2010 Honda SH150i: Italy's best selling scooter coming to USA
Honda's tagline for the SH150i is "Italy's best selling scooter is coming to America." We're not sure if it's the Honda brand that sells the most scooters in Italy, or if that claim refers to the SH150i specifically, but the intent is clear: Honda is gunning for Vespa. Vespa is a prescient target not just due to sales numbers, but because big-wheel scooters like this (the SH150i has 16" wheels) offer a significantly different -- some would say better -- riding experience than the smaller, 12" wheels of traditional Vespas. The scooter world is rapidly dividing into two camps: those who prefer the traditional, but unstable smaller wheels and the new wave or riders who are in it for the economy and stability of cheaper big wheels, not the style.
But we digress. The SH150i weighs just 127kg, 279lbs (dry) while making a sprightly 15bhp, which should give it a top speed around 55mph. New riders will benefit from the combined brakes, while everyone will appreciate the underseat storage and optional top box. The liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine should be good 75mpg or more and we hope Honda heavily promotes the SH150i with that number, because it certainly won't be able to do it with the price. The 2010 Honda SH150i will cost $4,499 when it goes on sale next month. That's $500 more than the Kawasaki Ninja 250 and $300 more than a Vespa S 150.
Honda
Wes Siler. April 14, 2009 — Permalink
RSS Feed
Traditional Vespa scooters have 10" wheels, some even had 8" wheels - I prefer to think of them as "flickable" rather than unstable... :)
Big wheels present a unique packaging problem for these manufacturers where a "classic" look is sought, but everything ends up falling on the Kymco People spectrum - ugly IMO.
Modern scooters are bewheeled Reebok Classic Aces.
You cannot compare this Honda scooter to the Vespa line. The vespa line is the retro styled scooter from Piaggio. The fact is that somebody looking at the retro Vespa line would not care for the modern look of the Honda. The correct comparison would be between the Piaggio BV line that looks very similar with large wheels.
Piaggio has a fly 150cc scooter (same engine as the vespa 150) for 1,500$ less than the Honda cost.
I have no idea what Honda is thinking with their pricing it is not competitive at all.
Why oh why doesn't Honda return the (big wheeled) super cub to our shores?
I saw Gomorrah last night and they did use alot of these. Not that one film represents the entire country but I did notice it.
yea the price is out of control!
Dateline January 2008, overheard at a Honda meeting....
"Hey guys, let's drop the 250 scooters and small 600 cruiser before gas prices skyrocket this summer! Customers will have to buy 50cc scooters that only go 40mph! Then, when gas prices go back down in 2009 we'll unveil the new SH150 scooter for the same price as the old Reflex or Helix. We'll knock their socks off!"
Guys PLEASE fix up that old cub or ct90 you got collecting dust in your garage. Yeah, the one that goes 55 and gets 90 mpg!
I would agree that Honda needs to try to re-enter the scooter market, and for most new riders 50cc ruckuses and 650cc wings don't count. I don't mind the lack of competition at my shop though. And SYM is releasing their version of the super cub soon, with a 103cc engine and an automatic four speed tranny. All the classic Honda scooter fun with Taiwanese quality and dealer support to boot.
Think SYm Citycom 300I at just a little more than the honda. Or the SYM HD 200 for less than the honda. Or the SYM 250 for the same price. This is the company Honda tried to buy with no success, just check out the quality.
Great scooter, too bad about the price! You know Honda can do better than this. Of course the value of the american dollar vs the yen isn't helping.
I just got back from Rome. There are scooters moving and parked anywhere they'll fit, any time of the night or day. 90% are big-wheel. The big wheel Vespa may still be the most populous, with lots of Yamahas, some older. The Honda SH looks like a huge success there; they represent a good fraction of the population considering how new they look.
95% of the scooters in Rome have top boxes: Givi, Piaggio, Kappa, Givi. But the nicest looking box, IMHO, is the optional Honda box with it's upholstered backrest and sculptured wrap-around tail light.
-tc
Oakland CA
Because SYM beat them to it! SYM Symba rules!
I purchased this same scooter in Vietnam for over $8000. Wow it is $4500 here. Everything in America is so cheap.
I love this scooter, and it consistently gets 105 mpg or better in mixed riding. That is 15 mpg BETTER than the two metros' I had prior to it.
are you kidding me with this price? give me the 250 ninja! (and save some cash too)
just purchased a new honda 110cc for less than $2000 in thailand. This shuldn't be more than $2500.
Great post, very thorough discussion of the topic. Does anybody know where can find additional info on this subject? Thanks for any input.
Honda does not realise ,that sym or kymco or paggio companies ,exists , Honda , does not know anything about Kymco ,Sym ,Paggio ,Vespa , are the competitors ,of Honda or Yamaha .
hi ! i could like by a car scooter SH 150cc , for renew no mile and can you let me know about this car . how much + tax + shp = .because i want will be do by a lot please email for me thank you