Honda SH125i Review

Overall Rating

Narrow short good in traffic, twist and go, good weather protection with front screen, good fuel consumption. Fairly good at keeping up with traffic on A roads. Pillion doesnt kill performance as much as expected

Riding position forced on you.... not entirely satisfactory... feet and knees together stuff with little room to move. Rattle from front (think its the glove box retainers... must put some tape on the steel cable ends that must rattle around when the box is closed) Riding at night in the rain.... the wind shield is a nightmare..... needs windscreen wipers... have to struggle to look over of round it to avoid being dazzled by reflections... The answer dont get caught out in the rain at night. Underseat storage not great hence a back box forced on new buyers for full face helmet stowage.... Then Almost impossible for a large passenger to scramble on board... so I have developed a passenger on first and off last method.....

OK I must admit I am a "old" mechanic (well past my sell by date) My first bike a new Suzuki T20 super six followed all sorts of stuff.
I am well impressed with the power (even the limited power with the Honda SH125i) and the "Twist and go" It is an ideal commuter.
I bought it for the summer as a fun thing I live in the Lake District and thought it would beat sitting round in queues or not being able to stop due to no parking both on the passes and near the lakes and be useful on the tracks they call roads.
First lesson the passenger isn't half as protected from the weather as the rider. I froze my passenger thinking she was a warm as me wearing much the same kit.
Hills kill the small engine but it will plod on up most stuff at over 40mph....... 55mph is a comfortable easy to get speed on the flat.Anything more is a waiting game though it does 60mph given time and on a good stretch an indicated 70mph, not that I would care to thrash it about at that speed for too long.

The fuel tank is too small, I know it does silly mpg figures but I hate small change. I join a queue and wait to pay £4 - £4.50 (rather than the £40-£45 with my car) I would like 300 miles between refils.

I am still learning the brake regulator stuff where you put the back brake on and it adds a bit of front brake and the front adds a bit of back. I am sure it nearly had me off once doing a U turn on a muddy road. I like the handbrake makes sitting in queues on hills a breeze...err and letting the pillion off.

As with a lot of stuff these days it's a bit of a compromise, not a scooter or a motorcycle (like the Honda 50 /70/ 90 commuter) I like its looks but dont think it will catch on big time...

It has a two year guarantee, long enough for me to decide if I should carry on using two wheel transport. But to be honest I bought it as a toy and so far it is great fun at little cost. I would say if I did need it to work / commute I reckon it would be a winner

Members' Comments onEcnal's Review

• rcoffin on 31st May 2006

  Take a fine tooth hacksaw to the windshield and cut just below where you lookover. Won't spoil protection, will solve visibility, can then duck when a juggernaught sprays you, and strangely, reduces visor misting compared to no screen at all.

• incey on 21st Apr 2008

  Hi, I've been looking at this bike for a while now but am torn between buying upto a 2yr old model or going for a new one, what would you advise?