Menus
- City Scooter
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Contact
- In the city
- On the highway
- On departmental
- Comfort
- Consumption
- Convenient
- Conclusion
City Scooter
Unveiled in 2012, the Honda SH 125 scooter has changed little in its i version for injection except in its ‘mode’ version. The opportunity to take it in hand to compare it to its new competitors that have appeared since.
Honda SH 125i headlight
Discovery
The SH is in line with the big wheel scooters that are a hit in Italy with a large apron and above all a flat floor, very practical on a daily basis with its small hook to hang suitcases and other bulky bags. For the rest, we are more on the high range of scooters in the segment with an excellent finish, a quality paint that catches the eye (especially in red), a long saddle. Innovative three years ago, by taking the lines of the VFR headlight, the two LEDS at the front and at the rear remain relevant and offer an elegant visual signature at night, clearly visible moreover..
Honda SH 125i sideways
We find the 4-stroke single-cylinder ESP (Enhanced Smart Power) which also equips the PCX125. An identical engine but for a lighter scooter and with improved performance since the power officially goes from 8.7 kW to 11Kw at 8,250 rpm while the torque goes from 11 to 14Nm at 6,500 rpm.
Honda SH 125i engine
In the saddle
With the flat, low floor, the legs slide naturally over the scooter as one sits on the long saddle. The passenger will also be largely at ease, once unfolded the footrests wide enough for the category. The ends of the feet, on the other hand, are just touching the ground for the 1.70m conductor and the height of 799mm is greater than that of an XMax. Fortunately the light weight counterbalances this height.
We then discover before our eyes an analog assembly for the speedometer, the fuel gauge, the engine temperature. A small central digital indicator also provides information on partial trips, totalizer and clock. The screen is very readable but placed quite vertically in relation to the driver, making it easier to take your eyes off the road to refer to it.
Speedometer Honda SH 125i
A small hatch on the left allows you to slip a cell phone or some trinkets.
Contact
Crutch folded, brake handle tight (but really tight, not just touched as sometimes) and contact to activate the ACG choke: the SH snorts discreetly. Like most Honda 125 scooters (PCX, Forza), the SH is equipped with stop and GO, which can be deactivated on the right handlebars. The principle is simple, the motor stops when stationary and restarts at the slightest request. Based on an electronically controlled alternator starter that replaces the starter, the system also produces electricity and eliminates the need for a conventional alternator.
If you do this with an unequipped scooter, there is a real lag time. With Honda, it’s instantaneous. The slightest stress on the right handle when the engine has stopped and it starts again, quickly without even noticing a difference when the system is active or not, apart from the silence when stationary. Beyond the noise gadget, this allows a slight gain in consumption reduction … While the engine like the other 125 announces a consumption of around 2.3 liters per hundred, the lowest consumption in the category 125.
Honda SH 125i front
In the city
Green light, acceleration, red light, stop. The reactions to the solicitation of the right grip are immediate. The engine goes up in the towers without screaming and offers a linear but efficient progression. It is very far from dragging and it is easy to leave in front of other scooters at a red light.
Lightweight of 1345 kilos, moreover is located at the bottom, lightness and large 16-inch wheels offer excellent maneuverability, especially at very slow speeds, where you almost find yourself doing slow Motion in a very tight U-turn. , without overreaching or imbalance. We can therefore perform all possible eccentricities between cars without thinking about it and with ease..
If you arrive a little quickly on a light quickly turning red, the braking is very effective, offering excellent feeling and good progressiveness. The ABS is particularly discreet, so much so that you can hear the tires squealing under heavy braking while providing a good feeling on the handlebars..
Honda SH 125i test drive in town
On the highway
The SH sets off naturally on the motorway to reach 110 km / h and still nibble some 5 km / h well launched in a straight line. Well launched and in good conditions, we can even go tickle the 120 km / h, but in an exceptional way. This speed goes down quite easily to 100 km / h in the event of a slight slope. However, the stability is excellent, including in fast curves, where we are surprised to make the exterior to cars that have slowed down..
Honda SH 125i motorway test
What surprises despite this impressive speed is the absence of pressure on the chest or the helmet. The apron plays an excellent role of deflector and protects particularly well.
On departmental
The SH is therefore more pleased to find the small departmental roads where it offers the means to make a short trip for the weekend, especially since it offers excellent comfort, effectively erasing the defects of the road.
Honda SH 125i top view
Comfort
The SH is rather comfortable, helped by the double shock absorber, especially adjusted to the most flexible. The long saddle allows you to take up all the necessary space for both the driver and his passenger. The small rear luggage carrier then also acts as a grab handle.
Honda SH 125i seat
Consumption
With the tank full, the needle remains stuck for almost the first hundred kilometers at most. It then begins to descend document to reach half of the gauge at 150 kilometers, then tickles the red zone at 225 kilometers. The tank, located under the saddle, is then filled with 5.62, while there is still nearly 2 liters of reserve, enough to do even more than 70 kilometers, for a range of around 300 kilometers. With a consumption of 2.4 liters per hundred, often handle in the care, the HS thus confirms its appetite of bird.
Convenient
The apron houses a small glove box, which deserves its name, which can accommodate a cell phone and a pair of gloves, little more. Note, however, the USB socket that allows you to recharge a mobile phone, very practical on a daily basis in view of the quality of the batteries of the mobiles.
Glove box Honda SH 125i
Under the saddle, the space allows on the other hand to accommodate a full face helmet and even a modular type Schuberth C3 or Shoei Neotec. We just regret the absence of a jack to hold the saddle, even if it is wedged well, once fully raised against the handlebars..
But the real plus of the SH is based on its flat floor which really allows large bags to be wedged in width, then possibly hooked to the central ring. The feet always find a little room, either underneath or duck. And whatever the weight of the bag, it, placed low, does not interfere with driving.
Finally, there is a small luggage rack at the back which allows you to secure a small duo bag and a solo duffel bag.
Honda SH 125i test on national
Conclusion
The Honda SH is still a very good scooter, elegant, well finished, comfortable, inexpensive at 3149 euros with ABS as standard and capable of doing the races of the week (excluding drinks). For a small price, it provides access to a quality scooter, consistent, pleasant to drive and practical on a daily basis. Those wishing a slightly more punchy engine, with the possibility of accommodating two helmets in the trunk and especially looking for a more modern look will rather turn to the very recent Forza.
Strong points
- consumption
- stop & go
- finishing
Weak points
- top speed
- place under the saddle
- no cylinder for the saddle
Honda SH 125i technical sheet
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We have been warned: to go for a ride with an H2, it will be: go to the station with a full tank AND a new tire.
And besides that will require a little organization. First invest in a 50cc scooter for the months following the immediate withdrawal plus retention of the bike. Changing your chain kits at the same time as the points recovery courses will save a few days of rtt.
The most complicated will be to manage to sleep with a judge while being married to an insurer.
Trips compared to the pleasure that the contraption should bring.