Honda SCV100 Lead Review

Good Points
There are many good points to this little bike, some are little things that make the bike a little more efficient, others make the bike what most others aren't.

1)Underseat space...
As you would imagine being a scooter, the Lead has underspace storage. The size of the storage is very adequate allowing you to store plenty under there. There's space for a first aid kit and a tool kit, my Lead came with both. Despite the fact there's plenty of space it won't fit my XL helmet under there, I haven't tried other size helmets.

2)Takes a beating and asks for more...
There's very little that stops this little scooter, take it through heavy rain, take it through snow, she won't complain, she'll beg for more and she'll take it all with ease. She can handle long journeys as if she had a bigger engine, I live up in Morecambe and I have gone down to Preston, Blackpool and Southport and she never once complained, only of thirst but with a 6 litre tank it's expected. The only time the poor thing broke down was when I took her through a puddle which was more like a pond, despite this she snapped out of her coma after a couple of hours and she was enjoying life as normal by the end of the day.

3)Good fuel economy...
Despite only boasting a 6 litre tank, she can take a journey. A full tank costs no more than £5 with today's cheaper petrol (based on 84.5p per litre) and will last you between 80 and 120 miles depending on the conditions. Redex helps clean the engine and makes fuel economy more efficient.

4)Good handling...
For a scooter she can certainly act like a bike. I ask you to point me out a road she can not take, a corner she can not turn. You can take a pretty good corner on this scooter and be confident that she'll keep hold of the road, just avoid ice, she doesn't like it.

5)Good value for money...
A brand new Lead costs just under £1,400 at £1,399 and she's definitely worth it for that much. I brought mine pre-registered, I got £50 off, she had 8 miles on the clock and she came with a free windscreen and a box rack.

6)Respectable top end...
On a normal day this beast will clock 45mph, with tail wind she can hit the 50 mark, however this doesn't guarantee that you will manage it. I weigh in at 13 stone so if you're heavier she possibly won't manage it, lighter and you may get her faster. When she got stolen last week my friend took chase when he found the culprits, he rides a CG125 and he struggled to keep up, he lost her. Just remember, although she maybe a 100cc, she is a 4 stroke, she is built for reliability rather than speed, if you're looking for speed she is not for you, look for a 125 2 stroke bike, Aprillia RS125 are known for their speed.

7)Convenient goods hook...
At the place you put your feet you will find a hook, this is very handy for when you go shopping, if you have no space under your seat simply tie your bag, hook it on and you're off. This hook can help you with a medium sized shopping. I once carried home a whole new set of clothes worth £135 in total (we're talking Matalan here, the clothes there are cheap so there was quite a bit) and she managed to carry it all...and my feet! Just!

8)Doesn't require a lot of love...
This scooter doesn't require a lot of love, just make sure you take her in for her services and check the breaks and the wheels and she will last.

There are other small good points about this scooter, however they are not as big as the above.

Bad Points
Despite so many good points, sadly we come to a few bad points, although the flaws are few they do spoil the bike a bit. Ignore them and they could become a problem however a few you can ignore and they won't make too big a difference.

1)Poor build...
For a great bike she's not all that on the eyes and the build is of abysmal quality. The lights housing often wobble and screws and bolts become missing and if you drop her it's probably better off not to survey the damage.

2)Too slow for some roads...
She's great around busy town centres and quiet country roads but you take her on a duel carriageway or a bypass and you'll quickly realise how much she under performs. Remember, she is built for commuting and fun, not to go insane on fast roads, this can be dangerous and it's not recommended!

3)Poor Acceleration...
She's not all that on acceleration, although she's not that much slower at a stop start than a CBR125 or a CG she's not good enough for those wanting a "wow" factor. She'll drag herself up quite quickly but it does take some 10 seconds to hit the top end.

4)Easy to steal...
She's not very secure without a set of locks, chains and alarms. You look at her and you wouldn't expect a thief to take her, how wrong I was. I locked mine up with the steering lock but despite this they managed to break it and break through the Honda Ignition Security System (Known as H.I.S.S). If you're wanting to keep a hold of her, stick locks and alarms on her and keep her in a safe place, otherwise, don't start crying when she's gone.

These are the main flaws I have recognised and remember, there are others however they're minor and not needed here.

General Comments
Please note that this is an updated version of my previous review, this is how I felt about my Honda SCV100 Lead bike before she got stolen from me last week and when you have no wheels, you really do realise how much you appreciated having them.



I would recommend this as a first scooter or a commuter but I wouldn't recommend anyone who's looking for good speed or any thrills as she's a basic machine without much of a wow factor. She's built to be convenient and that is what she is. She will get you from A to B and even C, she does her job well but if you're travelling to D then I recommend a rest every now and then, otherwise you will have a numb backside.



I hope this review helped you in some form or another, if you'd like to ask any questions please leave a comment, I will answer within 48 hours. Safe riding everyone and enjoy.



Mattey