One would assume that a Honda sold in their home market of Japan would also have been built there, but this oddball was actually built by Honda Italy and then exported to Japan. In the early 80s, the 125cc market was fiercely competitive in Italy due to licensing regulations. The local government placed high taxes on imported motorcycles, so Honda made sure that their plant in Atessa (founded in 1976) was cranking out 125s to compete.
As stated in a Bike magazine review in 1989, the “NS125R is Italian in everything but in name. Still, the bike loses nothing being from Italy and gains in the form of Marzocchi front and rear suspension, Dell’Orto carburation, and looks that are geared towards a style-conscious market – Italian youth.” Honda Italy offered a NS125R as well as a NS125RII, the latter named for having two front brake discs. According to 125Stradali.com, a website dedicated to Italian-built 2-strokes, Honda Japan requested a special model for 1987, the NS-RII Adriatico “exclusively for the Japanese market.” They also state that just 1,146 examples were built.
The seller (Moto2 Imports) of this example is ready to import it from Japan. They specialize in this kind of thing, and can offer US titles, door to door delivery, and Customs/DOT/EPA clearances. It appears that all the turn signals have been partially disconnected, presumably for the sake of transportation?
We sold one on Iconic Motorbike Auctions a couple of months ago as a No Reserve project that had been repainted and needed some front brake work for $3,750. Find this one for $5,900 imported to their shop in Washington, DC here on Facebook Marketplace.