Honda FES125 Pantheon scooter: There are dozens of 125cc scooters on the market. Some, like this Honda FES125 Pantheon, claim to be executive scooters. Often that only means a 12v charging socket for a mobile phone.
Honda calls this one an "executive class commuter", but forget the "executive" bit which tends to be all rather in the mind and concentrate instead on the "commuter".
In these days, when the commuter belt seems to stretch halfway across Ireland, is there anything that makes this particular model stand out? In a word, yes. Within the 125cc class, this machine does stand out. What most impressed us was its performance.
The engine is a single cylinder, 4-stroke producing 10.9kW at 7,000rpm, 15Nm at 6,500rpm, which may not sound a great deal - in pre-metric terms 103bhp per tonne. Performance comes from the combination of fuel-injected engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT).
CVT is almost universal in today's scooter world. The effect is the same as automatic transmission in a car. The real gain in performance terms is that there is no momentary loss of power then changing gear. When you twist, you really do go seamlessly. This all translates into really impressive acceleration, especially in that critical 0-60, 0-80 km/h range which is a feature of commuter life. A 125cc scooter such as this can easily outperform a 125cc motorcycle.
Not having to worry about changing gear or finding neutral also means that you can concentrate more on what's taking place around you - pretty essential in today's traffic.
The Pantheon's acceleration really did impress. It was hard to believe that this was a 125cc machine; you could easily think it was a 200 or even a 250. It's simplicity itself to get ahead of the pack and show a clean pair of heels to bigger machines.
The Pantheon is superbly balanced at all speeds. We were able to come to a complete stop "feet up", something rarely possible with any machine. The steering is much lighter than a conventional motorcycle - it needs a more delicate touch, but one quickly gets used to this.
Roadholding was very good. We were quite surprised at the lean angles it could achieve when cornering.
Hydraulically operated linked brakes, single disc front and rear, are well up to the performance. The 770mm seat height is low enough to suit the vast majority of riders.
The stepped seat is comfortable and, unlike many scooters, well-suited to taller riders. Underseat stowage, in the carpeted locker with a 12v socket, is good. A rear carrier is standard and would easily take a topbox.
A screen is standard. It's relatively low and narrow and, in typical scooter configuration, the top edge is rather close to the rider's head. This caused more wind noise in the helmet than we would have expected, though against that drawback has to be set great protection iheavy rain.
Taken all round the Pantheon, despite being only a 125cc machine, is well worth considering. To get significantly better performance of the sort you can expect from big-bore scooters, you would be paying almost twice as much.
It has both a sidestand and centre stand. It can be lifted on to the centre stand with minimal effort. Mirrors are well placed.
Although Mods and Rockers, thankfully, never reached Ireland many motorcyclists see scooters as inferior. Given the impressive performance, even dyed-in-the-wool motorcyclist couldn't help but be impressed with this machine and the ease with which it can be ridden in the commuting environment. In a perfect world we would like one for city use and save the "real bike" for longer trips.
Priced €3,999 it's highly competitive for its class - and, in Group 2 for insurance purposes shouldn't break the bank.
TECH SPEC
ENGINE: 124.6cc, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC; 11:1 compression, fuel injected, 15.5bhp @ 9,000rpm, 11.7Nm at 8,500rpm; automatic centrifugal clutch and V-matic transmission
CHASSIS: Unitary construction, 12" wheels; brakes, front single 240mm disc with 3-piston rotor calliper. Rear 220mm hydraulic disc, single-piston calliper and Combined Braking System
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase 1,490mm, seat height 770mm, fuel capacity 9.4 litres, dry weight: 139.9kg
PRICE: €3,999. Insurance Group 2