© By Justyn Sr and Justyn Jr,
Here is short story of Sammy Miller Honda 125 Hiboy thanks to friends and collaborators of this website Norek family, father and son. Thanks friends!! Joan (The Honda Trials History)
Story of Honda 125 Trials bike starts around 1974, when Honda following marketing
analise decided to enter into Trials sport with their bike. At that time trials sport
was dominated by two strokes after famous Bultaco-Miller REVOLUTION that killed
hudge, heavy and old big capacity four strokes in 1965 year.
So now market was dominated by Spanish and Japanese two strokes.
Problem was that Honda filosophy was that they for various reasons were building
FOUR STROKES BIKES AND SO WANTED TO DO IN TRIALS !
So there arised question, who from top trials riders could help them in development
as Mick Andrews was working with Yamaha, Gordon Farley with Suzuki and Don Smith with Kawasaki, while Sammy Miller was tied by contract with Bultaco…
But who could do better job that man who has killed four strokes, that Miller himself ?
Thus they proposed contract to Miller, and Sammy was so attracted by this challenge,
that afer few month of tension has obtained release from Mr Bulto.
In this way another revolution in trials started culminating with 3 World Trials Championship titles and this being one of most interesting periods in Trials Sport !
First task when Miller joined Honda was to improve their TL 125 bike ready for US
market while developing real trials weapon TL 250.
TL 125 was selling success, great fun and good clubman mount despite its limitations
of engine size and weight too high, so these were areas of possible great improvement.
Sammy had its own company selling accessories and various component for trials
bikes so he decided to propose special frame called HIBOY becouse of increased
ground clearence and done beautifully by British craftsmans, with bronze weldings
of famous Reynolds 531 tubes saving weight of 11 kg when compared with standard
production frame ! In addition this frame kit offered perfect geometry and weight
Balance, fruit of Sammy Millers life long trials experience !
Now here is entering story of my bike. I was invited by my fathers good friend
Stefano Bianchi, dedicated collector of important trials bikes, to visit his home
close to Milan and shoot photos and have test ride of his works ex-Michauld
Fantic 303. We were more than happy to do that as this as we are always keen to
try and test different bikes not only trials but also enduro and motocross and shoot
photos expressing beauty of those machines.
After photo session we had great lunch with some nice local wines and Stefano has
asked us if we want to see «some» bikes from his collection. We keenly accepted and
I will not write you what we have seen, as we would fill up whole magazine, but
just our eyes spotted Hiboy Honda and also Hiboy Bultaco ! Those were bikes we
Always wanted to have, so guess with what we loaded our Renault Espace….
Yes this Honda Hiboy and Bultaco Hiboy with frame slightly cracked, so we will
repair frame and put it to another test.
In the meantime please enjoy our SAMMY MILLER HIBOY HONDA TL 125 test.
Thank you Stefano, and thank you Sammy for such GREAT SMALL BIKE !
Justyn Sr & Justyn Jr,
Honda TL125 HIBOY Riding Impressions
Here are riding impressions of Honda TL125 HIBOY Sammy Miller,
To test this bike we have choosen Rubiana Trials Park close to Turin,
with endless number of natural and man made trials hazards. One can ride for
hours in woods and over stones without getting bored. It’s training ground for
best trials riders of Piedmont Region. It was sunday, quite few guys training there
on modern bikes, and I must say when I downloaded my Honda from trailer it has
created general interest not only among parents but also teenagers and youngtrials riders, much to my satisfaction and obvious satisfaction of my daddy.
Soon I dressed in trials trim (modern), and gave bike starting kick, as tires pressure,
petrol, oil etc were already cheqed earlier at home. She responded eagerly as any
true Honda for first kick with nice low frequency noise.
Now it’s time to ride around slowly and adjust riding position, mainly control levers
and handlebar. Engine already warm, I started to make uphil and downhill runs trying
to get feeling of handling and brakes.
Justyn Norek Jr 
Justiyn Jr
Of course being accustomed to modern disc brakes I found them not very impressive,
while in contraty handling was excellent ! It must be another trick by Maestro SAMMY
and his knowledge to design trials frames ! Bike was very stable, easy to control and
easy to manouvre. Also in turns was razor sharp and precise. Much credit must go
Also to good suspension as well as to geometry of frame with it’s short wheelbase
and well positioned center of gravity makes bike so easy and pleasant to ride…
So far so good, but how it will perform on rocks and stones ? Oh here are some that
I know from rides on other bikes. First attempts are not so successful as my feeling
Is lack of power…oh, I forgot it’s 125 !
Indeed with another cylinder addad on this would be almost ideal bike…I need a 250 !
I looked at web, seems biggest conversion of new cylinder is around 200…that should
Be great improvement, so this is next step I am thinking about.
In any case after some attempts I menaged to clean some considerable rocks and
steps. Lifting front wheel for aerial manouvers was as easy as on bicycle and bike performed well also on slippery ground and on roots in forest.
If I only could get more HP….I will ride it in serious competition.
It’s an ideal bike for young riders, that can grow with bike as it’s engine can be
increased to 150, 170, and eventually 200, making it very competitive, could be
Kind of modern Triumph CUB !
Great Maestro SAMMY has done it again.
I would like to recomend it to ANY TRIALS ENTHOUSIAST,
An ultimate FUNtastic FUN bike. I am so happy we have bought this bike….
And it’s also BEAUTIFUL !
Experienced by Justyn Norek Jnr.
Sammy Miller Hiboy HONDA TL 125 Technical Specification
Honda TL125 Hiboy Reynolds chrome plated tubular frame from Sammy Miller:
Years of production: 1973-1982,
Engine: Fourstroke ,OHC 2valve, air cooled,
Capacity: 123cc, / 7.57 cub.in,
BoreXstroke: 56.0×49.5 mm,
Compression ratio: 8.0 : 1 ,
Carburetter: Mikuni VN 24 SH,
Ignition: Flyweheel magneto,
Max. Power: 9.3 hp/6.6 kw @ 8000rpm,
Max. Torque: 9 kgf-m @ 4500rpm,
Clutch: wet, multi disc,
Gear box: 5 speed, constant mesh,
Final drive: chain,
Frame: Hiboy, Miller design, steel Reynolds 531, 11kg less than standard production frame,
Front suspension: oil damped telescopic forks,
Rear suspension: swinging arm, oil shocks, 5-way preload adjustable,
Front tyre: 2.75 – 21″,
Rear tyre: 4.10 – 18″,
Fuel tank capacity: 4.5 litres,