Honda SH300i ABS 2016 – FIRST CONTACT [PHOTO and VIDEO]

Honda SH300i ABS 2016 – 30 years of history and over 1 million customers worldwide are important numbers for the new Honda SH300i ABS. The restyling of the famous high-wheel scooter of the Japanese brand offers all the distinctive features of SH, adding to them the powerful medium displacement single-cylinder 4-valve engine. Honda has worked hard to create a perfect mix of elegance and sportiness of the lines, on the one hand, and better performance, great fuel efficiency and practicality, on the other. If Japanese engineers brought the previous SH300i to a remarkable level of performance, with imperious acceleration combined with surprising agility, the new 300 SH2016i ABS is rated to style and great stability, thanks also to the new steel frame with slightly longer wheelbase. The strong point of the 2016 version is the 279 cc 4-valve single-cylinder engine, liquid-cooled and powered by Honda PGM-FI electronic injection, the true heart of the SH's accelerations both in city traffic and on out-of-town routes. If this is not enough for customers to purchase it, Honda promises decidedly low consumption (33,3 km/l in the average WMTC cycle), obtained by applying low-friction technologies in the redesign of the engine, and, above all, offers the market the first scooter with obtain Euro 4 approval.

Our test drive of the new Honda SH300i ABS 2016 it starts from a hotel in the EUR area of ​​Rome. As soon as we see the new model of the Japanese brand with our own eyes we immediately notice the completely new design, strong and elegant, thanks also to the sophisticated front and rear LED lights, and the variety of colors available: Pearl Cool White (which will be the protagonist of our photos and video), Pearl Nightstar Black, Matt Cynos Gray Metallic, Moondust Silver Metallic, Pearl Siena Red and Pearl Pacific Blue. Only by getting closer to the new Honda SH300i ABS 2016 we immediately put into operation one of the technologies that Honda engineers are most proud of, the lock unlocking and control unit activation system with Smart Key, which allows you to access your scooter without using the key, even during the starting phase. Its range of action is approximately 2 meters. Other small innovations, but really important ones when you get on board, concern the driving position which, compared to the previous version, is more upright and neutral, which also makes it easier to put your feet on the ground. The seat height is set at 805 mm (only 5 mm more than the SH125/150i ABS), while the flat footboard is 435 mm wide, which allows us to put ourselves in a dominant position on the scooter, we are not in an armchair, but ready to attack the road, thanks also to the excellent view. The Japanese brand intends to carve out a nice segment of the public among women and a good hand could be given to it by the weight which is reduced by 1 kg (169 kg with a full tank of petrol), contributing to the great maneuverability and agility of the SH300i ABS. The first stretch of the city makes us immediately understand that we have a decidedly spirited high-wheel scooter in our hands and at the same time capable of getting by without too much difficulty in the congested traffic of the capital. Here the weight and dimensions are definitely the winning weapon of the new Honda SH300i ABS 2016. Furthermore, the notable accelerations allow us to overtake easily, while the two-channel ABS allows us to brake without any hesitation.

But the best is yet to come. Leaving Rome and entering the surrounding countryside, which will take us to the shores of Lake Bracciano, where we will stop for lunch, we understand that the territory most congenial to the new Honda SH300i ABS 2016 it is the extra-urban, where the power of the engine can be released without fear (the top speed is 140 km/h) and the agility in corners, even at high speeds, highlights the truly interesting cycling characteristics of this " small” scooter with high wheels. This new version improves the dynamic qualities in particular, with a focus on high-speed stability. The Oleo-Link linkage cancels the lifting effect of the rear axle during acceleration, significantly improving dynamic behavior. To help us in the many curves that lead us to Anguillara, a municipality that extends on a promontory on the south-eastern shore of Lake Bracciano, there are also 16-inch rims on which large section tires in sizes 110/70 are mounted. -16 at the front and 130/70R16, which ensure large footprint and excellent road holding even at pronounced lean angles when cornering.

Now Lake Bracciano is truly ready to welcome us and it seems to be the right place to rest a bit. It is here that we discover the underseat compartment capable of containing a full-face helmet and possibly rain trousers or a chain. Returning to Rome, however, we focus on the new 4-valve single-cam engine Honda SH300i ABS 2016, capable of delivering a maximum power of 25,2 HP at 7.500 rpm and a maximum torque of 25,5 Nm at 5.000 rpm, values ​​developed at significantly lower speeds, which favor acceleration and recovery. The new model from the Hamamatsu brand is definitely powerful to be an urban commuting scooter and this makes overtaking very easy even on the Grande Raccordo Anulare. The advice for those who will travel especially in extra-urban areas is to equip themselves with a windshield and to attach themselves well to the grips of the new SH300i ABS. The 140 km traveled during our test ride with the new one Honda SH300i ABS 2016 they also highlight its low consumption. In our case we are talking about an average of 3.1 l/100 km (33,3 km/l in the average WMTC cycle), a significant improvement, equal to +8,7% mileage, compared to the previous model. Finally, thanks to the 9-litre capacity tank, the autonomy is close to 300 km, thus reducing refueling stops.

Speaking for a moment about cycling on the streets of Rome, let's get to know the new telescopic fork better Honda SH300i ABS 2016 with 35 mm stanchions and double shock absorbers (adjustable spring preload) with aluminum swingarm, which provide an ideal calibration for the absorption of even the most pronounced bumps. In Italy, the new model from the Japanese brand is marketed with a matching 35-litre top box, extra-resistant polycarbonate windshield and handguards as standard. The price ofHonda SH300i ABS 2016 and of 5.140 euros FC, but it could undergo minimal upward changes next autumn.

Test clothing:

Jacket: Spidi Street Tex jacket

Gloves: Spidi Jab RR

Trousers: Furious Tex JEANS

Shoes: Xpd X-ZERO H2OUT

Helmet: Scorpion EXO-220