2017–2019 · Scooter · Buyer's Guide
Light As Air, Sharp As Nails
The SH125i answers a simple question: how do you cross a crowded city every day without thinking about it? This JF 68 generation is built around a liquid-cooled eSP single with PGM-FI injection, good for 12 hp and 8 lb-ft, driving a belt inside a steel tube frame. What sets it apart is the pair of 16-inch wheels, big for a scooter and the reason it stays stable right up to its top speed. ABS, a keyless system, an LED headlight and a center stand all come standard. At 302 lb (137 kg) wet, it's a featherweight with grown-up equipment.
It rides the way it looks: upright, light and completely undramatic. Steering takes almost no effort, dense traffic is where it's happiest, and the bodywork keeps more wind and weather off you than you'd expect at this size. It ages well, too. Honda's build quality holds up, the engine sips fuel, and running costs stay about as low as motorized transport gets. It's for the rider who wants a tool that starts every morning and asks for nothing in return. The caveat is plain: with 12 hp, the city is its home and the open highway isn't. Know that going in.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 12 hp (9 kW) @ 8,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 8 lb-ft (11 Nm) @ 7,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 125 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 240 mm |
| Front tire | 100/80-16 |
| Rear tire | 120/80-16 |
| Wheelbase | 52.8 in (1340 mm) |
| Seat height | 31.5 in (799 mm) |
| Wet weight | 302 lb (137 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 2.0 gal (7.5 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
I've spent years listening to SH125i owners: in paddock conversations, at club nights, and in the emails and messages riders send me directly. For the JF 68, the picture that comes back is consistent. Riders talk about how little it uses and how little it asks of them, and the complaints are few and specific.
Fuel economy leads the conversation: owners regularly report figures around 94 mpg (2.5 L/100 km). Just as often they describe the liquid-cooled single as free-revving and vibe-free at any revs, relaxed even when you hold a constant speed. In stop-start traffic, riders point to the tight turning circle and the smooth CVT. Many say the underseat compartment takes a full-face helmet plus a jacket, so they don't bother with a top box for daily use. Panel gaps and switchgear get described as premium.
The recurring gripe is ride quality on bad surfaces. Some owners say the short-travel suspension passes sharp bumps straight into the seat, and the ride turns choppy. An occasional remark concerns the front fairing: there's no lockable glovebox or cubby up there. That's the whole list.
Where this Honda SH125i pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the SH125i is actually built for.
If your day is short hops, tight parking and a close eye on costs, this is your scooter: light, cheap to run, well protected from the weather and dependable. I'd buy it for exactly that job.
Made for Austin · Los Angeles · Miami Beach / Miami
Be honest with yourself: it'll handle the city half of your week beautifully, but 12 hp runs out of breath on fast ridge roads, and there's no smartphone connectivity. Second bike, yes. Only bike, no.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Successor · 2020
The City Commute Solved
Competitor · 2018–2021
Icon That Actually Handles
Competitor · 2014–2019
125cc Maxi Scooter Done Seriously
Same Platform · 2015–2020
City Commuter, Dialed In