125cc Scooters & Commuters
While lots of focus is understandably placed on Honda's sports, touring, cruising and off-road motorcycles, the Honda brand is also proud of its long history of producing all sorts of different bikes for all sorts of different riders. In fact, few manufacturers have a motorcycle portfolio anywhere near as diverse as Honda, many of which are practical, low-powered models for commuters, younger riders, and those who just want a bit of fun on two wheels.
For example, there's the SH125i which is an enduring, premium, learner-friendly scooter that's powered by a 125cc single-cylinder engine and is perfect for city commuting. Then there's the Super Cub, which is an underbone motorcycle with a four-stroke single-cylinder engine that's now been in continuous production since 1958. The Super Cub has been so popular over the years that it's now the most produced motor vehicle in history, with sales of the Honda passing the 100 million mark in 2017.
If it's a really fun bike you're interested in, it's impossible to look beyond the Honda Monkey, or the Honda Z Series to give this modestly proportioned bike its correct designation. The model we have today is quite different from the originals of the 1960s and 1970s, but it's as quirky and as much fun as it's ever been.
UK law restricts beginner riders to bikes of no more than 125cc, but plenty of new riders with an A1 license still want to be able to ride a "proper" motorcycle that looks the part before they decide if going for a full license to ride bigger bikes is what they want to do. That's where the CB125R comes in, which was brought in by Honda in 2018 as an easy-to-master 125cc model for newer riders.
New SH125i
The SH125i is Europe's favourite scooter, and Honda is aiming to keep it at the top of its class in 2020 with a new model that is roomier, more powerful, more fuel-efficient and more stylish than ever before. That's a lot to ask from a scooter that's already the most successful in its class, but that's exactly what Honda has achieved with the new 2020 SH125i.
Although it's always been a stylish ride, the 2020 Honda SH125i goes into the new model year with freshly sculptured styling and a very contemporary, efficient 4V four-stroke eSP+ EURO5-compliant engine.
When we say there's now more room than ever before, we really mean a lot more room. In fact, the new SH125i has 50% more room than its predecessor, which means there's now enough storage capacity for a full-face helmet and more.
The latest technology is also finding its way into the new SH125i. The SH25i is now the first Honda scooter to feature the company's Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), and the new model also boasts the likes of full LED lighting, a USB charging socket, and even a super-sharp LCD dash to tell the rider what's going on.
Along with all that, the 2020 SH125i also benefits from a careful redesign of the scooter's rear suspension geometry, and that means both the rider and passenger can enjoy a ride quality and comfort that's even better than it was with the previous model.
Monkey
When the original Honda Z Series was given the "Monkey" nickname back in the mid-1960s when it was introduced, it's probably fair to say it perhaps wasn't always used as an affectionate term. However, the line of minibikes that continued in production until 2017 quickly won over a large following in all parts of the world, so it probably shouldn’t be a surprise that Honda is back with an all-new version of the Monkey for a new generation.
The whole point of the Monkey is that it's small, light and easy to transport, but the smile on your face whenever you see it will still be smaller than the smile you have once you get to ride it. The Monkey may weigh-in at just 107kg and have a comfortable seat that's situated just 775 mm from the ground, but it also boasts an air-cooled 125cc engine bolted into a sturdy chassis and IMU-controlled ABS braking that tell you this is a real bike in every sense.
Today's Monkey features chromed steel high-level front and rear mudguards, the evocatively stamped exhaust shield, and those familiar high-rise handlebars that were such a feature of the original, but the new Monkey has a style of its own that makes it even funkier than it already was.
The Monkey is a great little machine for getting through city traffic in a way little else with an engine can, but it's also a great fun bike that's worth owning just for the sheer joy of riding it delivers in spades.
Super Cub
No matter where you live or who you are, you’re sure to have seen countless Honda Super Cubs on the roads everywhere you go anywhere in the world. This is a bike that's been a daily workhorse for tens of millions of people all around the world since its introduction in the late 1950s, and it's still going strong today.
The Super Cub, like the Monkey, is back in Honda's mini fun category of bikes, and plenty of people are delighted to see its return. The classic step-through bike is back with its throwback styling and unintimidating presence, but there are distinctly modern touches that add a little bit of 2020 to the Super Cub's undeniably retro appeal.
This really is a simple, efficient and unassuming bike that does its job without fuss. Today's Super Cub has a fuel-injected, 125cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that's mated to a four-speed semi-automatic transmission. Some of the elements that give away the fact this is a modern take on the Super Cub are the LED lighting package, the digital instruments and the front single disc brake with standard ABS.
It may not be a staggering performer like the Fireblade or a cool cruiser like the Rebel, but more than 100 million buyers and counting can’t be wrong. So, who knows how many more will enjoy the simple, efficient, no-nonsense values of the Honda Super Cub in the years to come?
CB125R
If you think not having a full bike license and therefore being restricted to a bike of 125cc or less means you’re not going to be able to have a really fabulous bike to ride until you get that full license, then you obviously haven’t come across the Honda CB125R yet.
Introduced in 2018 by Honda, the CB125R is a 125cc naked bike that's primarily aimed at beginner riders, but it's also part of the "Neo-Sports Café" family of models that also includes the likes of the CB1000R, CB650R and the CB300R.
The engine in the CB125R is a liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, four-stroke, two-valve SOHC single-cylinder 125cc unit that develops 9.8kw at 10,000rpm and 10Nm of torque at 8,000rpm. It has a six-speed transmission, a seat height of 816mm, and a kerb weight of just 126kg. This is also a thoroughly modern bike with an LCD instrument display and front and rear LED lights.
At the front there's a 41mm telescopic inverted fork, the rear suspension is taken care of by a single damper, and the bike also features front and rear independent ABS with IMU.
At first glance, the CB125R looks an awful lot like the CB300R, and that's pretty much the point of this excellent and very desirable entry-level bike. This modestly powered little bike offers riders the kind of big bike styling, high-quality construction, low running costs and tons of learner-legal fun that will promote a love affair with riding motorcycles that will last a lifetime.
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