Honda CB125R and CB300R Exhaust and Accessories Guide

Honda's Neo Sports Café at A1 and A2 Sizes

The Honda CB125R and CB300R bring the neo sports café styling of the larger CB range to smaller-displacement bikes without compromising the visual design. Both bikes look substantially more expensive than their price points suggest, and Honda's build quality means they feel more substantial than most competitors in the learner and early-licence segments.

For new riders, these bikes represent an excellent platform: reliable, well-styled, and — crucially — well-supported by an increasingly developed aftermarket.

CB125R: The A1 Licence Option

The CB125R is a full-licence (A1 category) 125cc bike that punches well above its weight in terms of quality and appearance. Its liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine is smooth and rev-happy, and the bike's proportions are genuinely close to the larger CB models.

Accessories for the CB125R are primarily focused on aesthetics and protection rather than performance — there's limited scope for meaningful performance upgrades on a 125cc bike used on public roads. Exhaust upgrades are primarily about sound improvement.

CB300R: The A2 Platform

The CB300R is one of the strongest A2-compliant bikes in the market. Its 286cc single-cylinder engine, long-travel suspension, and premium components make it feel more capable than its capacity suggests. For riders on a two-year A2 restriction, it's a bike that doesn't feel like a compromise.

The CB300R has more scope for meaningful upgrades than the 125 — suspension setup, exhaust, and comfort work can all make a genuine difference to the riding experience.

Exhaust Upgrades: CB125R

On the CB125R, exhaust upgrades are about sound character rather than power gains. The standard exhaust is well-engineered but quiet — appropriate for the urban environments where most 125s spend their time, but underwhelming for riders who want their bike to feel more purposeful.

Slip-on exhausts for the CB125R are available from several manufacturers and transform the bike's sound considerably. The neo sports café aesthetic means high-quality stainless or carbon-look options suit the bike's character well.

Exhaust Upgrades: CB300R

The CB300R's single-cylinder engine responds well to exhaust work. A quality slip-on adds a more characterful note to what is otherwise a relatively quiet powerplant. The under-seat routing of the stock exhaust is visually distinctive and worth maintaining — systems that preserve this layout look better than side-exit alternatives on this model.

Browse Honda exhaust systems for CB125R and CB300R options. Also check the wider exhaust collection for additional compatible options.

Protection and Practical Accessories

For new riders, crash protection should be a priority. Frame sliders and engine case protectors for both models are available and represent genuine value — a low-speed tip-over that damages an unprotected engine case on a learner bike is both expensive and demoralising.

Both bikes benefit from quality bar-end weights to reduce handlebar vibration, particularly on longer commutes. The CB125R and CB300R have sufficient handlebar vibration at higher revs that this improvement is genuinely noticeable.

Seat Comfort for Commuters

Both bikes have seats that are adequate for typical 125cc and 300cc riding — relatively short commutes and urban use. For riders who use their CB125R or CB300R for longer journeys, a quality seat cover with gel padding makes a noticeable difference to comfort. The neo sports café aesthetic suits black leather-effect covers with minimal stitching detail.

Growing Into the Bike

One advantage of the CB125R and CB300R as learner platforms is that their accessories investment carries forward: if you upgrade to the CB500R, CB650R or larger bikes later, the understanding of what accessories you value and what you'd do differently informs the next purchase. Start with protection, add comfort, and invest in aesthetics once you know what you're keeping.

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Find exhaust systems and accessories for CB125R and CB300R: Honda exhaust systems and the wider exhaust range.