> Honda S-Wing 125

Honda may not claim that their new S-Wing 125 will broaden the mind or spice up your love life, but their latest stylish commuter scooter will certainly put a spring in your step after effortlessly getting you to work in the morning.

The S-Wing is the evolution of the discontinued Pantheon and what it lacks in engine capacity it more than makes up for in ride quality and presence on the road. The S-Wing comes with the usual economic, environmentally friendly four-stroke automatic engine, (as do most modern scooters) and, according to Honda, it boasts the “lowest emissions in its class,” which will keep the eco scooter rider happy. The fuel-injected twist and go engine is silky smooth and quite nippy as well, so it’ll effortlessly get up to a respectable cruising speed and hit 70mph without too much effort.
Storage space is one of the biggest selling points on a scooter and the Honda’s plush, carpeted and illuminated underseat area (which hinges from the side as opposed to the usual front opener) will comfortably swallow a bag of shopping; it also has a handy divider to help keep wet weather gear away from dry items. There’s even a 12v socket under there as well. A bit more storage space can be found in the small glove compartment up front. There is also a flat rear carrier that can accommodate an optional 35 litre top box.

Ride quality on the S-Wing can’t be faulted, the suspension is soft but compliant and it’ll happily soak up the worst of the bumps encountered in our towns and cities and it’ll glide around the faster corners with ease. The Honda also benefits from a tight turning circle, which makes feet up U-turns in the tightest spaces a doddle.
The plush dual seat is comfortable, for both rider and pillion and although the riding position on the Honda isn’t as roomy as on some similarly styled scooters, there’s still enough space to stretch your legs out a bit on longer journeys. Rider comfort is enhanced by the decent sized screen, which offers good levels of wind and noise protection and will keep the worst of the elements at bay, as will the chunky legshields.
As with any Honda the build quality on the S-Wing, its paint finish and equipment are second to none and they’re built to last. Colour options range from silver and black to champagne bronze and the amethyst purple we tested. The S-Wing’s cockpit is well laid out and looks neat; it has dials for speed, a rev counter, temperature and fuel gauge. There’s also a useful digital screen that offers trip distances, odometer, time and average mpg.

Powerful disc brakes at either end mean the scooter can stop as well as it goes and the combined braking system works perfectly to distribute braking forces between front and rear discs, just by using the rear lever, ideal for novice riders. The front brake can also be operated independently and is extremely good to say it only utilises a single 240mm disc. With safety in mind the Honda also comes equipped with wide eyed multi reflector headlights with integrated indicators up front and a large light cluster moulded into the bodywork at the rear, so there’s no excuse for the immortal “Sorry mate I didn’t see you,” which is all too often the excuse muttered by negligent car drivers.

All in all, the S-Wing 125 ticks all the relevant boxes. It’s good looking (as any self respecting scooter should be), rides well, is economical and reliable and above all, it’ll get you to wherever you need to be much faster than even the best public transport system. Whether you’re a learner rider looking for a stylish first scooter, an experienced biker looking for alternative transport, or somebody just looking for a new scooter it’s worth swinging a leg over the Honda S-Wing.

Words: Iggy
Action shots: LAF
Thanks to B&M Honda for the use of their demonstrator,
tel 01246 813322

• End of review.

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