Taking a look at OUTEX parts with their CT125 demo bike! Popular items including their stem stabilizer and vibration-absorbing lever guards!

OUTEX was founded by Masato Nakajima, who has won many competitions in Japan. They are a popular parts manufacturer with original parts that are full of unique ideas. In particular, their vibration-absorbing lever guards and stem stabilizers are highly regarded for Hunter Cub customization. We were curious about their parts, so we got a look at one of their demo bikes, and will give you all the details here.

OUTEX Demo Bike CT125 (JA55)

Let's start with the exterior of the demo bike. Visually, it retains a mostly stock look, but the exhaust with heat guard, reminiscent of the CT110 of yesteryear, is particularly eye-catching. The installed parts include OUTEX exhaust, stem stabilizer, vibration-absorbing lever guard, F-step & variable bracket, spoke boosters (front and rear), and clear tubeless kit (front and rear).

The stem stabilizer and vibration-absorbing lever guards are finished in the same color as the body, Glowing Red, which brings the overall look of the bike together. These two items are available in a variety of colors, so you can choose according to your preference. If you choose the same color as the body, they can be installed as seen here without detracting from the stock look. Now, let's delve into the details of each item.

F-step Variable Bracket Set with 2-axis tilt & 1 variable axis for flexible settings and sole traction!

First is the F-step variable bracket set. This is a combination of the F-step, with a step portion that conforms to the sole, and a variable bracket that allows the position to be changed. Of course, this is a CT125-specific product, and F-pegs suitable for off-road riding are also available.

The step plays a very important role in the operation of a bike, namely input by weight, and the F-step makes this more effective. Racers, for example, use round-axle steps, but even so, the actual contact surface is not that large. That's why the step itself provides traction for the sole, enabling stable operation at all times.

The step surface and axis of rotation allow the sole of the foot to always be firmly in contact with the step. In addition to stable operation during cornering and other maneuvers, the step keeps traction with the sole, so the feeling of contact is not lost when changing gears or operating the rear brake, improving maneuverability in all situations. This alone is quite an impressive set up, but the variable bracket also allows the step position to be set. This too is designed to take advantage of the rotational axis, with an adjustment range of five steps.

It has two axes and one variable axis, making it a considerably more complex structure than a typical step. Though the step is a very important part, they are not often given this much attention. OUTEX was able to develop this step in such detail due to their extensive experience in the racing world.

Spoke boosters increase rigidity while taking advantage of the spokes' original characteristics!

While cast wheels are the norm for road models, spoke wheels are the standard for off-roading. Of course, the Hunter Cub also uses spoked wheels. However, spoked wheels are a step behind cast wheels in terms of rigidity when cornering on paved roads or at high speeds. The spoke booster was developed to eliminate such negatives while taking advantage of the characteristics of the spokes themselves. In fact, bikes equipped with spoke boosters end up winning road and motard races. They have also been used in overseas rallies, and are well known for their effectiveness in racing.

The benefits of installing spoke boosters include quicker handling and stability at high speeds. In addition, they also help prevent the nipples from loosening and the spokes from breaking. Although it may be more difficult to feel the effects on a small-displacement bike like the Hunter Cub than on a large-displacement motard, riders who ride long distances will benefit greatly from this. The spoke boosters on the demo bike were a black anodized finish, but various other colors are also available, making this item also nice for dressing up your bike.

Clear Tubeless Kit for tubeless conversion of stock wheels!

Hunter Cubs, like most bikes that use spoked wheels, use tube tires, but tubeless conversion is a fairly popular customization. The most common conversion that we see at events is to overseas-made tubeless spoke wheels, but OUTEX has been converting spoked wheels to tubeless since 2006, based on their experience in motard races, with this Clear Tubeless Kit. By applying a special sealing material to the rim section, air leakage from the nipple is prevented, making tubeless conversion possible. In the case of the CT125, air tools such as a belt sander are required due to the steel rims.

The benefits of tubeless tires are considerable and include not only a reduction in unsprung weight, but also ease of tire replacement and puncture repair. In terms of durability, the OUTEX demo bike has been tubeless for more than two years now and has had no problems. In addition to the performance benefits, the ease of maintenance is also a huge plus for all riders.

Vibration-absorbing lever guard born from the idea of letting that vibration escape!

Lever guards have become the norm for road bike customization due to the fact that they are mandatory for MotoGP. Originally, they were designed to prevent unintended external input to the brake lever. For this product, OUTEX focused on the fact that vibrations move outward toward the tip. By further developing the shape and other features they have achieved a high level of both functionality as a lever guard and vibration absorption performance. Since Hunter Cubs are often used for long-distance touring, many people are concerned about the accumulation of handlebar vibration when riding long-distances, so this vibration-absorbing lever guard is very popular.

The lineup also features a wide range of sizes, including a 10mm-thick type (approx. 159g per side), a 10mm-thick lightweight type (approx. 138g per side), an 8mm-thick type (approx. 90g per side), and an 8mm-thick lightweight type (approx. 82g per side).

There are also many choices of finish, from buffed to baked paint in the stock color, to anodizing in a specified color. The demo bike was equipped with a vibration-absorbing lever guard finished with baked paint in the Glowing Red color.

The OUTEX exhaust is not only stylish and reminiscent of the CT110, but also offers a choice of silencer materials and internal construction!

The silencer portion comes in three types: aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. In addition, stainless steel and titanium exhaust pipes are available and the silencer's internal structure can be selected from two types: straight or non-straight structure. In regard to looks, the CT110-style heat guard brings a very charming style to the bike.

The straight-structure silencer is also available with an optional sound-dampening perforated baffle for even quieter operation. The slightly shorter exhaust length and the CT110-style heat guard is already visually appealing, but the fact that the exhaust pipes and silencer that you can see peeking through can also be customized is a point that will appeal to the true enthusiast.

Stem stabilizer that greatly increases the front rigidity of the Hunter Cub!

This Stem Stabilizer is another popular part that OUTEX is known for. It eliminates twisting by connecting the upper and lower parts of the steering stem. It is especially effective on Hunter Cubs, where the narrow fork diameter makes for insufficient front rigidity, and has been well received by many users. The structure itself is very simple, so much so you'd think that someone else must have already come up with the same thing.

At first glance, the parts seem quite bulky, but when you hold them by themselves, they are surprisingly thin and light. OUTEX says that excessive strength is not necessary to suppress stem flex. Rather, it seems as if they are focusing on lightness. However, the effect is tremendous. The stabilizer equipped on the demo bike is also finished in Glowing Red baked paint. As with the vibration-absorbing lever guards, baked paint in the stock color as well as various types of anodizing can be selected. The area around the stem of the Hunter Cub is an eye-catching point, so the choice of color can significantly change the look of the bike.

Taking the demo bike for a ride to check performance!

I was allowed to take the demo bike out for a ride, but since I couldn't take pictures of myself riding it, the photo is of Mr. Nakajima, the representative of OUTEX.

The first thing I felt when I started riding was the overwhelming rigidity of the front area. It was as if the bike had been fit with large-size wheels. It ran with firm straight line stability and yet was also smooth when banking. The handling was straightforward, and the bike didn't try to push back upright while turning. It always seems that when something is made better, something else gets worse, but with this bike, the suspension is completely one rank above the rest. I was very skeptical that there might be some negative points, but I got the impression that the frame, especially around the front, had been upgraded by several levels. It was easy and comfortable to ride. In the stock state, the front is rather unreliable, so I felt that this weak point has been overcome. I got the impression that the biggest effect was given by the stem stabilizer while the spoke boosters and clear tubeless kit were providing support.

The difference felt with the vibration-absorbing lever guards was very apparent because the vibration didn't bother me at all. I've been riding old custom Cubs and I tend to be used to the vibration, so all I can say is that there was none! You can probably feel the effect more if you have a windshield or something heavy attached to the handlebars.

Regarding the F-peg & variable bracket, since this is the first time I've used a movable step, I was a little apprehensive, but the moment I got on, the worries all went away. The feeling was just that natural. The Hunter Cub has a rather large step surface, so the sole of your foot feels like it's rattling around on the step, and I thought that was just the way it is. But with the F-peg & variable bracket, there is no such feeling at all. I felt like the operation was so smooth that it didn't even leave an impression. When you're riding a Cub, you have to step pretty hard on the gearshift and there are times when you have to be a little bit careful. I was surprised to realize afterwards that I was riding without a care. They should just change all the stock steps to F-pegs in my opinion.

Lastly, the OUTEX exhaust. The exhaust installed on the demo bike was a straight structure, but it was much gentler than I had imagined. The sound was low and calm, and of course, the style is great. I had the impression that aftermarket exhausts are good for mid to high RPM, but this is easy to use across the whole range, including low RPM. It's great. I think I'll buy one.

Summary

It was very easy to understand why the vibration-absorbing lever guard and stem stabilizer are being talked about. Not only are they effective in terms of performance, but they are also well styled as custom parts, and it is inevitable that they will become popular. Of course, the exhaust, tubeless kit, and spoke boosters are also very attractive items. What I personally had no idea what to expect was the smoothness of the F-peg & variable bracket. I've never put much thought into the step, but when I actually rode it, it was so smooth that I really didn't have to think about it at all. But the first thing I'm going to buy is the exhaust, 'cause it just looks so good!