Honda SH125i Review

Overall Rating

Quick for a 125cc; holds 60mph with 2 on board and 70mph alone on level (80mph downhill with a tailwind); solid build quality; fantastic motor, brakes and handling.

A bit harsh over some of London's road surfaces; extremely hard braking can cause front tyre to rub splash guard with 2 on board; approximately 3-5mph speedometer error at 30mph; centrifugal clutch take-up a bit slow with 2 on board, particularly when starting on a grade.

I've owned the Honda SH125i for about 4 months, clocking 1,500 miles so far, and it has been flawlessly reliable. Thanks to a solid fuel injection system, there have been no problems starting on warm, cold, wet, foggy or humid days. Performance increased gradually over the first 1,000 miles as the motor broke in. Acceleration is quicker than most other 125s but you won't kill bikes bigger than 200cc off the line. However, it will easily out-accelerate normal city traffic. I tend to ride at full throttle a lot in stop-and-go traffic, often with a pillion, and get about 100 miles on £5 of super unleaded.

I've ridden London to Brighton and back with a pillion and could hold 60mph easily on level but the speed drops when climbing any sort of grade at unrestricted speeds. The bike handles well on country roads and feels solid and stable at any speed. Braking is deceivingly quick when riding alone - it's important to be aware of what's behind. A couple times with a pillion I've had to hit the brakes hard and have managed to cause the front tyre to rub the splash guard due to dive.

This is not a very small bike. It's large enough (particularly with the optional windscreen) for cars to see you easily. The width is perfect for filtering, though, and the length and height make it feel substantial for someone 175cm tall. When I was looking to buy a bike I originally considered the Honda SCV100 Lead but it felt like a hairdryer on wheels compared to the SH. I can't put both feet flat on the ground but it's easy to balance on toes or on one foot flat. I find it more convenient to stop next a curb at lights where possible.

My only worry is the longevity of the clutch, as it does lag for a couple seconds with 2 on board, particularly when starting on a grade. This is more noticeable on warmer days when the clutch doesn't cool as quickly. I try to anticipate traffic far enough ahead to avoid disengaging the clutch as much as I can. However, this may just be down to my own paranoia having grown up with an engine mechanic father. The clutch weights are only about £60 worth of parts to replace, so not exorbitant.

For the environmentally concerned, Honda claim the fuel injected 125cc motor used in both the SH125i and the PS125i is the cleanest about. From my point of view, the only time I've ever smelled exhaust fumes are for the first minute after the bike is started cold first thing in the morning. I compare that to the choking fumes emanating from many other scooters/tourers/sportbikes at traffic lights, not to mention quite a few of the cars on the road.

I would recommend this bike to anyone looking for mostly city driving with the occasional trip to the country. Insurance rates were surprisingly cheap (about £175 without a no-claims discount for third party and fire/theft for the year - half the price of the Honda SCV100 Lead oddly), which may be due to the fact it's not overly flash and the ignition barrel is considered to be quite sturdy. The financing cost over three years is less than the cost of a London bus-only monthly pass, parking is free (in some boroughs and in designated spaces around the city), you're on you own schedule to go anywhere faster than public transit, and at the end of the three years you still have something you can sell on or trade in. Plus my pub bill has all but disappeared since I bought it!

Members' Comments onduffs10's Review

• incey on 21st Apr 2008

  I found this review infomative & helpful, thanks!!!

• 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?

• duffs10 on 29th Apr 2008

  Hi there, I suppose it depends on what you want to spend - a 2 year old model will probably be less than £1000 and provided you can verify the service history there should be no reason it doesn't last you a while... apart from the usual checks (suspension, steering, etc) make sure the clutch weights aren't slipping and check the oil level/condition (gives you an indication of how much the previous owner actually cared about the condition of his/her bike).