Honda SP 125 BS6 2020 Review - Prices, Specs, Variants, Features and Mileage
As long as the 125 cc bike segment is popular in the Indian market, Honda’s evergreen product, the CB Shine SP will always flourish in the segment. The 125 cc segment commuter bike from Honda is successful across the globe and India alone leads to bringing in more numbers in terms of sales. With the new Honda SP 125, the company aims to offer more thrill by offering fifth gear in the 125 cc segment. With some latest enhancement in design and graphics, let us see how Honda manages to maintain its premium quotient in the commuter bike segment.
Pros
Smooth 5-speed gearbox
Comfortable seat and ride
Efficient and reliable motor
Cons
Quite expensive
Light body
Vibrations at higher speeds
What's New in 2020 Honda SP 125 BS6?
BS-6 compliant
New design and graphics
All-digital instrument cluster
What’s at the heart of Honda SP 125?
What are the performance characteristics?
The SP 125 comes with the same 124.73cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that has been upgraded to BS6, and the power rises to 10.88 hp and 10.3 Nm of torque. With a marginal hike in power figures, the bike features an electronic fuel-injection system that ensures smooth and fluidic throttle all along the ride. The engine is paired with a 5-speed transmission. Honda claims that the mileage has also increased by 16 percent.
Motorcycle | Honda SP 125 (BS6) | Hero Glamour | Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon |
Ex-Showroom Price (Delhi) Rs. | 72,900 | 68, 300 | 68,858 |
Engine | 124.73 cc | 124.7 cc | 124.4 cc |
Power | 10.88 PS @7500 rpm | 11.5 PS @7500rpm | 12 PS @8500 rpm |
Torque | 10.3 Nm @5500 rpm | 11 Nm @6000 rpm | 11 Nm @6500 rpm |
Fuelling | Petrol | Petrol | Petrol |
ARAI Mileage figure(kmpl) | 60 | 65 | 55 |
Fuel tank capacity (Litres) | 10.5 | 10 | 11.5 |
How gracefully does this Honda accelerate from 0-60?
Acceleration of the motorcycle is impressive for its size and the Honda SP 125 keeps on travelling smoothly till the 80kmph mark post which the performance drops and it is understandable. The extra gear is extremely useful on the highways and one can easily cruise the motorcycle around 80kmph without much effort and the engine doesn’t feel as stressed higher speeds. This is something likeable about this 125 cc bike.
Motorcycle | Honda SP 125 | Hero Glamour | Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon |
Transmission | Five-speed manual | Four-speed manual | Five-speed manual |
0-60 kmph | 7.16 sec | 6.55 sec | 7.11 sec |
Top Speed(kmph) | 100 | 95 | 105 |
How sure-footed are the brakes?
The Nissin brakes on Honda SP 125 are equipped with Honda’s Combi-Brake System (CBS) that works in sync with both brakes assembled on front and rear tyres. This makes the overall braking experience grippy and powerful. The bike manages to stop at 24.15 meters in the braking test, which is pretty decent in this segment.
Motorcycle | Honda SP 125 | Hero Glamour | Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon |
Front / Rear | Disc / Drum | Disc / Drum | Disc / Drum |
Front Rotor Size(mm) | 240 Disc | 240 Disc | 240 Disc |
Rear Rotor Size(mm) | 130 Drum | 130 Drum | 130 Drum |
80-0 kmph(m) | 24.15 | 33.01 | 34.51 |
ABS (Single or Dual Channel) | NA | NA | NA |
Can the Honda SP 125 get any more comfortable?
Ride comfort is among the most important critera for buyers looking for a 125 cc bike for saddle commuting. The Honda SP 125 passed the ride quality test as it absorbed bumps from small potholes, and the suspension setup is spot on. More than outright corner-carving a commuter bike has to be maneuverable to squeeze out from the tightest of gaps while experiencing tremendous traffic conditions of metro cities. The low seat height and kerb weight ensures great agility and its great fun to ride the motorcycle in the city.
Motorcycle | Honda SP 125 | Hero Glamour | Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon |
Chassis | Diamond | Tubular Double Cradle Type | Single down tube chassis frame |
Tyre-Wheel Size (Front) | 80/100-18 | 80/100-18 | 80/100-17 |
Tyre-Wheel Size (Rear) | 80/100-18 | 90/90-18 | 100/90-17 |
Front Suspension | Telescopic Fork | Telescopic Hydraulic Shock Absorbers | Telescopic |
Rear Suspension | Spring Loaded Hydraulic Type | 5-step Adjustable Hydraulic Shock Absorbers | Twin Gas Shock |
Seat height(mm) | 790 | 790 | 790 |
Ground Clearance (mm) | 1085 | 1091 | 1060 |
Kerb Weight(kg) | 140 | 125 | 123 |
Starting System | Self/Kick | Self/Kick | Self/Kick |
Here Bajaj Pulsar is the best performer because this bike carries the frame set up and riding posture of the Pulsar chassis. The broader rear wheel and rear twin-gas shock absorber of Pulsar 125 adds better comfort to its rider and stay completely stable at a speed of 80 km/h.
What makes this Honda SP 125 stand out in the crowd?
While Honda CB Shine was aimed to lure mature buyers, the SP 125 is meant to attract a young crowd. The “SP” is meant for special and the word brings more than one meaning to the bike. The design of the SP 125 has considerably improved with new five-spoke split alloy wheels. It gets 18-inch tubeless tyres.
Aesthetic Features
Split alloy wheels
Digital Analogue meter with service due indicator and clock
Sportier graphics
Low rolling resistance tyres
Low maintenance seal chain
Sporty tank shroud
Motorcycle | Honda SP 125 | Hero Glamour | Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon |
Length (mm) | 2007 | 2023 | 2055 |
Width (mm) | 762 | 766 | 755 |
Height(mm) | 1085 | 1091 | 1060 |
Wheelbase(mm) | 1266 | 1262 | 1320 |
The SP 125 now features a sleeker front profile. The muscular fuel tank seems to be inspired by the CB Hornet 160R. Small changes to the tail light provide a fresh look. Apart from cosmetic changes, the bike looks more aggressive and sharp compared to the 110cc bikes from Honda. Now the updated BS6 Honda SP 125 is a complete 125 cc bike as per its overall design layout.
What are the features available in the 2020 Honda SP 125?
The features list on the SP 125 BS6 has got a complete overhaul over the outgoing Shine SP. Similar to what we found on the BS6 Activa 125, this one also gets Honda’s silent start system and an LED headlight. additionally, the new fully-digital instrument cluster also reveals an array of information, including real-time fuel-efficiency, distance-to-empty, and service-due and gear-position indicator. These features add a lot to the convenience and comfort on a bike that is much needed by the buyer.
Motorcycle | Honda SP 125 | Hero Glamour | Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon |
Ex-Showroom Price (Delhi) | Rs. 72,900 | Rs. 68,300 | Rs. 68,858 |
Features | Combined Braking system | Integrated Braking System | Combined Braking system |
Low fuel warning
| Analogue and Digital console | Analogue and Digital console | |
Analogue and Digital console | Low fuel warning | Low fuel warning | |
Body graphics | Body graphics | Neon highlighted design | |
Clock | Average Fuel display | Clock | |
Reflector Tail light | LED tail light | LED tail light |
How does the Competition add up against this Honda?
Honda SP 125 VS Hero Glamour
Hero Glamour Drum is the more fuel-efficient one with a claimed mileage of 80.01 kmpl while the claimed figure for Honda ]SP 125 is 65 kmpl. With the BS6 transition and latest features, the Honda SP 125 is ahead of Hero Glamour in multiple aspects. In terms of ride and handling, the SP 125 offers great comfort and agility while the Glamour misses on the performance part. Oh high revs, Hero Glamour experiences vibrations throughout the body.
Honda SP 125 VS Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon
Bajaj Pulsar 125 delivers more power than the Honda SP 125. Bajaj needs to update its lineup aggressively in order to keep itself sure-footed among its competitors. We feel that Honda has always been following the emission norms strictly and becomes the first one to successfully establish a transition. We are waiting for Bajaj to bring fresh updates to the Pulsar 125.
Final Verdict
Finally, at last, the Honda SP 125 does come out as a well thought out bike. It has a blend of both visual appeal and performance, attracting youth crowd. Apart from the styling upgrades and the addition of new features, the mechanical update is what was needed at this moment. The 5-speed gearbox makes the Honda SP 125 feel more composed at higher speeds and increasing ride agility on highways.
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