The 2022 Honda Monkey ABS in Pearl Black colorway. (Honda/)

Honda is giving its miniMOTO Monkey a refresh in 2022 with an updated 125cc engine and five-speed gearbox. The changes result in a $200 price bump over the 2021 Honda Monkey, with the ‘22 Monkey starting at $4,199.

The new mill comes from Honda’s massively popular Grom, and includes wider gear ratios for the five-speed gearbox along with a new 37-tooth final drive sprocket (up from 34 teeth on the last one). Honda also promises more pull from the engine as well and a higher top speed. A new replaceable oil filter will help make maintenance easier.

“While the Monkey has been a hit in the US since we reintroduced it for the 2019 model year, customers have expressed a desire for more comfortable cruising and better acceleration,” said Brandon Wilson, sports and experiential manager at American Honda, in a company press release.

The improved Monkey gets a fifth gear and improved engine. (Honda/)

“Now we’re happy to offer that capability by equipping the Monkey with the same five-speed engine that has earned rave reviews in the all-new 2022 Grom. It’s yet another example of Honda producing not only the most diverse lineup of miniMOTO models, but also the most capable.”

Unlike the earlier version of the Monkey, the front-end ABS-equipped option will be the only one available in 2022.

We found the mill to be a lot of fun during our first ride back in 2019, with more than enough pep to keep up with surface street traffic. The improvements promise to make the top-end cruising experience and pull down low even more enjoyable.

The remaining features of the bike are unchanged, apart from the available colorways which will include Pearl Black and Banana Yellow.

2022 Honda Monkey ABS in Banana Yellow. (Honda/)

2022 Honda Monkey ABS Technical Specifications and Price

Source: MotorCyclistOnline.com