When it comes to finding an affordable but comfortable and well-specced commuter runabout, 125cc ‘Maxi-scooters’ should be right up at the top of your list. 

Being 125s means they’re A1 licence compliant which also means they can be ridden on a full car licence or from 17 with a CBT certificate and L-plates making them accessible to almost anyone. Being ‘twist and go’ scooters makes them extremely easy to ride (unless you want the complexity of a motorcycle with manual gears) and practical with a degree of leg protection and, usually, an underseat storage compartment. 

And, being ‘maxi-scooters’, or larger and more luxurious than basic 125 scooters, makes them longer-legged, more comfortable, spacious, better equipped, and more practical, too. 

But which are the best out of the literally dozens available on the market today? 

It’s also worth noting that this is a purely subjective list, and you could argue that any of these deserve to be at the number 1 spot – so let us know what you think. You can, however, rest assured that you’ll be a happy commuter any of our picks. 

We’ll cover the basic info, specs, price, and what sets all of these popular picks apart from one another. So, without further ado, here is our Top 10. 

Kicking off our list today is a BikeMatters tried and tested - the Suzuki Burgman Street EX125...

Suzuki pretty much invented the super scooter or maxi-scoot when it launched its first Burgman at the end of the 1990s so we’d be remiss if we didn’t include its latest incarnation here. 

The Japanese firm’s current scooter line-up includes: the Avenis and Address 125s, both ultra-affordable (at £2699), basic types with the former more sporty and the latter more commuter; its now biggest Burgman, the 400 at £7199 and this Burgman Street 125 EX which, after the original 125 was deleted in 2012, emerged as an all-new model in this form in 2022. 

It has all the classic Burgman attributes (slightly bigger size, decent 22.5-litre under seat storage) plus nice touches such as LED lighting, a rear luggage rack, Smartphone charger point, and start-stop features as standard. There’s a digital LCD dash, returns a claimed 148mpg and is nicely built and priced.

On the slight downside its 124cc engine, tuned for economy, produces just 8.5bhp, it has smaller 12inch wheels and its fuel tank is pretty titchy, too, but you can’t have everything! 

 

Onto number nine and we have this very tasty offering from Lexmoto, the Nexus 125 is not only liquid-cooled, but very good looking.

There’s a black option with gold wheels! Keyless ignition, 7-inch TFT screen, disc brakes front and rear (CBS) and about 14bhp.

All in, Lexmoto has done quite a lot with this scoot, though it is 185 kg and tied for the weightiest on the list – though the seat height is nice and low at 760 mm so most riders should find themselves happily fitting atop this Nexus.

A two-year parts and labour warranty may relax fears on the initial reliability and ongoing maintenance concerns, but this Nexus offers a great deal of practicality and style for the £2,939 price tag from new. 

 

Lexmoto’s XDV 125 is the option for a budget-conscious budding adventure scooterist. They say it combines the benefits of a 125cc adventure bike and has upside-down suspension and the fittings for additional storage in a luggage rack.

The XDV also comes equipped with 13-inch front and rear wheels, block-pattern tubeless tyres, front and rear discs, and a taller 810 mm seat. Despite a quoted top speed of 66 mph you still have the potential to head for some light trails on this, if you fancied it. Discs front and rear, a taller 810 mm seat, and all in what appears to be a smaller-sized package.

Consider this one if the style and off-road elements are what you’re after, and again for a budget price tag as it’s the cheapest new model here with a 2-year parts and labour warranty. Riders with an A2 licence may be better off considering the XDV 300.

 

The Sym Joymax Z+ 125 was introduced with a liquid-cooled 14 bhp motor, comes with ABS (which is a great addition setting it apart from the ones mentioned so far here), an adjustable screen and quoted with enough space under the seat for two helmets.

This looks particularly stylish and is built with some premium components, and could be considered somewhat of a dark horse in this 125cc maxi-scooter race. Perhaps the tank size could be increased on the 12 litres, but the 172 kg weight would go up too…

Ultimately, the Sym proves to be a very adept option for a maxi-scooter rider that wants some modern spec ABS, the ‘zero resistance starter and generator’ (start stop), a good final finish, all at an attractive price point of £3699 – especially for a 125cc with ABS, and a 2-year warranty.

 

Onto sixth and we have this neat little offering from Kymco.

In my opinion, the Kymco X-Town is quite the under-rated prospect in my eyes – it matches a stellar £3799 price tag with good build quality and a top-rated 15 bhp motor, all packed into a huge maxi-scooter package. This genuinely is huge.

Coming equipped with DRLs, a solid screen to block the wind, and plenty of underseat storage space, this is what I’d say the Suzuki Burgman Street 125EX could/should have been… it comes in a silver or black matt finish, though in person is a nice satin look. I really do like the look of this option, with the added bonus being that it is great for the money.

A slight drawback is the 185 kg dry weight and CBS as opposed to ABS – though this may well be keeping the price nice and low. Stay tuned for our review on this as well, we’ve currently got one in for review!

 

Zontes has a very well-specced maxi-scooter, here, with a liquid-cooled 14.5bhp motor, keyless ‘control system’, a TFT display, tyre pressure monitoring, two fast-charge USB ports, LED lighting…

You could consider this one a sportier maxi scooter with dual channel ABS and disc brakes, along with the 14-inch wheels and over 100 mpg quoted by the manufacturer.

The only potential drawback of this maxi has got to be the storage space which is quoted as a capable of taking full face lid under the seat (and not much else). You could go for a top box, but as far as maxi-scooters go I’d hope for a bit more storage space. Either way, it’s a good pick at £3299, and it sort of looks like an NMAX too.

 

In at fourth today, we have another offering from Kymco, this time a maxi with some off-road capabilities.

The DTX is given a solid 13bhp to work with, weighs in at 176, and certainly has the style the mobility masters are known for cracking out –all at the price of £4,499.

As it’s another off-road inclined maxi, expect to find performance as the prevailing factor here, such as the 13bhp engine, liquid-cooling, ABS, telescopic front forks with twin rear shocks – I’d imagine you’d be happily scooting about town on one of these.

Underseat storage space does look substantial enough for two helmets underneath, too, and I have to say the style here overall is very nice. I’d say it’s the best-looking of the bunch. The price tags are creeping up here, mind.

 

Sym’s Cruisym 125 is a great longer-distance touring maxi option, with LED projector headlights, quick-charge phone capabilities, enough storage for two lids, disc brakes with ABS, a new LCD instrument panel, liquid-cooled 13 bhp motor – and all with plenty of space up top for the rider.

Although a 12-litre tank and 179 kg could be improved on both ends, the overall package from Sym could make this a superb option for £3,999 – though you may also prefer to consider the Joymax Z+ which is a tad cheaper.

Interestingly, Sym say this scoot can reach a maximum speed of over 99 kmh, or about 60 mph, which I’d certainly hope is the case.

Perhaps I'd look at one of the many other Sym options if you want more speed!

 

In at number two and just missing out on a top spot, we have the Yamaha XMAX 125...

Yamaha’s offering may be the most expensive of the lot here, but it offers the most premium level of maxi-scooter riding that you’d expect – particularly from the Japanese manufacturers.

Features include a 4.3-inch LCD display, smartphone connectivity, full LED lighting, plenty of storage (two helmets), traction control and ABS, a smart key, adjustable screen, and handlebar, and the Blue Core liquid-cooled 125 engine with 12bhp on tap.

It’s one of the top sellers in Europe for a reason and even has the start-stop tech for riding in traffic and conserving some fuel from the 13.2-litre tank.

Yes, it’s pricey, but there’s a lot here!

 

Honda’s Forza 125 is the last of the 10, and some may argue the best of the best.

At £5,399 you get Honda’s Selectable Torque Control (for rear tyre grip), an adjustable rear suspension, an updated style and dash, smart key, electric screen, and the Smart Power Plus (eSP+) liquid-cooled motor with peak 15 bhp power.

As for rider convenience, you’ll also find ABS and storage space for two lids, and Honda quotes a huge 305 miles per fill up of the 11.5 L tank – a great note for delivery riders who may be spending long days in the saddle navigating city streets.

This latest generation of Forza 125 should be more fun to ride, more economical, and just as maxi-scooter as you’d ever need with plenty of space – though the analogue dash may dissuade some who wants a little bit more tech for the big price tag.

Worth a note, but I absolutely loved riding the Forza 350 which sits as the flagship maxi from Honda.

 

That just about rounds up our top 10 list of the best 125cc maxi scooters for 2025 – do you agree with our picks?

Let us know in the comments which maxi you think will sell the most next year!