HONDA S-WING 125 (2007 - on) Review

The Honda S-Wing is a well-equipped and competitively priced executive scooter that performs a lot better than its functional looks might suggest. Honda is pitching the S-Wing as an up-market urban commuter and in that environment it's a cut above the direct competition.

The S-Wing is stable all the way up to its 70-ish top speed and supremely comfortable thanks to a huge seat and big footboards. Despite its bulky appearance it’s easy to manoeuvre at slow speed. The combined brakes are very good which makes the S-Wing very reassuring to ride in a busy urban environment - the back brake is almost too strong, because a sharp pull on the lever will easily lock the rear.

It’s hard not to compare the S-Wing to Suzuki’s Burgman 125 – both are maxi-style scooters, both weigh in at 156kg and both cost around £3,400. Thankfully for Honda, the S-Wing has a much nicer and more direct throttle response, feels quicker off the lights and has a little bit of an edge on top speed.  

It’s a Honda, so build quality is good and there should be no issues with reliability. However the dash looks a little dated and the leather-effect plastic surround on the cockpit looks a bit naff.

At £3,395 the S-Wing is bang in line with the competition in terms of price – the Suzuki Burgman is £3,399. But the S-Wing has the edge slightly on quality and performance. Find a Honda S-Wing 125 for sale.

The long side-opening underseat storage bay on the S-Wing is large enough for a full-face helmet with room to spare, but it’s a little shallow. There’s a handy mobile-phone/sunglasses cubby hole in the dash, a 12v power socket and a top-box is available as an optional extra. Riders will find the footwell-mounted filler cap handy and pillions will appreciate the optional backrest. Stainless floor panels pictured are extra. Compare and buy parts for the S-Wing in the MCN Shop.