Honda ANF125 Innova Review

Overall Rating

Excellent reliability, good gear change good brakes.

Air filter design and its accessibility. Front brake caliper design. Poor chrome finish on wheels and exhaust like every other bike on the road. Low capacity fuel tank.

I have had an Innova for 3 years and have covered 8000 miles in all weather conditions. The engine air intake design is the major problem with this model as it has the tendency to fill up the air filter with water somehow being spayed or sucked into the filter from the front road wheel. It necessitates dismantling the plastics and removing the air filter on a regular basis and is the main reason for poor performance which tends to happen after a wet run. The low capacity fuel tank is a major drawback for longer journeys but for the trips it was designed for I should not complain. Its upright position is comfortable for short journeys but can begin to be uncomfortable over the longer trip. The front brake is excellent but also has a bad design feature the dust seal is seated in a groove in an alloy caliper body which corrodes and pinches the seal onto the caliper piston. Although the piston can look clean the corrosion in the dust seal groove has a tendency to slowly apply the front brake on a permanent basis as it does not allow the piston to return after the brakes are applied so the wheel does not spin freely. It takes some time to achieve seizure but it will inevitably happen in normal UK weather conditions. Luckily this is an easy problem to solve it can be undertaken by a competent amateur. Fuel consumption can be excellent if ridden gently it is also very good when driven hard so no complaints in that area. For commuting in traffic the semi automatic gearbox is a logical and practical choice being both smooth and well spaced for both performance and economy. The overall design is well balanced and the low level of the engine weight gives a stable feel when cornering hard. It is advisable to fit European tyres at the first opportunity. The overall finish is reasonable but you can expect the silencer and wheel rims to rust badly no matter what you do. The plastics are both firm and well made and fit accurately. The frame and side panel shape could easily lend itself to the fitting of a fuel tank with a higher capacity and this no doubt will be done in the next iteration of the design. As part of my collection of bikes this is just great fun to drive and so much better than a small wheeled scooter. The engine is not indestructible but if regularly maintained can tolerate being driven hard. Regular oil changes and keeping the level topped up are important as when driven hard it uses more oil than expected.