A former knee-rubbing owner is very satisfied with the suspension! Converting the Monkey 125 into a touring model [17th Monkey Meeting in Tama]

The Monkey 125 is overwhelmingly larger than the 50cc model. That’s why some owners of 50cc models say, “This isn’t a Monkey,” but when you ride one, you’ll realize that it’s better than its size suggests. The 50cc Monkeys were fun to ride, but that “fun” included awkward riding postures and uncomfortable riding. In comparison, the Monkey 125 is a highly refined motorcycle, and you can enjoy riding it in any situation. In other words, it’s a model that’s packed with ways to enjoy a motorcycle in a slightly smaller body.

Because the Monkey 125 is a fun bike to ride, customization often focuses on the suspension. The engine power is sufficient for the bike’s size, so if you want to enjoy cornering and long distances more aggressively, you’ll want to customize the suspension. At the 2025 Monkey Meeting, where over 550 custom Monkeys participated, there were many Monkey 125s that had been customized with a focus on the suspension. Among them, we would like to introduce the blue JB02, which seemed to be a serious piece of kit.

The reason why I felt he was serious about his work was because he used the tires in an unbelievable way. It was clear that he had used both the front and rear tires cleanly to the very edge, so I spoke to him, thinking that he must be an owner who has taken riding to the extreme. As I heard him speak, it turned out that the owner, Hirotaka Harukawa, was a replica rider who frequented mountain passes in his youth and enjoyed scraping his knees. However, now that he is 51 years old, he no longer scrapes his knees and enjoys genuine motorcycle touring. The bike he chose to ride was the Monkey 125.

Although he no longer does this, he is still a former knee-dragging rider. When touring on mountain roads, he enjoys leaning his machine over and cornering to his heart’s content. So, to resolve his dissatisfaction with the stock system, he decided to customize it. The engine was replaced with a big throttle body, and the muffler was changed to a Yoshimura product. He also installed a Clipping Point high cam and controlled it with an Enigma. He also modified the air cleaner to obtain ram pressure, which made the engine more than powerful enough.

The problem is the suspension, which naturally becomes unsatisfactory if you ride using the tire to the edge. Therefore, the front fork uses a case from a different model year and uses a Racing Bros. inner cartridge to allow adjustment of the spring rate and damping force. Due to the improved engine power, the front brake has also been strengthened with a Brembo 2-pot caliper and Kitaco disc rotor.

The rear has been changed to an OVER Racing stabilizer swingarm and combined with a Kayaba rear shock. This provides ample movement and rigidity. The rear brake also combines a Brembo caliper and braking disc rotor to balance out the front.

What’s interesting is the cylindrical part at the base of the left rear shock. It turns out to be a mass damper made by RERACE PERFORMANCE, which acts internally in the opposite direction to the rear shock. By installing this, it is said that impact from the road surface is greatly reduced, resulting in stable behavior regardless of road conditions.

As a touring rider, he also actively worked to improve his riding position. He changed to Moriwaki Grom Racing handlebars to achieve a more controlled riding position, while adding Rossi grips and ZETA RACING levers to improve operability. He also added a KOSO air-fuel ratio meter, which is essential for setting the fuel mixture on the Enigma, and changed the meter itself to an OPMID digital meter.

They’ve also been proactive in reducing weight, with the front and rear fenders, fork guards, and light stays replaced with carbon fiber parts made by CAT’S FACTORY. Titanium bolts have also been replaced in various places, contributing to the bike’s appearance. They’ve also been changed to Baby Face rearsets, and combined with a modified SP Takegawa seat, you can get a flexible riding position. This is truly a Monkey 125 customized for the enjoyment of riding.