New Honda CB Shine SP Road Test Review

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 »

More reviews of Honda CB Shine SP

New Honda CB Shine SP Vs Old CB Shine DX- Comparo

Nov 20, 2015
Since Honda had already launched the updated version of CB Shine earlier this year, it was hard to understand why they have come up another variant from the same brand name. However, the new “CB Shine SP” carries only brand name of the old tried and tested CB Shine and in actual it is an all new product rather than the updated one. The new Honda CB Shine SP looks absolutely different from the older CB Shine and one cannot make out if it is a Shine.

New Honda CB Shine SP 125- Overview

Nov 19, 2015
The new Honda CB Shine SP is what best known as “Mystery Bike” when Honda first released the teaser of the motorbike at the “Revfest”. Honda Motorcycles & scooter India (HMSI) have launched another commuter motorcycle from the slew of 15 promised product launches for the year.

Reviews of other Honda Bikes

Honda X-Blade Vs Bajaj Pulsar 150- Comparo

Sep 1, 2018
The most recent updates in the 150 cc segment include the revised Pulsar 150 Twin disc from Bajaj and the new bike from Honda, the X-Blade. Both bikes fall within a Rs 78,000 (ex-showroom) price tag and both of them boasts about being the best 150 cc motorcycle in the market. Which one is better and why let’s take a look.

Honda CBR 250RR- A dream hard to come true for India

Jun 30, 2018
We have heard the cries of thousands of riders who plead night and day for Honda CBR 250RR to come to India. We don’t know if they launch it or not but the bike would retail at close to Rs 3 lakh ex-showroom. It makes around 38 HP and a pitiful 23 NM of torque. Compare it to the competition and you realize where the bike actually stands.

Pulsar 200 RS Vs Honda CBR 250R- Battle of full-faired Sport-tourers

Apr 6, 2018
We don’t want a lot from life, simple things make us happy. For example, a motorcycle which looks good, performs well, returns good mileage and carries a low price tag is all that we as riders spend our lives seeking. In that spirit, today we are talking about two motorcycles named Pulsar 200RS and Honda CBR 250R both of which come to mind when seeking a fully faired budget sports tourer.

Honda X-Blade Vs Honda CB Hornet 160- Comparo

Feb 19, 2018
Here we are again, in the aftermath of Auto Expo searching for any survivors. All those motorcycles which managed to maintained headlines throughout the Auto Expo deserve a special mention. Among these motorcycles is Honda X-Blade, which made news because of its radical style and design. The X Blade is placed in Honda’s lineup near the same price point as Honda CB hornet, so let’s compare both of them and see which one is slightly better than the other ;)
View all reviews of Honda Bikes

Reviews of other Commuter Bikes

TVS Radeon Vs Hero Splendor- Comparo

Sep 11, 2018
It is the battle of the century. The fight which will make or break empires. These are the two Titans which will carry their kings to the true heights of glory. I mean kidding aside, it’s these type of motorcycles which actually bring in the sales for the company. The whole cycle of R&D depends upon these bikes, more on that some other time. Today let’s compare the TVS Radeon and Hero Splendor. But since performance isn’t the forte of these motorcycles, we will compare them on the basis of "For they will be bought". Let’s begin.

2017 Hero Glamour 125 PGM-Fi Overview

Apr 30, 2017
It was way back in 2008 when the Glamour was first launched under the "Hero Honda" branding. Few years down the line, the all new 2017 Hero Glamour 125 was showcased and launched in Argentina on January 13th 2017, making it the very first model from Hero Motocorp to have an International launch. Let's discuss about the new indigenous bike from Hero on various aspects.

Hero Achiever Road Test Review

Feb 5, 2017
The Indian manufacturer is now focusing on replacing the Honda technology with their own indigenously developed engines. Following the ongoing foray Hero Motocorp has recently introduced the updated Achiever 150, let's see what all the bike has got to offer as a premium commuter.

Bajaj V12 Vs TVS Victor- Shootout

Jan 26, 2017
Even though the consumers in the Indian market have started upgrading to motorcycles with higher capacities, there is always that crowd that wants motorcycles for local commuting and expects a good fuel economy. For them, the motorcycle manufacturers always amaze the consumers with mind-blowing motorcycles like the Bajaj V12 and TVS Victor. Let’s see how the Bajaj V12 and the TVS Victor square off against each other.

New Bajaj V12 First Ride Review

Jan 6, 2017
Recently Bajaj has silently launched the stripped down version of the same V15 motorcycle and this time named it V12. It looks incredibly a "Little War Hero" as the previously launched V15 and recently launched V12 are the two sides of the same coin. Let's find out what mettle the junior V15 is made of.
View all reviews of Commuter Bikes