What is the “Great Ape Gathering”, a meeting exclusively for Monkey 125s?
Monkey 125 custom bikes of various genres from all over the Kanto region (mainly Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama) participated.
The venue was the parking lot of Naps Bayside Saiwaiura, a motorcycle parts specialty store with a large parking lot for four-wheeled vehicles, located near Yokohama’s port area.
Naps Bayside Saiwaiura store also hosts events such as big bike events.
The event was held from 1pm to 4pm, and was blessed with good weather. Advance registration was limited to 50 bikes, and on the day itself, around 45 Monkey 125s visited the venue.
The Honda Monkey 125, a Class 2 moped equipped with 12-inch wheels front and rear and a 125cc engine, is characterized by its larger body and ample power compared to the discontinued 50cc Monkey Gorilla.
The “Great Ape Gathering” is a meeting exclusively for the Monkey 125 that we visited this time, and it brought together a wide range of bikes, from stock to fully customised. This meeting was hosted by Blaster, a Monkey 125 owner. He lives in Kanagawa Prefecture and started the “Great Ape Gathering” through social media with the aim of fostering friendship and exchanging information between owners. To date, six offline meetings have been held in various parts of the Kanto region.
This year marks the 7th time the event has been held, and with the cooperation of Naps Bayside Saiwaiura store in Yokohama, part of the store’s parking lot was rented out and participants were invited to register in advance, with a limit of 50 cars. The slots for participants filled up in an instant, and the registration deadline was soon reached. Participants said,
“Seeing everyone’s customizations with my own eyes allows me to feel the ‘real’ charm that I can’t notice from online images. Also, hearing everyone’s stories directly is very helpful.”
“Half of the users who came this time are acquaintances. It’s fun to come and meet up with friends on the weekend.”
“They’re a completely different breed from the Harley-Davidson riders I used to ride. Many Harley riders are obsessed with America, and their bikes are inseparable from the American casual fashion of leather jackets with jeans or leather pants. But it’s interesting to see how diverse Monkey 125 riders are.”
A variety of opinions were heard.
“Is it possible to have so much fun customizing the Monkey 125?!” I was surprised.
Customized in the image of the famous Honda CB750FOUR-K4. OWNER: Doya
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Expressing the angular gorilla shape of the Monkey 125! OWNER: My Style
The author joined the Moto Champ editorial department in 1998. Since then, he has come across many customizations based on 50cc models, such as the Monkey 50 and Gorilla.
In 2017, due to strict exhaust gas regulations, production of the Monkey 50 was sadly discontinued, and the following year in 2018, the Monkey 125, a second-class moped, was released. The popularity of the 4MINI Custom has declined somewhat due to the base machine being discontinued and the rising used car prices of popular models due to the vintage bike boom.
On the other hand, adventure-type Cubs such as the CT125 Hunter Cub and Cross Cub are now frequently seen on the streets. I also occasionally come across the Monkey 125 and Dax 125, but most of the ones I’ve seen are stock, and even if they’ve been customized, it’s usually just a change to the muffler or the addition of a top case. Until now, I’ve never really connected the idea that the Monkey 125 = custom.
What surprised me most about this event was that “the Monkey 125 can be customized to this extent?!” I had completely underestimated the possibilities of customizing the Monkey 125.
A low and long style created by a woman that will make you stand out on the town! ● OWNER : tomiii
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Convenience is top-notch! Designed for city riding and long distance travel. OWNER: BSD
Overseas aftermarket parts can be easily obtained from within Japan using the internet.
A homemade custom bike made with red anodized aluminum parts. OWNER: i can do it
A “fake” two-seater model with a tandem step (adapted from a Grom) and a tandem belt on the custom seat. ● OWNER: TDF
The Monkey 125, which is produced in Thailand, has a wide range of aftermarket parts available, not only from domestic manufacturers but also from overseas manufacturers, mainly from ASEAN countries. By using the Internet, you can easily obtain them even if you are in Japan.
The Monkey 125’s exterior and suspension are easy to customize, making it a popular choice. The 125cc engine provides ample power for city use, so you can leave it as is.
There is no need for expensive engine tuning. The Monkey 125, which has a powerful running performance from birth, has the hidden charm of being able to achieve a full customization on the same level as the high-level Monkey 50 modified or Gorilla modified at a low cost, depending on the idea and ingenuity.
The large Monkey 125, which uses 12-inch wheels front and rear, is characterized by the fact that it can only be mounted on a limited number of vehicles (it is difficult to fit in light cars or compact cars with low roofs). Also, because it is a 125cc class bike, it cannot be driven on highways. For this reason, most of the participants in this event came by car, coming from Kanagawa, Tokyo, Saitama, and Chiba.
When several participants asked, “What is the popularity of the Monkey 125 outside of the Kanto region?”, all of them answered, “I don’t really know the situation in other areas.” It is also interesting to see the current trends in Monkey 125 customization in Kansai and Kyushu, where 4MINI customization was the hottest around 2000.
The special feature in the July issue of Moto Champ (on sale June 6th / some of the vehicles will be featured in the September issue on sale August 6th) will introduce in detail the above and below spirited custom Monkey 125s that gathered at the “Great Ape Gathering.”
Due to time constraints, we were only able to photograph nine bikes this time, but there are plenty of other customizations that caught my eye. I’ll do my best to introduce even more next time! First of all, take a closer look at the bikes photographed and interviewed this time in the highly acclaimed Moto Champ magazine, which is currently on sale ♪
While the exterior is kept standard, it is registered as a light motorcycle (145cc) and can be driven on highways. Owner: Ume-san
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While maintaining the normal look, each part has been “shortened” to make it more compact. OWNER: gak
Monthly Moto Champ July issue on sale now! 950 yen (tax included)
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