Honda SES125 Dylan

Author's product rating:   

Comfort	Excellent
Handling	Excellent
Looks	Good
Features	Good
Fuel consumption	Excellent

Advantages:	Cheap to run, reliable, good looking
Disadvantages:	Not the cheapest 125 cc to buy new, hard to find second hand

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I have had a second hand Honda Dylan for over four months and frankly I'm impressed. It's cheaper to run, petrolwise than my 50cc was. It's comfortable and easy to ride and can be ridden with only a CBT as it is 125cc.

Cost - brand new it costs around £2000, which includes a three year warranty. I found a three year old second hand bike with nearly 100,000 miles on the clock for £1200. In my experience, it's a popular bike and second hand bikes quickly get snapped up. I'm not sure how much was hype, but the dealership chap I spoke to said that most people who sell theirs only do so to buy a brand new one!

Running costs - I can manage about 100 miles of city driving (ie lots of congestion etc) on a tankful which sets me back about a fiver. I haven't had a service yet, but the quote is around £100 depending on what needs to be replaced.

Maintainance - so far this hasn't been an issue for me. The brake fluid and oil levels are clearly visible without having to dismantle any panels. There is a nice little label which states the tyre pressures on, to help when you check them. There is a handy reminder on the dash that flashes up when the oil needs to be replaced. Basically, even for a girl like me, you don;t need to know anything about motorcycle maintanance, as it's kept simple and easy.

Reliability - with a bike with so many miles onthe clock I was expecting some level of breakdown or repairs, but after a thousand miles myself it's still fine. Starts first time everytime, and have had no problems with the running at all.

Riding - this is a pretty easy bike to ride. It has a comfortable riding position, the seat is comfortable and all of the controls are easy to operate. There is a ridge down the centre between your feet which is annoying, but has no real impact when driving. The suspension is good too, which is good for helping to maintain control when driving over pot-holed or rough roads.

Engine - It has a reassuring feel to it - plenty of ooomph without feeling out of control. Even at relative high speeds it feels comfortable, controlable and capable of more. It's just what you need on busy roads at rush hour when you might need to apply some speed to get out of dangerous situations.

Looks - lookwise, it's probably not really appealing to teenagers, but is sporty and sleek. Bodywise, my three year old bike is pristine, which tells me that the panels are well made and that the paint doesn't scratch too easily.

Teeny gripes -
- the ridge in the footwell makes it difficult to hang a full shopping bag from the bag hook there.
- speedo has mph as the minor scale, so it's more difficult to read your mph
- optional extras such as luggage racks are expensive
- no secure body parts (hooks eg) to use for securing your bike. I use a long chain, but someone could just remove the wheel.

My favourite little things -
- the little toolkit that is stashed in the luggage compartment that fits all of the bolts and nuts you might need to fix on the roadside
- a tiny additional storage space for documentation/sunglasses etc
- decent storage under seat, with hook for hanging helmet securely externally (assuming you can guarantee no rain!)
- clear dash with useful illumiated dials etc
- good handbook with good information and clear diagrams and extensive detail should you wish to service it yourself.
- automatic headlights on, so younever have to remember

In a nutshell, it's a great bike for commuters - reliable, cheap and with a little bit of fun!