Good review Mark 👍,think you've proved there's no real need for the extra power of the 350. As 70mph is the maximum speed limit in the UK this is all you need really. Especially with the increase of average speed camera's been introduced to our road's,and decreased speed limits, transport like this maybe the future! Also bear in mind how easy and cheap they are to service. One litre of oil,no oil filter apart from a reusable screen you clean at the change, easily doable by a home mechanic,plus no chain to constantly maintain and a drive belt that will cover a very reasonable 16,000 miles before replacement 😀. I think it's a little bit expensive, but having said that the second hand one's certainly hold their money well 🙂
Definitely....it does 300 miles on a tank ...like you said very cheap to service...I just found it cruised so nicely at 60)65 mph very impressive Cheers mark
Wow haven't scooters come on from the honda melody 🤣🤣 great scooter, 70mph unbelievable, safe too mirrors and lights, economical, love it 😍, great review Mark 💯👏
Thanks for that excellent review Mark. Honda reliability and local dealership give it the edge over competitors for me, PCX also looks a great scooter.
Yeah the 125's value is all in the storage and the tech. It does have the max bhp a 125 can have, but still so much less powerful than the 350. I was looking at getting the 125, but I might as well get my A2 licence and wait to pick up the 350.
This looks a really good scooter. 15''/14'' wheels with a good section. A bit heavy for a 125cc, though. It's a shame Europe's licensing laws make the threshold 125cc. Honda's 160cc engine would make this scooter almost as nippy from the lights as my much lighter Yamaha Aerox 155 - which cost 1,500 GBP in Thailand. The Forza is much better equipped, though. I bet the suspension is good. The Forza is a far superior scooter to my basic Aerox. Extremely thorough review, Mark.
Suspension is actually about middling. I swapped from a Piaggio Medley 125 and the difference was really noticeable on New Forest roads. I really feel those bumps more than I used to. Still don't regret the change though.
Nice views of Dorset. I recognized the Cock & Bottle Pub there ;) I was there while I was on holiday. I'm from Luxembourg, I cannot wait for my scooter to arrive, bought it a week ago, should be there in a week, it was on stock, a red 2023 model, also 125 ccm
Not a bad scooter for a runabout. When they are new or two or three years old they are fine. Because the engine is enclosed in a shell. They rust like mad to take of the plastics takes a day of very hard work. The other thing is because they are soo long the head bearings at the yokes fail . As a bit of fun they are ok. Ridden them in Spain and the Greek islands no problem.
Brilliant review, very in depth, I have just ordered a new one today, you have put my mind at rest, as with all big purchases you wounder if you have done the right thing. Thanks 👍👍
very informative review thank you for passing your knowledge on this and other 125's it really helps new riders like myself make an informed decision. really do like your enthusiasm for bikes no matter the cc
Looks to be a very impressive scoot. Pricey, but quality. Once a bike can do 70 when needed, that's enough for me. One thought about the difficulty in capturing view of road ahead in the dark. Jsut a guess, but your camera might perhaps be getting automatically biased to the brighter signal coming form the dash display. If so, this would be inclined to suppress the relatively-darker portion of the image that coincides with the road ahead. Maybe you will have experimented with multiple camera positions already. If not, placing the camera ahead of the dash lights might help to capture a brighter representation of the road ahead. Thanks for all your videos. Your review style is always very clear and enjoyable to watch.
Thanks yes that is the reason for the dark section...it's picking up the dash ... I've tried with various settings and positions to no avail it's much better if I ride down a street lit road Best wishes mark .
@@markpulling12 Subscribed from Australia. Finally aged 64 I have retired riding 200bhp litre bikes on public roads here due to Draconian red tape and gone back to the track! Yes I WILL still do 180mph whenever I damn well feel like it and get my knee down. LOL That said. I had a dilemma. To see friends or have a coffee or just get some freedom I needed a road bike still. But one that would not see me having to "worry" about my speed all the time. I bought a 2022 Honda CB125F and it's an absolute hoot. Zero acceleration but HILARIOUS fun in the twisties on the flat or slight incline or downhill it will lean till there is no rubber left on the underside of the footpegs! 99% here are P plated or learner riders and I have to say I am certainly turning heads as I pass on the outside, bomb under them in 60-80KMH corners! It's a LOT OF FUN! Cheers.
@@markpulling12 My last one was a 1973 Honda CR125 in fact! Now THAT is a long time ago! Tally Ho sir and great channel you have. Shall binge watch tonight!
Exellent review..think my son asked if you were doing that 125 scooter.he rides all year round on his mt125 yam.commuting to wrk.think he mite b converted after 16yrs rideing bikes.👍🏍
Really is a good tourer - took mine from Southampton up to Runcorn the other day - took about 5 and a half hours on A roads with plenty of rest stops for me. Commuting is a breeze too. I easily get about 255 miles mixed use from a single tank.
@@MrSuryanamascar I let Waze choose my route after setting it to avoid motorways - I mostly followed the A419 up to Gloucester, past Hereford and then it's a straight shot up the A49
@@MrSuryanamascar you're more than welcome! It's definitely easy enough. Just remember to take a little break every hour or two. Long trips tend to make me space out a bit, so the stops are always a good idea.
I have 2 250 Honda scooters helix and reflex. Love scooters storage, economy, convenient for quick beer runs. That 125 runs like my 2005 250cc scoots. I have higher top speed, but how often do you go 80mph?
Viewed your Forza 350 test too, your two tests are ideal for a side by side comparison. To choose the 350 or 125 is the dilemma, only a few hundred in purchase price between the two. Your test shows I will only need the 125, (I'm a senior motorcyclist, retired and never in a hurry) the 125 holds 50 to 60 mph with ease, enough for my needs. Honda have a fixed-price service plan one-off fee at the time of purchase. , I think the 125 fee is a lot less than for the 350. Insurance cost is less, VED tax less, mpg is better. The Forza shares the 125 engine with other models, PCX etc, I'm told the shared 125 engine is very durable and reliable, good for 60,000 miles, I have no knowledge of the durability of the 300/350 Forza. Any comments or replies for the 330/350 engine?
Hi I have the Forza 300 myself and all Honda's as you probably know are super reliable so all good there For yourself I'd say the Forza 125 would be perfect....it is much faster than the pcx ....it will comfortably sit at 60/65 mph whereas the pcx is flat out and it has amazing weather protection...much better than the pcx Hope this helps Best wishes mark
If cost is an issue the cheaper 125s from Honda make more sense, remember the Forza weighs an additional 30kg over the likes of the PCX yet has no more torque to get that mass off the line. The durability of both the 125 and 300/350 seem fine anywhere between 40 and 60k depending on how it's been looked after but obvious if 50-60mph is all you need the 350 will be having a much easier time of it. If the lower running costs are really the deal breaker I'd check Yamaha's NMAX out too, a great 125 for around £3800.
Hi Mark, I must say you do the best reviews ever:-) I like to use my phone on the bike for the use of the satnav, as there is no bar or mirror brackets have you any idea how I can fix my phone in view possibly? Using a quad lock at the mo with a bar fitting
I've been out on this today for 80 miles ...one of the longest rides I've ever done on a 125 ...and it was effortless...very impressive for a 125 Cheers mark
@@markpulling12 I used to ride a Honda Varadero 125. The only thing that let it down was uphill on a motorway as it struggled to maintain 70. Apart from that it was a very competent machine. Ironically I have just bought a new 2023 Hayabusa but am also looking for an NC750-X DCT as a daily.
Hi mark my fiend has just bought one and it comes this week , I’m kinda looking forward to riding it , out of interest Marc what bikes do you currently own and ride ! 🏍🏍👍👍
Hi Jim ...I may get one myself in the future...my bikes are constantly changing because of loan bikes ...but personally I have a 790 duke and a zx12r Best wishes mark
The Medley has virtually the same power and can also fit two helmets underneath the seat. However its engine has a limiter which restricts it to 111 kph on the clock, which is a little less GPS, so only around 63 mph max. For this alone the Forza is way ahead on everything except price.
Hi ..I've actually been thinking about this for a few weeks! ! Lol And after much thought I'd choose the 350 reason is the ,350 is only a bit more money and it can still give up to 90 mpg but you've got the extra power when you need it Cheers mark
I would be interested to know the mpg values for real world riding in the city. My s-wing 125 used only achieve 70 mpg in London which is the same as my 2018 forza 300.
simple question. forza 125 or 350. once a week to london from Brighton. plus everyday 12 mile commutes. 125 mpg and range appeals. not so servicing every 4000 miles. Appreciate any advice
Hi Simon as good as the 125 is I think you'd be better off with the 350 it still does 80 plus mpg but it's way more capable for longer journeys Best wishes mark
It's simply unthinkable to spend your money on a 125 cc, 14 HP scooter that weighs 186 Kg. Either get the PCX 125 or the Forza 350. The Forza 125 is a misplaced bike that will soon disappear.
Well Mark, someone really has a problem. £5K plus for a 125 is ridiculous. Dearer than all Enfield bikes except their top of the range interceptor, but more importantly dearer than Zontes 125 @£3,770...Sym JetX 125 @£3299....Zontes 310 @£4,400....Lexmoto Aura 310 @£3,899 and even the SYM top range Joymax 300cc is only 4,599 OTR. This makes it about £1700 too much in my eyes. I`ve always liked Honda, but they are losing their way on pricing. That Sym Jet X 125 is £2K cheaper, that`s where my cash would go if I was on A1 but as I`ve passed A2 years ago the Zontes 310 would be in my garage for the same price. Don`t be suckered young `uns.
Honda Forza 125 is better than Sym jet x in all aspects. More horsepower, bigger front wheel, michelin tyres, a lot more space under seat, larger fuel tank, windscreen, better holding value...
@@markpulling12 Thought you were an advocate of the newer Far east especially Chinese bikes, (where the Forza is most likely built) Mark. So maybe when you say the quality is close to the Japanese brands, your reply of no comparison is simply confusing.. I`ve always liked Japanese bikes, if I was able to ride, now, I would have a Honda 650 tomorrow I just believe 5K for a moped is putting young riders off the idea of bikes in general, whereas 3K seems more affordable.
@@Snapper2110 yes just to clear things up...I'm a great lover of the Chinese bikes...I've had quite a few.. Benelli...keeway etc ...and you get alot for say £3 k .they are improving all the time..but the Honda Forza 125 ( yes it's Thailand built I think ) is a big step up from say the sym jet x ...in terms of performance and spec ...I know it's £2k more but you can feel that difference...most young new riders would probably not get one ...the Chinese bikes are much more affordable....I guess it's kind of you get what you pay for as always Hope that helps a bit Best wishes mark
Hi Alan Honda website gives this as 780 mm which isn't too tall on paper but as most maxi scooter seats are so wide it makes these only suitable for people with say 29 inch inside leg minimum....I'm 5 ft 7 and I can't touch down fully ....the pcx Honda is much lower thankfully Best wishes mark
Great review Mark, thank you :) I have just bought the Forza 125 2023 model in red and even though I am a novice rider, I agree it is very easy to ride. I'm loving this scooter!🤩🛵
A fine bit of engineering but £5,200 cash (£6,100 through a PCP) is beyond ridiculous for a 125, it's the sameprice as the CB300R and double the price of a Vision. The SH350 is just £200 more and the Forza 350 is £5,850. Only for the very wealthy who have no intention of passing the test.
