Honda Lead 125

"Dependable urban workhorse that rewards patience over excitement."

The Lead 125 is Honda's bread-and-butter urban scooter, and honestly it does exactly what it says on the tin. The underseat storage is genuinely impressive — helmet and shopping bag no problem — and that fuel economy figure around 100mpg isn't marketing fiction. Honda reliability means most used examples with 10,000-15,000 miles are barely run in if they've been serviced properly. Check the service history religiously on these. The riding experience is competent rather than exciting. Throttle response is smooth, the CVT behaves predictably, and it'll cruise at 60mph without complaint. But push it and you'll feel the weight — it's chunky for a 125. The front single disc is adequate, nothing more. Older examples from 2014-2018 can suffer from corroded brake calipers and worn rollers in the variator, so factor in a belt-and-rollers service if the seller can't prove it's been done. Used prices are strong because the reputation holds up. Don't pay over the odds expecting a pristine example — find something honest with paperwork and budget £150 for a proper service.