It’s July 2023, and Cub House Honda in Thailand is back at it again with a new Monkey Custom Special Edition. This time, it’s the Lightning—and it’s full of cute graphics and a sweet tartan seat that really complements the bright yellow paint scheme.
Let’s start with the tank. The side panels each feature a cartoon lightning bolt design flanked by two storm clouds, each with a smaller bolt of lightning shooting out from underneath at the ground below. This design sits inside a circle formed by the words “Lightning Edition,” with the first “i” in “lightning” turned into yet another lightning bolt for added emphasis. The main Lightning Edition mascot is wearing tinted sun goggles and either smiling or grimacing. Maybe he’s too cool to smile?
Next to Mr. Lightning, there’s larger text that reads MONKEY LIGHTNING in black and yellow block letters, with the first “i” in “lightning” once again formed by a bright yellow lightning bolt. Both that text and the Lightning Edition logo are set against a cream-colored plain background, which helps to focus the eye on the text and logo presented on the tank.
Gallery: 2023 Honda Monkey Lightning Edition by Cub House
The side cover design carries the same theme as the tank side panel design, featuring a cream-colored background surrounded by a black outline to separate it from the dominant yellow color of the rest of the bike. Next to the keyhole for the lockable side cover cubby, bright yellow text reads “Z 125,” as the Monkey is also designated in Thailand. Below that is black text that reads “Monkey,” with the “o” in “monkey” replaced by a gray storm cloud shooting lightning out the bottom.
The swingarm is the standard Honda Monkey swingarm, only painted yellow to match the overall color scheme of this Special Edition. A single line of text in black and yellow block letters reads, “Flash of Lightning.” Once again, the first “i” in “Lightning” is replaced with a yellow lightning bolt instead. As you can see in the photo, the spring on the rear shock is also bright yellow and matches nicely with the yellow paint that makes up the main color of the bike.
The chain on this bike appears to be dark, and blends in more than it stands out. It would have added a nice little sparkle if Cub House had opted to use a gold chain instead on this bike, but that’s something that a new owner could easily (and fairly inexpensively) change if they wanted to up that aesthetic just a little bit. The front fender is chrome, and the wheels are the standard ten-spoke black alloy units that come on most modern Monkeys.
As with all Cub House custom Honda creations, the changes are all about the aesthetics, of course. If you like this one, then you’ll be happy to know that the price is 108,900 Thai baht, which works out to about $3,184 as of July 20, 2023.
If you’re in Thailand and you’re interested in reserving a Monkey Lightning Edition, you can stop by your local Cub House Honda location or visit the website in our Sources to book your bike.
