The 'joys' of a Honda SH125!

[Bill/Rubery]

I see further on down this forum that some lad has brought a Honda SH125. I purchased one new in exchange for my Royal Enfield 350 around six? years ago. I did not put much thought into the purchase for once as I wanted to sell the Bullet. The problems arose when I decided to check the sparking plug....on any other bike a simple thing to do, however the SH125 being water-cooled dong something like a plug change is a right pain! Off came umpteen panels and even doing that got me no nearer to the plug...I even brought a extended socket spanner set with long reach equipment but still could not get at the plug. I just left the plug and got on with riding. The Sh125 went like the wind....really zoom!

[Bogger]

It's not all about speed you know

Bogger

[urbanfireblade]

Sadly all the scooters now with the engine under the rear are 2.5k intervals and difficult to service. The new PCX125 that's highly rated needs to be completely dismantled front to rear just to get to the engine. Honda parts guy told me they built it backwards so if you need to do anything you need to remove all the panels starting at the back and ending up at the running boards. That's what put me off the Pcx, SH etc. and I went for the Innova.


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[Jon]

Sadly all the scooters now with the engine under the rear are 2.5k intervals and difficult to service. The new PCX125 that's highly rated needs to be completely dismantled front to rear just to get to the engine. Honda parts guy told me they built it backwards so if you need to do anything you need to remove all the panels starting at the back and ending up at the running boards. That's what put me off the Pcx, SH etc. and I went for the Innova.


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The other thing for me is that the Innova uses traditional motorcycle controls. While the linked ABS brakes, left hand brake/right hand throttle operation on new scooters is great for car drivers looking for two wheeled options, my motorcycle skill-set, refined over 40 years, is for separate brakes, with the front under my right hand etc, so the innova bridges the gap between old school motorcycle control systems and modern convenience. I'm not a 100 percent sure in an emergency I would use a modern scooter's brakes properly as I think (not sure) that the right hand lever only works the front disc and may not activate the linked systems...

[Black Sheep Radical]

...however the SH125 being water-cooled doing something like a plug change is a right pain!

Yep, pretty much all scooters are like this nowadays. Nowt to do with being water-cooled though - it's just bad design. Honda had it right with the CH125/CH250 Spacy/Elite in the early 80s, they have two big trad scooter-style side panels which are easily removable for access to the motor. The Helix arrived in 1986 and that was even better, the storage locker is at the back so removing the seat gets you straight at the engine. With this and/or either of the rear fairing lowers (5 screws) removed you can do pretty much anything with the engine still in situ. All three of these are water-cooled, and all three easy to maintain.

[richie the 1st]

I An on my 3rd Honda SH125,Just need a long reach socket,some jobs on them are a pain in the arse though.
1st Did 40080 miles still got it,but now sorned,this bloody thing was so fast for a 125 scoot.
2nd Sh125i,did 16500 miles on it,was so slow.got it at 212 miles,and it didn't get any quicker.
3rd Sh125i,now 1 year old,has done 5100 miles,very different to the others,very quiet/better braked,f/r disc,s .Get,s to 70MPH.Then the rev-limiter cuts in.But its much more M.P.G. Last sunday on the Pioneer run,143 miles 5.7 litres.£7.50p.Gave found all 3 so very comfterable,can do long distance,s very easy.

[Bill/Rubery]

Hello Bogger, I know my comment is at odds with my current stance as regards to my Vox and speed, but on the SH125 there was no gears and one just opened up and away it zoomed. It was impossible not to go fast on that scooter. I was worrying that some police car would nab me and a speed fine would hurt my pocket via higher insurance!! Plus the fact that servicing meant a visit to the dealer. The Vox.... being a great copy of the Innova mean's I can do my own full servicing without the worry of trusting a cack-handed mechanic...

[Bogger]

servicing a scooter is easy, just very time consuming. I took all the back plastics off the Majesty. Gawd it took forever guv, but next time I'll be faster. Oops, I mean quicker oops there I go again. I mean it won't take me quite as long.

Bogger..... Who's going to race JJ on his shonky MZ super 5 againt my Majesty around the Lake District, he hasn't got a hope in hell

[Harry Notts]

Bogger..... Who's going to race JJ on his shonky MZ super 5 againt my Majesty around the Lake District, he hasn't got a hope in hell

That sounds like a scene from Last of the Summer Wine....but funny.

[Diesel Dave]

It seems the earlier the scoot the easier it is to remove the plastics.

For example my 250 Foresight gas visible screw heads everywhere, but the PCX I had they were all hidden and difficult to find.

Scooter servicing is very easy, oil change, plug swap, tappets (external adjusters on a foresight), belt width check, rollers cleaned, clutch drum cleaned of dust, new air filter and a brakes check - job done. Only needs one small 3" panel removing for the plug and tappets too.