We’re going to have to start with the looks - the maxi scooter market can often seem a little samey, you’d be forgiven for getting confused between the models from most of the big manufacturers but with the angular lines, new front end and the overall styling Honda has made the Honda Forza 125 look the more premium scooter in the class.
There are 3 colours to choose from Black, Silver and Blue but the best of the selection is the Red - that may be personal preference but of the three it strikes me as the one that will look the best after a 6 months on the road.
Thanks to its 125cc liquid cooled engine it is also learner legal so can be ridden on just a CBT - it’s a fairly light scooter for its class weighing in at 168 kg wet meaning the 10.5kw is more than enough to get you away from the lights or cover any A road stretches you may have on your commute.
Key new bits of tech that have been added are Honda’s stop-start system called Idle Stop which cuts out the engine when stationary for 3 seconds increasing the range to 298 miles from its 11.5 litre full tank.
The dash has had a good update with the analogue dials either side of a 3 mode digital display showing you all the info you’ll need to know while out on the road. They’ve also added Smart Key, their keyless tech, allowing you to start the bike or pop open the underseat storage (with room for 2 helmets) provided you have the key with you
Pricing is where the Honda does fall behind slightly vs. the likes of Yamaha and Kawasaki - it’s the most expensive of the 3 close rivals but only by a whisker - at £4,689 it’s only slightly more than the £4,549 you’d pay for a Yamaha XMax and a good chunk more than the £4,099 Kawasaki J125.
When it comes down to it though the Honda Forza 125 is the best built of the 3 and offers the most toys and of course Honda offer a variety of their finances packages for the scooter that can make it more competitive on pricing.
Model year reviewed: 2019
