires. The advantage of tubeless tires is that if you get a nail in the tire with tubeless you’ll develop a slow leak, but a spoked wheel with a nail in the tire that penetrates the innertube will quickly go flat. For tubeless, if you get a nail, you just leave the nail where it is until you find a repair shop. With a tubed tire you have to push the bike to the repair shop.)
The major insecurity I have with this bike is the lack of power. Compared to a liter-bike there is no real available power above 2nd gear. I’m used to bikes that can do zero to 60 mph in two-and-a-half to three seconds, like in 300 feet. This bike would be fortunate to hit 60 mph in the quarter-mile.
I also bought Marissa a 2007 Honda XRM 110cc scooter.
May 4th, 2007 at 00:52
the traffic here? call it, “organized chaos”.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:58
[...] Since Marissa and I have already done a good bit of traveling around the islands, but all via plane, ferry, or taxi, I knew that the amount of luggage we would want to take with us would just not work on a single scooter. We need one large, heavy duty laptop bag, just for for our two laptops, our cameras, battery chargers, and all the various accessories we carry. Then we need one backpack for my clothes, one for her clothes, and then we need a common bag for toiletries, rain gears, tools, spare innertubes, and stuff like that. Two people and four bags would just not be comfortable on my 2007 Honda Wave 125. [...]
May 18th, 2007 at 14:31
[...] I haven’t bought a car here yet, but in another month when the rainy season starts I probably will. I have 3 scooters though. My standing instruction to my wife is to check the fuel level on them all and keep them full (she doesn’t fuel them, she has three brothers that live here, but she does run the house). So the family has two scooters at their disposal. All are Hondas and brand new. One is just for me. http://www.michaelturner.us/2007/04/28/honda-wave-125/ one is mainly for her, but now that she’s preggy she doesnt’ ride it. http://www.issavalles.com/2007/05/06/2007-honda-xrm-110cc/ [...]
May 19th, 2007 at 11:27
I agree about the tubed tires. 35 years ago I had a front tire blowout on the freeway in California and since then I only ride motorcycles with tubeless tires. Since then, 300k miles later, I’ve only hit the pavement once.
Are you concerned about theft? If so, what prevention measures do you implement?
What other accommodations would you recommend if I were to ride a scooter/motorcycle in PI?
Thank you.
June 12th, 2007 at 10:16
Would it be possible to BEEF -UP the engine od 125 Wave to get something like 15 horsepower in lieu of 10.2. If some one know how to achieve this performance?
Cheers
Jean
June 25th, 2007 at 11:37
[...] I’ve been driving in The Philippines for several months now, primarily on a 2007 Honda Wave 125. Although I also have a 2007 Honda XRM 110, I rarely ride it.  This past weekend was the St. John’s Fiesta in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental. This was to be my third visit to Jimenez, where my father-in-law is from. The last two times I went there I rented a van. Vans here come with a driver, and the cost is about PHP 2000 per day (about $43 USD), including the pay for the driver. Of course, you still have to feed the driver and provide him a place to sleep. [...]
August 20th, 2007 at 15:43
thanks for the post and stuff,ive been doing a bit of researching about bikes.
August 27th, 2007 at 20:44
can you help me about tubeless tires?
October 11th, 2007 at 02:22
i\’d like old honda wave design specialy the speed meter. i wish they would back the honda wave 125 model 2003…..
November 7th, 2007 at 08:13
i just recently purchased a honda wave 125, and i’m still discovering its feature compared to the other honda motorbike models, i agree though with the statement saying that wave 125 lacks power, i can’t seem to strut much speed as quickly as possible when i desperately needed more speed, it often took 10-15 seconds before it could go to its maximum speed needed. I need a life saver speed especially when escaping monster trucks on the road.
March 21st, 2008 at 19:38
tubeless tires not for single motorcycles, only for cars. it deals with the weight.tubeless tires needs heavy weight
April 5th, 2008 at 01:17
Hi, i need to get the paint code for this orange scooter.. i had my bike coloured this colour but lost the code and i need touch up paint, no code, no paint
so if anyone can help in telling me what the code is for a orange wave honda i will be very happy, thanks kidnplay01@hotmail.com place in subject matter orange paint 
April 15th, 2008 at 06:21
Hi michael,
the discussions are very interesting. I recently drove with a group of 12 ridres, manila to bataan, some 170 km. the honda wave 125 averaged about 50 km per liter. Nice huh?.. Have a nice day!
jun
May 11th, 2008 at 23:48
what is the best wheel tubeless or tube tire?
May 12th, 2008 at 10:36
Tubeless tires are better, but you have to have mag wheels for tubeless tires otherwise the air will leak out from the spoke holes. If you get a nail in a tubed tire the tire will go flat because the air will leak out from the inner tube and then through the spoke holes, whereas with a tubeless tire, the nail generally seals the hole and does not leak much until you pull the nail out. So, for instance, if yo got a nail in your tire and noticed the next morning the tire was flat, you could fill the tire and probably ride it to a repair shop before all the air leaked out, but if it was a tubed tire on a spoke rim, you wouldn’t make it 100 yards before the tire was flat again.
May 13th, 2008 at 05:06
hi mike.. very nice blog.. i just had my very 1st bike lasty january 28, 2008.. a honda wave125, 2007 model.. its really great.. welll, i hope we can spend some time together with other wave 125 riders.. lets go to the beautiful places here in philippines..
September 15th, 2008 at 18:41
Would like to buy a 125 for use in the USA but can not find any here. Anyone know why?
October 25th, 2008 at 22:39
got my wave 125 (2008 edition) last june 12. the time my bike was freed…lol…comment? none, i’m very satisfied with my bike…power?i think all underbone bikes don’t have much power specially in starting your bike…it’s not a manual clutch bike where we can control it’s power in terms of starting…top speed?i don’t need top speed because i bought my bike for my daily transpo…im satisfy with it’s speed as i have try riding it with 130kph in a long ride though…i aint drag that’s why i don’t need speed…modz? this bike can save money as you don’t need to buy an engine cover…shocks, swing arm, etc. is not so necessary for modifications…as long your bike is very shinny everytime you ride it, that’s cool… go wave bikers!!!
October 25th, 2008 at 22:43
engine modz is also not advisable for bikes that is not used for racing…racing bikes is only for short term like for that day in racing…but for daily transpo, racing engine overheats…can not last long for more many years…hehehe…
as long as your bikes looks good, clean & condition, you will be a cool rider…
April 18th, 2009 at 07:42
Hello Guys !,
I’m about to start a renting business with HONDA WAVE 100 and 110.
I want to make sure there are some technical documents/ user’s manuals and repair manual for these bikes, but here the dealer doesn’t have any …!
Does any one of you people can help me find these manuals, a repair or a technical manual etc..?
I would appreciate !
email: lesetoilesnaissantes at yahoo dot com
thanks a million for any .doc or .pdf or link
May 5th, 2009 at 18:15
hi, excelent website, please a need the user manual for this scooter, cub, Honda Wave 125 cc. Send it to me or give me a link to get it.
thanks
June 6th, 2009 at 15:44
Hi Fred – Cairo,
would you mind to tell us where you bought your Wave 100? Actually, there should be a manual for your bike…It’s hard to find a Manual in the Internet…All I can share to you is the “Motorcycle Repair Course”…
http://www.dansmc.com/MC_repaircourse.htm
March 2nd, 2011 at 23:43
parang pang hbalhbal lhat nka stock ano ba maganda dyan\???
April 10th, 2011 at 06:24
Nice web site, I learned a lot. I’m also an expat from the States. I have an xrm 125, same engine as the wave. I plan to get some solid wheels for mine but haven’t made up my mind on mags or plastic (carbon fiber). Would you know which is best? I like the idea of using tubless tires and having a wheel that’s true and straight and balanced. Thanks. Dave
November 22nd, 2011 at 22:37
Honda Wave 125 is a utility bike so it is incomparable in terms of power to big bikes.If you want to increase its power,you can have it rebored,upgrade the CDI,change the pipe and other engine tuning to increase power.