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  • New Honda CB Shine SP Road Test Review

New Honda CB Shine SP Road Test Review

  • Feb 15, 2016
  • |   Comments
The Honda CB Shine has been the highest selling motorcycles for Honda here in India. The Honda Shine was introduced in India in the year 2006 and ever since then it has been one of the most favourite motorcycles here. The bike had what a customer needed, be it the refinement or the quality, everything which made it one of the most popular 125cc motorcycles in India. As years passed, it received few minor upgrades but nothing much impressive. It is now that the CB Shine finally received a good update, both in terms of styling, features and a mechanical upgrade. So what is it that makes the Shine SP special and a class apart from the CB Shine? Read on to know:
Rider's Note: Compared to the previous Shine I have ridden, I found this new Shine SP to be a lot better. The styling is striking for the younger generation and big thanks to Honda for the addition of the 5th gear which makes cruising a lot enjoyable now. The one thing I seriously felt disappointed was the switchgear quality. Honda seriously needs to consider upgrading their switchgear quality as it sticks out like a sore thumb on a premium motorcycle like the Shine SP.
Styling:

Design wise, the Honda CB Shine SP looks pretty much similar to the CB Shine but looks a lot sharper than the CB Shine. It has also got a premium motorcycle feel, be it the new tank design or the chrome finish exhaust cover or the new set of alloy wheels, everything makes it look better, sharper and sportier. The all black treatment on the engine goes well with the motorcycle. Also the 3D logo on the tank gives a premium feel to the motorcycle, not to forget the graphics on the bike does not look flashy but makes the bike look even better. Instrument Cluster and Switchgear:

The bike now gets a part-analog, part-digital instrument cluster. The analogue part shows the speed and is placed on the left hand side, while the digital cluster along with tell-tale lights take the right side. Overall the instrument cluster looks neat. Coming to the switchgear, Honda disappoints us again with the switchgear. A premium bike like this with such switchgear does not go well. We have been saying this a lot of times now but Honda continues to give us the same quality switchgear. Ergonomics:

The bike offers a very comfortable ride both for the rider and the pillion. The seat is cushioned well for a smooth ride. Add to that, the suspension set up is just perfect as it absorbs the bumps well and transferred very less to the rider. The bike is suited for both tall and short riders. Engine and Performance:

The engine is powered by a 125cc air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that produces a maximum power of 10.6PS at 7500rpm and a maximum torque of 10.3Nm at 5500rpm. The bike now gets a 5 speed transmission instead of 4 gears as seen on the CB Shine, which is the only mechanical addition to the Shine SP.

Coming to the performance of the Shine SP, well do we need to say anything here? as we all know how well the engine performs on the CB Shine and it is the same on the Shine SP as well. The Shine has always been praised for it's butter smooth gearbox and highly refined engine and the Shine SP is no exception. Thumb start the engine and the bike idles silently. On the move, the engine and the gearbox's high refinement is felt.

Coming to the power, the power is delivered in a linear fashion which makes it a smooth ride. On the highway, the 5th gear is definitely a bonus as it now helps us to cruise at around 80kph without much stress, post which vibrations start to get irritating and is felt a lot on the foot pegs and the handlebar. Overall we are very much satisfied with the performance the new CB Shine SP offers as a 125cc motorcycle. Riding Dynamics:

As the bike does not get mechanical changes, but is just limited to cosmetic changes, the handling of the bike remains pretty much the same as to the CB Shine. The handling on the Shine SP is sweet and the bike is not hesitant to take on corners. The suspension duties are handled by telescopic forks at the front and spring loaded hydraulic type at the rear. The suspension setup is so good that it takes on the bad roads as well as takes on corners without disappointing us.

Honda has got variants when it comes to brakes and the one we rode was the top end model which came with disc brake at the front along with CBS. Braking duties were handled well and the bike stopped exactly how we wanted it to. The bike we rode came with CEAT Zoom tyres and we are happy with the tyres as well. Verdict:

The Honda Shine has always been one of the best selling motorcycles for Honda and also one of the most favourite motorcycles in the 125cc class. The CB Shine SP continues to offer the same performance and refinement the CB Shine used to offer but now looks a lot better, appealing mainly to the younger generation. The addition of the 5th gear does make a lot of difference when it comes to cruising on the highways. All in all, the Honda CB Shine SP is a great value for money and one can go for it with their eyes closed.
Pros:
1. Highly refined engine and butter smooth gearbox.
2. Styling.

Cons:
1. Poor quality switchgear.
By: Rakesh Gowda
See full details of Honda CB Shine SP »
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