Honda’s Latest Retro Scooter Rivals Yamaha Fascino 125 Fi Hybrid

The Honda NS125LA retro scooter has been launched in China

Honda has launched a cute-looking retro scooter, called the Honda NS125LA in China. Its curvy bodywork reek of premium European styling and looks like the perfect answer to the desi Yamaha Fascino 125 Fi Hybrid. The retro scooter is priced at CNY 11,900, which is around Rs 1.40 lakh.

While it looks retro, the Honda NS125LA is also loaded with modern features including an all-LED lighting system, LCD instrument cluster (although sans connectivity), keyless operation, front cubby hole with USB charging port. 

The Honda NS125LA is powered by a 124.9cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine, which churns out 8.97PS at 7500rpm and 9.87Nm at 6,000rpm. Sadly, it does not get any geeky features such as a silent starter or a stop-start system. Comparatively, the Yamaha Fascino 125 Hybrid pushes out 9.7PS and 10.3Nm. It also comes with a segment-first (in India) mild-hybrid system, silent starter as well as stop-start system.  Underpinnings for the Honda NS125LA include a conventional telescopic fork and a single rear shock absorber setup. Braking is via a disc up front and a drum at the rear, with CBS.

Honda will not be launching this scoter in India, but the Japanese bikemaker has quite some plans for the Indian market. It intends to introduce multiple EVs and implement flex-fuel tech upgrade on its existing lineup. That’s not all, as Honda also plans to launch an affordable motorcycle in the low-end commuter segment.