There is truly a large variety of 125cc scooters available in the UK and in this article, I am going to run through some of my top picks for the best 125cc scooters available in 2023.

A quick disclaimer first though. Admittedly, this list does exclude both maxi-scooters and electric scooters, but I will be covering these in different blogs, so look out for them over the next few weeks!

Not to fear if you aren't able to ride a 125cc yet though, we have a great Top 10 50cc scooters article to browse through instead.

So with that all being said, let’s get into it, shall we?

Starting off our list at number 10, here we have the budget Chinese offering from Sinnis in the shape of the Hero X.

With a modern sporty design, the Hero-X is like a good few else on this list a deliberate budget competitor to the likes of the Nmax and PCX. Packed with a liquid-cooled, 124cc single-cylinder engine, the Hero-X puts out a decent 11hp, so it won’t be up there with the big boys but it does OK.

Throw in a digital display, comfy seat, typical underseat storage, and LED lighting all for the price of £2899, this makes the Hero-X a nice option for those on a tight budget.

Engine	124cc, Single Cylinder, 4 Stroke, Liquid Cooled
Fuel tank	7L
Brakes	Front: Hydraulic Disc Brake Rear: Hydraulic Disc Brake (Combined Braking System)
Suspension	Front: Telescopic Forks Rear: Shock Absorber
Seat Height	805mm
Weight:	146kg
Price	£2899 + OTR

★ Looks OK
★ 11hp Liquid Cooled engine
★ Budget Price

★ No-thrills
★ Unsure longevity and resell value
★ A bit heavy at 146kg

Sitting at 9 on this list, we have another Chinese offering, the Lexmoto Aura.

With decent levels of spec from keyless ignition, USB port, and LED lighting the Aura ticks a lot of boxes, and visually I have to say I quite like it, though again clearly taking inspiration from some of the best Japan has to offer.

Putting out slightly less horsepower than the Sinnis, the Aura produces 9.7hp at 8,000 rpm, and you should expect somewhere in the region of 63mph as a top speed, and just over 80mpgs in fuel economy – all for £2739.99.

Engine	125cc, single-cylinder, four-valve, air-cooled
Fuel tank	8L
Brakes	Front: Hydraulic Disc Rear: Hydraulic Disc
Suspension	Front: Telescopic Forks Rear: Twin Shock Absorber
Seat Height	755mm
Weight:	134kg
Price	£2739.99

★ Good level of spec
★ Budget Price
★ Looks great

★ Engine lacks compared to big rivals
★ Unsure longevity and resell value

Coming in at number 8 on the list, we have the Suzuki Address.

I recently covered the new Suzuki scooters in my Top 10 new scooters for 2023 blog (worth a read once you’ve finished this one). The Avenis is also back for 2023, but today I'm giving this spot to the commuter's friend the Address.

The new euro 5 Suzuki Eco Performance engine might be pretty low on the power front which is disappointing, however, it should be returning near 150mpg, from a scooter well known for being a great commuting scooter. While it might not be the best-looking scooter in the world, it’s practical and pretty darn reliable too.

It’s definitely no thrills but with nearly 22litre understand storage and a light weight of 105kg it will be suitable for most. The biggest thing going for the Address though is the price, it started from just £2,499 – making it cheaper than both the Chinese scooters already mentioned albeit, the Address is a bit basic.

Engine	124CC, 4-stroke, 1-cylinder, air-cooled, SOHC
Fuel tank	5L
Brakes	Front: Disc Rear: Drum
Suspension	Front: Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped Rear: Swingarm type, coil spring, oil damped
Seat Height	770mm
Weight:	105kg
Price	£2,499

★ Excellent fuel economy
★ Bargain price
★ Great commuter
★ Lightweight

★ The engine will be slow
★ Basic – no thrills

7th place on the list goes to Sym’s attempt at a modern and sporty commuter scooter the Jet X.

Unmistakably, another one of those aimed at the Nmax and PCX, and in all fairness, this really is a great scooter ticking many of the same boxes as the Japanese brands.

With full led lighting, great modern and aggressive styling, LCD screen, keyless ignition, and decent switchgear, the Jet X isn’t on this list as a token entry, it really is a great 125cc scooter!

When it comes to the engine and we have another water-cooled bad boy this time kicking out a superb 12.5bhp at 8,000rpm - this is a decent offering from Sym and with a starting price of just £3,349 making it cheaper than both the Nmax and PCX!

Engine	125cc, 4 Stroke, Single Cylinder, Water cooled
Fuel tank	7.5L
Brakes	Front: Disc Brake 260mm Rear: Disc Brake
Suspension	Front: Fork Rear: Twin shocks
Seat Height	770mm
Weight:	111kg
Price	£3349

★ Excellent styling
★ Very close performance to big rivals

★ ABS would be good

Admittedly, the SH could be higher up on this list, however, this is a Honda scooter which I find ugly. And for that reason, number 6 is where the Honda Shi places itself!

The Sh125i is a European-styled slim scooter perfect for nipping around town, with phenomenal levels of practicality and comfort. It doesn’t let down on the tech front either coming equipped with an LCD display, smart key, ABS, start-stop tech, USB charging port, and Selectable torque control.

This is a big-wheeled scooter too which has its own perks with 16” wheels for extra stability. An added bonus with the scooter is that Honda has packed their 12.9bhp ESP+ motor engine in this, meaning it has enough grunt for faster roads too, and should easily get over 60mpg for a top speed.

Engine	124.5cc, eSP+ liquid-cooled 4-stroke SOHC single
Fuel tank	5.6L
Brakes	ABS System Type 2 Channel
Suspension	Front: Telescopic Suspension  Rear: Dual-damper unit swingarm
Seat Height	799mm
Weight:	133.9kg
Price	£3,949

★ Great technology
★ Very practical
★ Reliable and dependable
★ Brilliant engine

★ Styling isn’t for everyone

In at number 5, we have the true Italian legend the Vespa Primavera.

The Primavera is one of the most stylish scooters to ever be released and straight away, you know this scooter is the real deal. Many can try and be retro and cool, but none will ever have the authenticity and quality to compete with Vespa.

It truly is stunning and it’s a Vespa so you should know it is going to be a scooter with a fairly premium price. Arguably there are also Sprint and GTS options available, however, the Primavera takers my pick with its 50 years of heritage.

With 12” wheels, great colourway options, LED lights, and that timeless design the Primavera is a very unique offering on this list and starts from £4,250.

Engine	124.5cc, E 3-valve 4-stroke single cylinder i-get catalysed
Fuel tank	8L
Brakes	Front: Stainless steel Ø 200 mm disc with hydraulic control Rear: 140 mm drum with mechanical control
Suspension	Front: Single arm with helical spring and single hydraulic shock absorber Rear: Helical spring with preload adjustable (4 positions) and single hydraulic shock absorber
Seat Height	790mm
Weight:	115kg
Price	£4,250

★ Incredibly stylish
★ It’s a Vespa
★ Great retro commuter
★ Fantastic colourway options

★ Premium scooter – premium price
★ Wish it had more power

As we begin to run down the list, Aprilia are the ones taking the number 4 spot on this list.

With incredible adventure scooter styling in Aprilia’s unique yet glorious own way, the SR GT125 packs the same powerful yet economical iget 14.7hp motor also found in the Medley. It is undeniable that the SR GT 125 is one fantastic scooter, which ups the game in the four-stroke market.

The SR GT has a very mature yet sporty look and comes packed with great levels of spec including an LCD dash, full LED lighting, a USB charging port, start-stop tech, and traction control.

The only real downside for me is that the 125 doesn’t have ABS as standard, but that aside it truly is a fantastic scooter starting from £3,700, making it a very strong contender within this list.

Last but not least, we here at BikeMatters have reviewed the Aprilia SR GT 125, so once you're finished reading this article why not head over to take a look?

Engine	125cc, Single-cylinder 4-stroke i-get with Start&Stop system, liquid-cooled
Fuel tank	9L
Brakes	Front: Hydraulic with wavy disc, Ø 260 mm - CBS Rear: Hydraulic with wavy disc, Ø 220 mm
Suspension	Front: Double cradle, in high-resistance steel tubing Rear: Hydraulic telescopic fork ø 33 mm (120 mm travel)
Seat Height	799mm
Weight:	144 kg
Price	£3,700

★ Great dimensions
★ Superb engine
★ Fantastic styling
★ One of the best 125 on the market easily

★ Doesn’t have ABS
★ Storage could be bigger
★ A Bigger 125 which isn’t the lightest

Earning its spot in the top 3, here we have the Honda PCX 125 - one of the four-stroke scooter greats!

While it may be slightly controversial that the PCX is sitting at number three instead of taking the top spot, in my opinion, there is very little that separates the top 3 apart.

The PCX comes equipped with great styling, the brilliant ESP+ engine, and highly competitive levels of spec such as start-stop technology, an LCD display, torque control, LED lighting, and a USB port. The PCX really is a great scooter, that like so many Hondas out there ticks a lot of boxes.

Thanks to Honda's world-famous reliability, the PCX is one of the most dependable modern scooters ever released, and with a starting price of just £3,599 for an all-around great commuter scooter – it’s no surprise it sells in such great numbers.

To dive in deeper and become better acquainted with the Honda PCX, take a read of the BikeMatters road test review.

Engine	125CC, eSP+ four-valve, water-cooled SOHC
Fuel tank	8.1L
Brakes	220 mm hydraulic disc with combined 2 piston caliper
Suspension	Front: 31 mm telescopic fork Rear: Twin suspension aluminium swingarm
Seat Height	764mm
Weight:	130kg
Price	£3,559

★ Great styling
★ Great Engine
★ Great Tech
★ Great Scooter

★ Brakes could be better

Just missing the top spot and coming in at number 2, here we have the Yamaha NMax!

The NMax is another big hitter from Japan and much like the PCX is a huge seller - and for good reason.

With the perfect mix of modern and slightly sporty design fused with practicality and some pretty tasty colourways, the Nmax is a very versatile scooter. The NMax also packs some pretty decent spec such as an LCD display, app connectivity, smart key, start-stop tech, traction control, and LED lighting.

Something special about the NMAX is that Yamaha has bought their VVA engineering to the engine of the Nmax, meaning it performs extremely well, not just in the city but out on faster roads too. This means acceleration to 50mph is very good for a 125cc scooter, and you can possibly even reach highs of 65mph.

As you can tell, the NMAX is mega and there is no denying how good it is! But to find out just how good it is, head over to our Yamaha NMAX review next.

Engine	125cc, 4-valves, 4-stroke, Liquid-cooled, EURO5, SOHC
Fuel tank	7.1L
Brakes	Front: Hydraulic single-disc brake Rear: Hydraulic single-disc brake
Suspension	Front: Telescopic forks Rear: Unit Swing
Seat Height	765mm
Weight:	131kg
Price	£3,775

★ Pretty much everything – a brilliant scooter

★ More storage space

Taking my number one spot for the best 125cc scooter in 2023 is (drumroll please)... The Piaggio Medley 125.

This will probably come as a massive shock to not have one of the Japanese giants claiming this spot, however, the Medley really is truly an absolutely fantastic 125cc scooter.

This big-wheeled scooter is agile and stable, with great dimensions too. Coming packed with some pretty good tech such as a large and clear LCD display, LED lighting, start-stop tech, a USB port, and optional smartphone connectivity.

Moving onto the storage, the Medley offers a lot, under that seat, I could fit two full-face helmets (which puts itself way ahead of most on the list), as well as a giant glove box on the rear of the leg shield too.

Another stand-out feature of the Medley is the i-Get engine (the same as the Aprilia SR GT), which puts out almost 15hp, and offers great fuel economy. When test riding the Medley, I saw a top speed of 70mph which for a modern four-stroke 125cc scooter is fantastic.

One downside though is admittedly that the very European slim commuter scooter look won’t be for everyone, but that really is the only negative of this otherwise truly great 125cc scooter.

Overall, the Medley is great darting through town, and an awful lot of fun on country lanes too, a lot of people will be surprised just how well it rides. Starting from £3,500, the Medley is priced really well for a bike of this spec and tech.

Engine	125cc, Single cylinder 4-stroke i-get
Fuel tank	7L
Brakes	Front: 260 mm Ø disc Rear: 240 mm Ø disc
Suspension	Front: Hydraulic telescopic fork Rear: Dual, double action hydraulic shock absorber with adjustable spring preload to 5 positions
Seat Height	799mm
Weight:	132kg
Price	£3,500

★ Everything else!
★ Great engine
★ great brakes
★ decent suspension
★ great tech
★ Class-leading storage space

★ Looks won’t be for everyone

So there you have it! Here are my top picks for 2023!

Which one was your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!

Looking for something more budget-friendly? Why not check out our Top 10 125cc Chinese scooters?

Last but not least, if you have your very own scooter you need to insure, make sure to get a scooter and moped insurance quote direct with Lexham!