Honda SP 125
Honda’s sporty 125-cc commuter gets the BS-VI treatment and sheds the Shine moniker
Updated premium commuter gets a new name a lot of new equipment
BS-VI IS the buzzword for new two-wheelers in 2020 and honda are leading the charge, first with the new Activa 125 that we reviewed in the last issue and now with their first bS VI-compliant motorcycle, the SP 125. honda have taken this opportunity to rework their 125-cc commuter and inject a dose of sportiness into the design, and this is the first thing that hits you the moment you lay eyes on the new bike.
the Led headlight and surrounding bodywork are now sharper and more angular than on the Cb 125 Shine SP, which this bike is set to replace, while the tank, with those striking neon graphics and tank shrouds, adds a bit of new-age character and a premium look and feel that will resonate with the young crowd, as will the all-new Y-spoke alloy wheels.
the engine powering the SP 125 is an evolution of the motor on the outgoing bike and, although it shares the 124-cc displacement, honda have slightly reworked the bore and stroke dimensions, upped the compression ratio from 9.2:1 to 10.0:1 and the result is extremely positive. rather than a drop in output due to the bS-VI restrictions, this revised motor makes about 0.6 horsepower and 0.6 nm of torque more than the outgoing bike, with peak figures now standing at 10.9 hp at 7,500 rpm and 10.9 nm at 6,000 rpm.
Swinging a leg over and settling into the comfortable 790-mm-high saddle, I thumb the starter, immediately and silently bringing the motor to life. this motorcycle is equipped with an Alternating Current Generator (ACG) that does away with the conventional starter motor and associated hardware, thus saving a considerable amount of weight and cost. the ACG uses the alternator, which generally converts mechanical energy from the engine to electrical energy to be stored in the battery. however, in this application, current is reversed and the alternator draws power from the battery to turn the engine over when the starter is depressed. the result is smooth and silent starts without the obnoxious whine of a starter motor.
the air-cooled single feels extremely refined setting off, and I am faced with an LCd display with a large central speed readout, gear indicator, clock, real time as well as average fuel efficiency, and range, making this probably the most
The riding position is upright, comfortable, and relaxed; the bike is nimble and readily darts through gaps in traffic
informative dash in the segment. honda have finally got rid of the dated switchgear that we have been seeing on their bikes for a number of years and the SP 125 gets nice, sturdy switches and even an engine kill switch that give the bike a premium feel. Surprisingly, though, this motorcycle does not get the engine start/stop and side-stand engine kill feature that honda released on their bS-VI Activa 125 and, although these features might have pushed the cost up slightly, they would have been nice to have.
on the move, this honda feels exactly as you would want a modern commuter to feel. the riding position is upright, comfortable, and relaxed; the bike is nimble and readily darts through gaps in traffic, and the smooth five-speed gearbox perfectly complements the engine. torque is readily available from low revs, and the bike manages to remain vibration-free to over 80 km/h; impressive, to say the least. even beyond this speed, it is just a minor buzz that can be felt through the handlebars and the SP 125 continues to pull to an indicated 110 km/h — more than enough performance for a humble 125.
the 240-mm disc up front and 130-mm drum at the rear are carried over from the Shine SP and get the combined braking system that is part of the bS-VI norms. the system does a good job of distributing brake force to both wheels when the rear brake is depressed, only threatening to lock up if you really stand on the pedal. Similarly, the telescopic fork and twin shocks at the rear have also been carried over from the outgoing bike, and do a good job of ironing out road imperfections without feeling too spongy; the suspension was even up to the task when two-up. handling feels just right for a bike in this class and it feels pretty effortless to put the SP 125 exactly where you want it.
the switch to bS-VI was expected to make this year’s bikes slower and heavier, and it’s great to see honda giving us a 2020 model year motorcycle that makes marginally more power than its predecessor. with a kerb weight of 118 kilograms the honda SP 125 weighs three kilograms less than the Cb 125 Shine SP that it replaces, and we can hence expect slightly better performance as well. Let’s hope that other manufacturers also take a page out of honda’s book and build bS VI-compliant motorcycles that outperform their bS-IV predecessors.