Honda PCX125
Britain's bestselling scooter, full stop. The PCX125 is the default learner-A1 commuter — bulletproof eSP+ 125cc engine, idle stop-start, hard-to-beat ~120mpg, underseat storage for a helmet, and Honda dealers everywhere. The 2021+ generation got LED lighting, smart key, and CBS brakes. If you need a 125 for the daily commute and want a no-drama choice, this is it.
- Engine
- 125 cc
- Power
- 12.3 PS
- Weight
- 130 kg
- Seat height
- 764 mm
- A2 licence
- —
eSP+ liquid-cooled SOHC single
wet
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 55 · Insurance 75 · Theft 65
The Honda PCX125 holds its value about as well as most bikes (around 28% lost over three years, against the 25-32% bike norm) and is cheap to insure (group 5). Theft risk is moderate.
A bike-specific blend of value retention, insurance and theft risk (weighted 40/35/25). Bikes carry no MOT reliability data, so reliability isn't scored. Higher is better.
Variant: PCX125
Engine
Petrol · 125cc
Power
12.3 ps
Torque
11.8 Nm
Weight
130 kg
Seat
764 mm
Transmission
CVT automatic
Economy
118 mpg
The volume PCX125. eSP+ 125cc single, CVT automatic, idle stop-start. 130 kg wet. 764mm seat. Underseat storage, smart key, LED lighting standard.
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical clean bike.
Estimated market value
£2,519
Range £2,267 – £2,771
HIGH CONFIDENCE
Holding value
Bikes hold value far better than cars — typical motorcycle 3-year depreciation is 25–32%, against cars' 40–50%. Some bikes (Hayabusa, Gold Wing, classic Z1000) actually appreciate in the 7–15 year zone as cult demand outstrips supply.
New
£3,749
At 5 years
£2,362
At 10 years
£1,672
Value loss by phase
Each band shows the share of original value lost during that window — not cumulative. Appreciation (green, marked +X% gained) is real for bikes that develop cult status.
UK new price by year
How we estimate this
Phase depreciation derived from observed UK used-bike pricing — classified ads, dealer asking prices, and end-of-auction figures. Bike residuals depend heavily on theft history, service-stamp count, and crash-damage signatures. The figures here are indicative for clean, fully-stamped examples.
What it costs to own
Indicative running costs at 8,000 miles a year — the UK rider average. Belt or shaft drive eliminates the chain/sprocket consumable; tax (typically £25–£100/yr) and depreciation are excluded — see the section above for value retention.
3-year total
£1,589
Per year
£530
Per mile
£0.07
Service costs assume independent specialist labour and OE parts. Tyre intervals reflect typical UK road riding — track-day usage burns through rear tyres in <2,000 miles. Fuel uses the variant MPG at £1.45/L. Lower-mileage riders see proportionally lower totals; higher-mileage commuters pay roughly linearly more.
Estimated insurance
Group 5 of 17 (mid — mainstream) · Comprehensive · 5 yr NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this bike. Bike insurance is far more sensitive to licence tier and rider age than cars — pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Licence
Age
No-claims bonus
5 yearsRisk profile
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 30-39
£280/ year
Roughly £23 per month
Typical
Suburban postcode, 3+ years NCB, standard security (Thatcham chain + disc lock), no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-21 | £462 | £616 | £862 |
| Age 22-29 | £284 | £378 | £529 |
| Age 30-39Selected | £210 | £280 | £392 |
| Age 40-49 | £185 | £246 | £345 |
| Age 50+ | £168 | £224 | £314 |
How we estimate this
Premiums combine licence tier, rider age, no-claims bonus and a risk-profile multiplier on top of a bike-specific baseline. Bike insurance is materially more sensitive to licence tier (CBT / A1 / A2 / A) than car insurance, and young riders pay considerably more than older riders even on the same machine. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Theft risk
Bike-specific · Met Police + insurance reporting
UK bike theft rates are an order of magnitude higher than car theft. Nakeds and supersports lose more to professional gangs; large adventure bikes and tourers are statistically much safer.
Theft risk score · 1 to 4
2/4Medium risk
Medium risk
Some theft pattern, particularly in urban postcodes. Thatcham-approved chain plus disc lock recommended; secure overnight parking helps premiums.Theft hotspot postcodes
Postcode prefixes only; full London hot zone runs across E, N, NW, SE, SW, W boroughs depending on the model.
What this means for you
Commuter scooters are stolen in London for delivery work — chain + disc lock and overnight garaging meaningfully reduce risk. Lower-risk than naked sports.
How we set this band
Bands derived from Met Police bike-theft reporting (most-stolen lists) cross-referenced with insurance industry underwriting data. Model + postcode are the two biggest factors in motorcycle theft risk in the UK, materially more than vehicle value.
What goes wrong
5 known issues · sorted by severity
Documented failure modes from UK owner forums, dealer service bulletins, and aggregated mechanic feedback. Mileages are approximate — different riders see different intervals depending on use and maintenance. Always address "high"-severity items before resale.
High severity
0
Medium
1
Low / cosmetic
4
| Severity | Part / issue | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| medium | CVT drive belt Honda service interval; address before slipping 15-18k mi | £200 |
| low | Battery Wet-cell, replace before winter starts struggle every 3 years | £60-80 |
| low | Steering head bearings 20k+ mi | £150 |
| low | LED indicator unit Honda issued silent service fix 2021 bikes only | £40-60 each |
| low | Front brake caliper sticking Annual brake service prevents 15k+ mi | £80 |
How we score severity
High — strands the bike or causes consequential damage if left. Medium — service item that affects ride quality or risks failure. Low — cosmetic or minor inconvenience. Costs are independent-specialist UK rates for parts and labour together; main dealer prices typically run 30–50% higher.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Honda PCX125, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Variant comparison
UK's bestselling scooter. Cross-shop Yamaha NMAX 125 (similar money, faster but less luggage), Honda Forza 125 (£1.5k more, vastly more touring-capable). PCX is the default commuter — light, frugal, reliable, easy to sell on.
Known issues
- CVT belt wear at 15-18k mi — £200 to replace
- Battery dies ~year 3 — £60-80 replacement
- Steering bearings at 20k+ mi — £150
- Early 2021 LED indicators fail — £40-60 each
- Otherwise extremely reliable — eSP+ engine bulletproof
Strengths
- +Bulletproof eSP+ engine — shared with Forza 125, proven over millions of miles
- +120mpg real-world common
- +Underseat storage fits a helmet plus shopping
- +Smart key + LED lighting from 2021
- +Strong residuals — used PCX125s sell quickly
- +Honda dealer network — parts and service everywhere
Watch-outs
- −Battery life ~3 years, then replacement (£60-80)
- −Wind protection minimal vs Forza 125
- −CVT belt replacement at ~15-18k mi (£200)
- −LED indicator failures on early 2021 bikes (£40-60 each)