Honda SH Mode 125, all-round citizen

edited by Umberto Sanna

What better to ask for than a busy and crowded place like Palermo to highlight the qualities of new scooter made in Honda? The sun is out, the city/mountain/cobbled route too, so you put on your helmet and get on it SH Fashion 125. This scooter has everything to seduce its customers who will mainly be made up of young road users: new colors (black, white and pink), a price that will make rivals in the same segment pale and reduced consumption which, according to what was released by the company, stands at 50 km/l.

With a starting price of 2.650 euros, the new Honda SH Mode 125 is 500 euros cheaper than the SH 125i, officially presented for the first time at Tokyo Salon. This extra on the latter is justified by the adoption of the ABS system. Honda therefore wanted to create a model that acted as an intermediary between the entry-level and the top of the range, without saving on safety. Agility and practicality are the two strong points of the new Mode 125: in the city, in its natural habitat, the Japanese car is easy to handle and manageable to your liking. Also thanks to the reduced weight of 20 kg (now 116 kg in total) which allows you to have greater mastery of your vehicle especially when making sudden braking.

The set-up, modified in the new SH Mode 125, is now more communicative thanks to the adoption of 16 and 14 inch wheels for the front and rear respectively: this setting allows you to have a lowered rear axle, without compromising driving comfort. Thanks to this configuration, it is possible to store a full-face helmet in the saddle. Performance aside, what is most impressive is the start/stop system which allows you to reduce consumption significantly. And considering that 90% of SH Mode owners travel mainly in the city, this system can only be welcome not only for the reduction in consumption (47.2 km/l without start/stop and 50 with the system engaged), but above all for the reduction of CO2 emissions. The system comes into action three seconds after pressing the brake: in this case, the engine turns off and to start again just give a tap of the accelerator and the start/stop is deactivated instantly, thus restarting the vehicle. single-cylinder with 11.4 hp and 12 Nm of torque.

If desired, there is the possibility of deactivating the system via a button located on the right side of the handlebar, but this would be a provocation towards Greenpeace. The system does not come into operation when the 10 km/h threshold is not exceeded for the first time, thus avoiding having to turn the engine off and on again every time you proceed at low speeds immediately after starting the four-stroke. The braking system implemented by Honda is ingenious: by activating the rear brake, not only is the rear wheel braked, but one of the three pistons of the front brake intervenes and "blocks" the front wheel to ensure greater stability: a safety more depending on the road surface and weather conditions. Note the discreet acceleration which is appreciated (and felt) especially on steeper climbs, as we had the opportunity to experience climbing Monte Pellegrino in the splendid Sicilian capital.

The new Honda SH Mode 125 couldn't be more versatile and should worry the competition which now finds itself faced with a new rival that it cannot ignore. Tokyo's all-round scooter it is already on sale in Honda Italia dealerships at a competitive price of 2.650 euros.