No scooter in Vietnam carries more social weight than the Honda SH. This review of the current SH160i (with notes on the 125i sibling) uses only specifications published by Honda Vietnam on the official SH160i/125i product page (retrieved 23 September 2026) - fields Honda does not publish are omitted rather than estimated.
Engine and performance
The SH160i uses a 156.9 cc single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled eSP+ engine with four valves per cylinder. Honda lists maximum power at 12.4 kW at 8,500 rpm and maximum torque at 14.8 Nm at 6,500 rpm. That is genuine 160-class output - comfortably the strongest figures in this review series, and enough for confident overtaking on fast arterials and brief expressway-adjacent runs where legal. The SH125i uses the same platform at 125 cc; Honda’s page presents the pair together, and specific 125i output figures were not published on the page we retrieved, so we do not quote them.
Size, weight and comfort
Honda publishes a kerb weight of 134 kg, seat height 799 mm, dimensions 2,090 x 739 x 1,156 mm, a 1,353 mm wheelbase, 146 mm ground clearance, and 16-inch wheels front and rear (100/80-16 front, 120/80-16 rear). The long wheelbase and big wheels give the SH its signature highway stability - see our scooter wheelbase explainer for why geometry matters. Note the seat height: at 799 mm it is taller than most city scooters, so shorter riders should sit on one first (our seat height comparison has the numbers).
Fuel economy and practicality
Honda’s published consumption is 2.34 litres/100 km from a 7-litre tank - the largest tank in the mainstream premium class, which means fewer fuel stops on long weeks. Underseat storage is 28 litres, there is a USB-C port in the front box, and smart key is standard.
Technology and safety
The SH160i/125i carries Honda’s 4.2-inch TFT display; on the SH160i it connects to a phone by Bluetooth through the My Honda+ app. Two-wheel ABS is fitted on the The thao, Dac biet and Cao cap versions, and those ABS versions also add Honda’s HSTC traction control, which reduces rear-wheel slip on acceleration - the only scooter in this batch with it. Honda notes HSTC assists but does not replace safe riding.
Who it suits
Riders who cover longer urban distances, carry a pillion often, and want maximum stability - plus, realistically, the badge. The list price Honda publishes for the SH160i The thao version is 104,490,000 VND, which frames why the Sh mode 125 exists as the junior route into the same family - see our Sh mode vs SH160i comparison.
Nguyen Tu does not publish a rental rate for the SH. Contact us to confirm current availability.
What to check before you ride one
Confirm the exact version (ABS and HSTC or standard), tyre condition and brake feel, and work through our rental motorbike inspection checklist before signing anything.