2012 Honda Motorcycle Models: Every Bike, Specs and Prices

Honda’s 2012 lineup ran from a 49cc scooter to an 1,832cc six-cylinder touring bike, and almost nobody wrote it up as a single list. The launch coverage came out in waves through 2011, and none of it was written for someone shopping for one of these bikes today. This guide pulls the whole range into one place: what each bike is, what it cost new, and whether it’s worth buying used.

TLDR

• Best first bike: CBR250R. Light, cheap to insure, optional ABS.
• Best commuter: Silver Wing scooter, or a Shadow Aero if you’d rather shift.
• Best sport bike for real riding: CBR600RR. The CBR1000RR is faster than most roads can use.
• Best long-distance bike: Gold Wing for two-up comfort, VFR1200F or ST1300 for sportier touring.
• Best used dirt bike value: A CRF230F or CRF150F, if you want something you can actually fix yourself.

Contents

• Sport bikes
• Touring bikes
• Cruisers
• Scooters
• Off-road and dual-sport
• What was new for 2012
• Buying a 2012 Honda used today

Sport bikes

Honda’s sport range in 2012 was small and focused. Prices below are approximate original US MSRPs.

Model	Engine	Notes	Original MSRP
CBR1000RR	999cc inline-four	Flagship superbike, optional Combined ABS	$13,800 ($14,800 with C-ABS)
CBR600RR	599cc inline-four	Middleweight track-capable sport bike, optional C-ABS	about $11,400
CBR250R	249cc single	Entry-level, optional ABS	about $4,000
VFR1200F	1,237cc V4	Sport-tourer with shaft drive, optional dual-clutch transmission	about $16,000 and up

The CBR1000RR is the one most people mean when they say “a 2012 Honda.” It’s the superbike for riders who want a bike that behaves, with a well-balanced chassis and a reputation for being easier to live with than its rivals. The C-ABS version added linked braking, which matters on a street bike more than lap times do.

The CBR600RR has the same family look in a smaller package. It makes its power high in the rev range, so it rewards riders who like working the gearbox. On the street it’s more usable than the liter bike. For how it stacked up against rivals, see the 10 best motorcycles of 2012.

The CBR250R is the sleeper of the group. It’s a liquid-cooled single with roughly 26 horsepower, which is enough to keep up with traffic and not enough to get a new rider in trouble. It’s the bike that put a full-fairing Honda in reach of people who couldn’t afford a CBR600RR.

The VFR1200F is the unusual one: a V4 with shaft drive, more than 150 horsepower, and an optional dual-clutch automatic. It looks like a sport bike and rides like a fast, slightly heavy touring machine. The CB1000R naked bike was part of Honda’s wider 2012 range, but it was sold in Europe and other markets rather than the US.

Touring bikes

Honda kept two touring options in the US range.

Model	Engine	Notes	Original MSRP
Gold Wing	1,832cc flat-six	Full-dress tourer, available with audio, navigation and airbag trims	roughly $23,000 and up
ST1300	1,261cc V4	Sport-touring, shaft drive, optional ABS	roughly $16,000

The Gold Wing is the bike you buy if you want to cross a continent with a passenger and a stereo. The flat-six is smooth enough that a coin can balance on it at idle in the stories riders tell, and the ride is closer to a luxury car than a motorcycle. It’s also heavy, well over 800 pounds with fuel, so parking-lot manners matter.

The ST1300 gets less attention and deserves more. It’s a sport-tourer with a V4, shaft drive, and fairing protection that works at highway speed. Used examples are often cheaper than a Gold Wing and just as capable for a solo rider covering miles. For the rest of the 2012 market, see the complete list of 2012 motorcycle models.

Cruisers

The cruiser line was the biggest part of Honda’s street range. It split into two families: the 750cc Shadows and the larger 1,312cc VT1300 bikes.

Shadow 750 family

All four share a liquid-cooled 745cc V-twin and a low seat, which is why they became the default first cruiser for a generation of riders.

Model	Style	Notes
Shadow Aero	Classic, full fenders	The traditional look
Shadow Phantom	Blacked-out bobber	Cutaway fenders, minimal chrome
Shadow RS	Chopper-inspired	Longer front end, pulled-back bars
Shadow Spirit	Modern cruiser	Slightly more aggressive stance

Prices at launch sat roughly between $7,000 and $8,500, depending on the model.

VT1300 family

These share a 1,312cc liquid-cooled V-twin and a hidden-shock rear end.

Model	Style	Notes
Sabre	Low-slung cruiser	Spoked wheels, classic cruiser lines
Stateline	Bagger-style	Hard-case look with a windshield
Interstate	Touring cruiser	Fairing and saddlebags for distance
Fury	Chopper-inspired	Raked front end, long and low

The VT1300 bikes cost about $11,000 to $14,000 new. They’re a step up in power and presence from the 750s, and the Interstate is the one to look at if you want a cruiser that can do a weekend trip.

Scooters

Honda’s scooter range covered every use from errands to highway commuting.

Model	Engine	Notes
Silver Wing	582cc twin	Maxi-scooter that can sit at highway speed, optional ABS
PCX125	125cc single	Urban commuter with good fuel economy
Metropolitan	49cc	Cheap, light, retro styling
Ruckus	49cc	Exposed-frame street scooter, popular with customizers

The Silver Wing is the only one here that can handle a freeway. The Ruckus has an odd cult following because the exposed frame makes it easy to modify. The 49cc bikes are legal in many places with a car license or minimal paperwork, which is a bigger reason to buy one than speed.

Off-road and dual-sport

Honda’s dirt range in 2012 was deep, from toddler-sized bikes to competition machines.

Model	Engine	Use
CRF450R	449cc single	Motocross racing
CRF250R	249cc single	Motocross racing
CRF450X / CRF250X	449cc / 249cc singles	Off-road and enduro
XR650L	649cc single	Dual-sport, street legal
CRF230F / CRF230L / CRF230M	223cc singles	Trail, dual-sport and supermoto
CRF150R	149cc single	Youth and small-bike racing
CRF150F, CRF125F	149cc / 124cc	Trail riding
CRF110F, CRF80F, CRF70F, CRF50F	110cc down to 49cc	Youth trail bikes

The XR650L deserves a special mention. It’s been in the lineup in nearly the same form for decades, and that’s the point: it’s simple, tall, and tough. It’s also heavier and more street-limited than newer dual-sports. The CRF450R is a full race bike, so a used one has likely had a hard life.

What was new for 2012

Honda’s 2012 lineup was mostly continuity. The CBR1000RR received updates, including suspension and braking changes that went with the C-ABS option. Most of the rest carried over from 2011 with colour changes. The CBR250R, which arrived as a 2011 model, was in its second year. For the other models that debuted that year, see 2011 motorcycle models: the bikes worth buying used now. The cruiser range was unchanged in architecture from the 2010 introductions of the VT1300 family.

If you see someone describing a 2012 Honda as brand new tech, they’re mixing it up with the models that followed.

Buying a 2012 Honda used today

Prices vary a lot by region, mileage and condition, so treat these as ranges rather than quotes. Check recent sold listings in your area.

• CBR250R: often around $2,000 to $3,500. The easiest bike on the list to recommend.
• CBR600RR: commonly $3,500 to $6,000. Check for track use.
• CBR1000RR: commonly $5,500 to $8,500.
• Shadow 750s: commonly $3,000 to $5,000.
• VT1300 bikes: commonly $4,500 to $7,500.
• Gold Wing: $8,000 to $13,000, and mileage matters more than year.
• Dirt bikes: wide ranges, and condition counts for much more than model year.

A few things to check on any of them. Look up the VIN against NHTSA’s recall database to see open recalls. Look at the chain, sprockets and tyres, since these show how the bike was treated. On the sport bikes, check for frame sliders, scrapes and fresh fairings that suggest a crash. On the cruisers, check the final drive and look for leaks.

If this is your first bike, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation runs beginner rider courses that are worth taking before you decide what to buy. A rider who has done one will pick a better bike.

A 2012 Honda is now more than a decade old, which means the surprises are mostly maintenance items, not design flaws. Buy the cleanest, best-documented example you can find, and a good bike from any category here will give you years of use.