SH Mode 125 (Gen2)

The SH Mode 125 is a scooter built around one job: making the city easy. A liquid-cooled 125 cc single makes 11 hp and 9 lb-ft, and an automatic transmission does the rest, so there is no clutch and no shifting. That is enough for urban traffic. Honda puts a 16-inch front wheel on a steel tube frame, with a 14-inch wheel at the back, and keeps the whole package at 260 lb (118 kg) fueled. Keyless ignition, an LED headlight, a USB charging port and a center stand all come standard. It is a small, grown-up scooter with a sharp, modern look, and nothing on it is there just for show.

Riding it asks almost nothing of you. It is light, compact and friendly, and it slips through gaps that bigger machines have to wait out. Honda's usual strengths show up over time too: strong reliability and very low running costs, helped by a claimed 115 mpg. The honest limits are clear. Top speed is 60 mph (97 km/h), which keeps you off the freeway, and there is no ABS. Mechanically, the exhaust valve clearances tend to tighten, so check them more often than the schedule asks. Changing the spark plug also means pulling off a lot of bodywork. If your riding happens inside city limits, none of that should stop you.