In 2023, Honda added the Dax 125 to its popular miniMOTO lineup. There was just one problem. Big Red only sent the model to Europe. That all changes in 2025, when the Dax 125 will finally make its way to North America. 

The Dax will arrive with the same air-cooled 124 cc single-cylinder engine that anchors other retro-leaning miniMOTOs like the Super Cub, Trail 125, and Monkey. Fuel injection and a four-speed semi-automatic transmission only make the mill that much more approachable. American Honda lists neither horsepower nor torque figures for the little thumper, but a claimed top speed of 55 mph is respectable for a minibike.

The model’s small stature also benefits its accessibility. With a 30.6-inch seat height and 236-pound reported wet weight, the Dax caters to riders of various sizes and ages. Agility isn’t lost on the newest miniMOTO either, as its 25-degree rake, 3.3-inch trail, and 47.2-inch wheelbase favor light handling. 

Starting at $4,199, the 2025 Dax 125 is the second most expensive miniMOTO model behind the $4,399 Monkey. Honda estimates that the first North American-bound units will roll into showrooms in October 2024. The Dax may be late to arrive in the states but at least we won’t have to wait much longer.

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The history of knee dragging has been the subject of another Common Tread article, so I don’t have to cover that all over again, but the CliffsNotes are it developed organically over the 1960s and rose to prominence with Kenny Roberts in the mid-1970s. Just like Rossi’s leg dangle, if Kenny was doing it and winning, why wouldn’t others adopt the same style? It spread quickly after that, but Kenny was not the very first.

Aesop’s Fables has the story “The Fox and the Grapes,” where a fox covets some high-hanging grapes but finds them out of reach. In his frustration, he declares the grapes must be sour. That’s the source of the expression “sour grapes.” Many riders who haven’t been able or had the opportunity to drag their knee have sometimes taken that position, stating, “It’s not that important,” “I’m focusing on my skills,” “It’s not worth the risk,” or some other statement. We’ve all done this in one area of our lives or another. It’s sometimes referred to as “self-serving bias.” With that said, I have witnessed blazing fast riders who rarely, if ever, touch a knee down running circles around riders who regularly grind their knee pucks to nothing. Knee dragging is not a reliable indicator of speed or skill.

Let’s get some context, however. In my opinion, if you are going fast enough to drag your knee on a public road, you are generating enough lateral acceleration that altering your line for a sudden change of conditions lies somewhere between difficult and impossible. Excessive speed on public roads has a more sinister layer beyond exposing the rider to danger: it exposes other motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and bystanders, who never agreed to that level of danger, to life-threatening scenarios.

However, dragging your knee is like your first kiss: You’re likely to remember it for the rest of your life. I did a poll on social media asking whether wheelies or dragging a knee was more desirable, and the knee down won by a significant margin. In a way, it’s transformative, but why? How can skidding your knee across the asphalt be important? Some drag the side of their boot and don’t get anywhere near the “moment” the knee provides. There must be something to it.

Are there any real benefits to dragging a knee?

I think there are a few things. The first that comes to mind is what my father, Keith, wrote back in 1982 in “A Twist of The Wrist Volume I” “Knee dragging gives you a sense of security. It is strange how this works, and I don’t really understand it, but somehow being in close proximity to the pavement makes falling off seem less dangerous. Perhaps it is because you have already contacted the enemy and know where he is.”

Perhaps the most practical advantage, in my opinion, has to do with proprioception. Proprioception is the body’s ability to sense its position, movement, and orientation in space. It helps you know where your limbs are without looking and allows for coordinated movements. As a lean angle gauge, the knee is probably more accurate and sensitive than you might think. Even a millimeter of movement on the hip joint can be perceived with ease, giving the rider a very keen sense of lean and, sometimes more importantly, changes in lean in a corner.

What do you think about dragging a knee?

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Electric vehicles already fight an uphill battle. They often cost more than their petrol-powered counterparts and rarely achieve the same range. Gas stations far exceed the number of charging stations and charge times far exceed fueling times. These factors place EVs at a marked disadvantage. That’s especially true for two-wheeled vehicles.

BMW is well aware of this fact. That’s why it hardly positions the CE 02, its latest C-series electric scooter, as the practical option. Skim the model’s web page and descriptors like creative, fun, and stylish jump out; not specs like range and battery voltage. That’s no mistake.

The German marque hopes the CE 02 customer is less concerned with those details. It also expects that customer to be young. That’s evident in the model’s futuristic form and cyberpunk graphics. BMW goes as far as rejecting conventional titles like e-scooter and e-motorbike, calling it an e-Parkourer instead. 

On paper, on pavement

Photos alone will tell you that the CE 02 is compact. Its dimensions only drive that fact home. The wheelbase is a short 53.3 inches. The seat height is a low 29.5 inches. Its curb weight is 296 pounds (measured on the RevZilla West scales). Even its wheels are miniaturized at 14 inches, falling somewhere between a scooter and a mini-moto. That’s the kind of company the CE 02 keeps, with BMW listing Honda’s Grom, Vespa’s Primavera 150, and Kawasaki’s Z125 as the model’s main rivals. 

Similar to its competition, the e-scoot handles best in close quarters. It picks through traffic like a mouse in a maze. That’s thanks in part to its narrowness and lightweight construction. With much of its weight centrally located (and no top-heavy fuel tank to bear), the zero-two is impeccably balanced. Steering is predictable and precise, the two attributes you want when negotiating the millimeters between your handlebar and a car’s side mirror. 

The CE 02 is just as comparable in the power department. Many 125-class models top out around 55 to 60 mph. BMW claims a 59 mph top speed for the CE. That’s not giving it full credit, though. The speedometer often reads 63 mph before the 02 limits further acceleration; a laudable figure considering that BMW lists the air-cooled, current-excited synchronous motor at 8 horsepower (15 horsepower peak).

At a distance

The CE’s two 1.96 kWh lithium-ion batteries carry a total charge of 3.92 kWh, which theoretically nets a maximum range of 56 miles, per BMW. One factor that greatly influences the practical range is the selected ride mode. The base model comes standard with Flow (gentle acceleration and medium regenerative braking) and Surf (direct throttle response and no regen). The optional Flash mode, which is exclusive to the Highline package, pairs dynamic acceleration with aggressive regen.    

While Flow is easily the most conservative and economical setting, Flash often yielded more mileage than Surf. I chalk that up to Flow and Flash’s regenerative braking. To me, riding an electric without using regen is like frying bacon without a shirt. High risk, low reward. Sure, regen only recovers an extra mile or two over the course of the trip, but that could be the difference between reaching or not reaching your destination. Or in the CE 02’s case, reaching your destination or calling a tow truck.

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In 1965, when Elvis Presley bought nine new Triumphs for himself and his friends — the so-called Memphis Mafia — to ride around together, they probably weren’t thinking that there’d be a 2025 Triumph that looked very similar and had Elvis’ name on the tank.

On the other hand, now that it’s 2024, if you know anything about Triumph’s affection for special editions, you’re probably not surprised.

Triumph has issued limited-edition motorcycles tied to Bond movies, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, and a Swiss watch company, to name just a few. Now we have the 2025 Triumph Bonneville T120 Elvis Presley Limited Edition, of which 925 will be available worldwide.

Triumph has issued limited-edition motorcycles tied to Bond movies, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, and a Swiss watch company, to name just a few. Now we have the 2025 Triumph Bonneville T120 Elvis Presley Limited Edition, of which 925 will be available worldwide.

This one is inspired by the story of Elvis impulsively buying new Triumphs for all his friends. Triumph has been attempting to track down the original bikes Elvis bought 60 years ago, but so far without definitive success. Last year, the company created a specially painted Bonneville and paired it with a matching Gibson Les Paul guitar and auctioned them off to support the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation. Now we have an Elvis-themed Bonneville for well, not for the masses, but at least for some.

If you are one of those can’t help falling in love with this Bonneville and you’re all shook up about the prospect of owning one, inquire with your Triumph dealer soon. And if you do get one, be sure to take good care of it and love it tender. Maybe with a spot in a nice heated garage, never riding it in a cold Kentucky rain. You know, treat it like a teddy bear, not some old hound dog.

Blue suede shoes sold separately.

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Electric vehicles already fight an uphill battle. They often cost more than their petrol-powered counterparts and rarely achieve the same range. Gas stations far exceed the number of charging stations and charge times far exceed fueling times. These factors place EVs at a marked disadvantage. That’s especially true for two-wheeled vehicles.

Similar to its competition, the e-scoot handles best in close quarters. It picks through traffic like a mouse in a maze. That’s thanks in part to its narrowness and lightweight construction. With much of its weight centrally located (and no top-heavy fuel tank to bear), the zero-two is impeccably balanced. Steering is predictable and precise, the two attributes you want when negotiating the millimeters between your handlebar and a car’s side mirror. 

The CE 02 is just as comparable in the power department. Many 125-class models top out around 55 to 60 mph. BMW claims a 59 mph top speed for the CE. That’s not giving it full credit, though. The speedometer often reads 63 mph before the 02 limits further acceleration; a laudable figure considering that BMW lists the air-cooled, current-excited synchronous motor at 8 horsepower (15 horsepower peak).

At the same time, BMW believes the e-scooter performs equivalent to a 200 cc combustion engine, which explains the “02” surname. That might be a gap too far to bridge, unfortunately. California prohibits motorcycles and scooters under 150 cc from freeway use. Although BMW positions the model as 200 cc-equivalent, its stature and performance is much more akin to a 125 cc mini-moto. And yet, the CE 02 is still permitted on the freeway. 

California’s 150 cc restriction only applies to motorcycles and scooters powered by internal combustion engines, not electric motors. Low-speed electric vehicles are also banned on Golden State freeways, but the CE 02 doesn’t qualify for that category either. Still, the thought of merging onto Interstate 405 at full speed was nothing short of nightmare fuel. That’s why I often clung to city streets, where the CE 02 truly belongs. 

Charging challenges

To keep the CE 02’s weight manageable, BMW elected for an air-cooled motor. Lower-voltage systems don’t necessitate liquid cooling, saving weight, in turn. That build philosophy extends beyond the motor itself. Instead of integrating the charging electronics into the vehicle, BMW built them into its charger pack. About the size of a first aid kit, the external charger wouldn’t be such an inconvenience if it wasn’t the only way to recharge the electric scooter. 

Because the low-voltage e-scooter doesn’t support Level 2 charging, BMW developed a proprietary socket. This limits the model to wall outlets, as charging station plugs aren’t compatible with the CE 02’s port. That doesn’t pose a problem if you can complete your round trip on a single charge. My daily commute isn’t one of those trips.

At a distance

The CE’s two 1.96 kWh lithium-ion batteries carry a total charge of 3.92 kWh, which theoretically nets a maximum range of 56 miles, per BMW. One factor that greatly influences the practical range is the selected ride mode. The base model comes standard with Flow (gentle acceleration and medium regenerative braking) and Surf (direct throttle response and no regen). The optional Flash mode, which is exclusive to the Highline package, pairs dynamic acceleration with aggressive regen.    

While Flow is easily the most conservative and economical setting, Flash often yielded more mileage than Surf. I chalk that up to Flow and Flash’s regenerative braking. To me, riding an electric without using regen is like frying bacon without a shirt. High risk, low reward. Sure, regen only recovers an extra mile or two over the course of the trip, but that could be the difference between reaching or not reaching your destination. Or in the CE 02’s case, reaching your destination or calling a tow truck.

The e-scooter has several things going for it. It’s quick off the line. It’s light, agile, and well-suspended. Like most electrics, it’s also user-friendly. The CE 02 can be everything BMW says it is — creative, fun, and stylish — but its limitations often overshadow those strengths. The lack of charging compatibility is chief among them. Electric charging infrastructure (or lack thereof) already deters many would-be adopters. The model’s limited charging options, in addition to its limited top speed and range, only stand to deter more.   

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