Best scooter for NYC?
This is the best fit here: light, compact, cheap to run and made for short hops and tight parking spots. Just keep it on city streets, because 56 mph is its ceiling.
Made for New York City · Austin · Los Angeles
2022 · Scooter · Buyer's Guide
Avenis 125 (MY2022)
City Compact, Effortlessly Nimble
The Machine's Character
The Avenis 125 is Suzuki doing what Suzuki does best: no spectacle, just a sensible machine built around how a city actually works. The engine is a 124 cc air-cooled single making 9 hp at 6,750 rpm and 7 lb-ft at 5,500 rpm, carried in a steel tube frame. It weighs 234 lb (106 kg) wet, and the 12-inch front and 10-inch rear wheels keep its footprint small. The useful kit comes standard: LED headlight, USB charging port and a center stand. Smartphone connectivity is available as an option. Honest substance.
Put those figures together and the brief is plain: short urban trips, tight streets and low running costs. The 30.7 in (780 mm) seat height and modest weight make the Avenis approachable if you're new to two wheels. Because the single is air-cooled, there's no radiator to look after, which keeps ownership simple. Its 56 mph (90 km/h) top speed draws the line: this is a scooter for city streets and arterials, not the freeway. Suzuki says the Avenis brings fun to daily errands thanks to its responsive engine and agile chassis. That's the job. Built for town!
Hard Numbers
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
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| Power | 9 hp (6.4 kW) @ 6,750 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 7 lb-ft (10 Nm) @ 5,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 124 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Front tire | 90/90-12 |
| Rear tire | 90/100-10 |
| Seat height | 30.7 in (780 mm) |
| Wet weight | 234 lb (106 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 1.3 gal (5 L) |
| Top speed | 56 mph (90 km/h) |
Equipment check
Connectivity
- Smartphone Connectivity Optional
- USB Charging Port Standard
Lighting
- LED Headlight Standard
The Truth on the Street
I've spent years listening to people who live with their bikes: paddock talk, owner chats, club nights, and the emails and messages that land in my inbox. For the Suzuki Avenis 125, the picture that comes out of all that is pretty consistent. Riders agree most on the engine and the looks, while the complaints are more scattered and usually come from individual owners.
The engine everybody agrees on
The strongest agreement is about the single-cylinder engine. Owners keep calling it refined and free of vibration in city riding, and more of them make that point than any other. Close behind comes the way it gets going: riders describe it as lively off the line and quick enough to pass with confidence in urban traffic. The styling gets just as much credit. People like the bold body panels, the bright colors and the aggressive front apron, and they like that the scooter gets noticed. Looks matter here.
Fine until the road breaks up
Ride comfort splits in two. On smooth pavement, riders regularly report well-balanced suspension that soaks up most imperfections. On potholes and broken roads the story changes: the most repeated complaint is that the small 10-inch rear wheel passes sharp hits straight through and makes the scooter jittery. Good road, good ride.
The gripes owners raise alone
The rest comes from individual owners, not from a chorus. Some say the under-seat compartment is too small to take a full-face helmet. Taller riders mention a cramped floorboard that costs them legroom on longer rides. A few report the pickup fading noticeably after a few thousand miles. And there are owners who call the build quality disappointing and who waited a long time for replacement body panels. Lone voices, but real ones.
Known issues
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Excessive rear suspension sag with passenger
The soft rear suspension bottoms out or loses composure when carrying a pillion, making the scooter unstable over bumps.
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Poor wet-weather tyre grip
The OEM tyres lose traction on muddy or wet slopes, increasing the risk of a fall.
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Unstable idling and stalling
Engine idling becomes erratic, sometimes causing stalling; repeated sensor cleaning provides only temporary relief.
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Rear wheel bearing whining noise
A low whining noise from the rear wheel bearing occurs when riding with a pillion, indicating potential bearing wear or misalignment.
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Ride Connect app malfunction
The Bluetooth-enabled Ride Connect feature (displaying calls, navigation) rarely works as intended.
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Low-speed hesitation and bubbling sensation
Some owners report a jerky, bubbling response when riding at very low speeds, which disappears above a certain speed.
The Expert Benchmark
Where this Suzuki Avenis 125 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class
Head-to-head: Suzuki Avenis 125 vs. its rivals
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
The 'Should I Buy It?' Score
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Avenis 125 is actually built for.
Best motorcycle for Bay Area?
It handles the city half of your week well: compact, easy to park, cheap to run. For weekend ridge roads, 9 hp and a 56 mph top speed make it a weekday tool, not your weekend bike.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
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