Fresh for 2023, Suzuki have launched three new 125cc scooter models for the UK, two of which I have very recently got to put through their paces on their official UK launch.

The Suzuki Avenis and Address 125s (both manufactured in India) are two scooters that mechanically are rather similar indeed, sharing more than just a motor, however, they are really aimed at two different audiences. Whereas the Address is the more subtle, mature, and classically styled scooter, the sporty, and sharp Avenis was the one that stood out to me the most between the two.

Much like I stated in my Suzuki Address 125cc Scooter Review when both the Address and Avenis were announced I was a little underwhelmed and quick to label it average, BUT, that was before the prices got revealed, and before I had a chance to ride them for 30 odd miles around Milton Keynes in a day which brought all sorts of weather and roads conditions. It’s fair to say I have changed my mind about this sports-styled scooter.

As I have already alluded to the Avenis is a 125cc scooter, that targets the younger and more casual rider who just wanted something that looks sharp, sporty and fun!

Sporting the typical Suzuki design aspects with lines reminiscent of sports bikes, and the typical LED stack headlights, the Avenis is a great looking 125cc scooter, with an upswept tail, aggressive front fairing with a dark visor and bold graphics throughout, this should be a scooter model which appeals to the younger audience.

Again, rather like the Address, the Avenis is a model which looks so much better in person. With two colourway options, White & Gray (Pearl Mirage White / Fibroin Gray) or Gray & Green (Fibroin Gray and Metallic Lush Green), with the latter being the colourway model I got to ride on the day, which is good because the green and grey is my favourite version.

Noticeably the exhaust has a cool little cover design which means it looks decent for a standard scooter exhaust. On the rear of the scooter, you can find the fuel cap, this is the same for the Address too, a decision Suzuki has made in a bid to make refuelling easier, and to stop spillage in areas like the footboards.

OK, so the engine in the Avenis was a very pleasant surprise to me, and far better than I expected in more ways than one.

With a Suzuki Eco Performance 124cc, single cylinder, four-stroke engine producing 8.6hp at 6,750rpm and 10nm at 5,500rpm the stats aren’t exactly mindblowing, however, this engine isn’t there to be the most powerful on the 125cc market. It is designed to be efficient, frugal, and nippy and in this regard, Suzuki have more than hit their goal.

To give you a quick bit of insight on this motor, although it is a new engine here in the UK and EU, it has proven to be a rather popular engine elsewhere, having been at the heart of more than 5 million models sold across the world in places like Latin America and Asia, so it has already proven itself to be an extremely popular choice.

It might not be close to the 14.7 bhp 125cc CBT friendly limit, but the Suzuki Eco Performance engine does more than enough. The 8.6hp and 10nm of torque give enough power to allow comfortable and safe acceleration around town and city streets. I was fearful the acceleration would be sluggish and the top speed lacking on the Avenis, however, I was completely wrong. It pulls away from the junction and builds up speed to 40-50mph well, in regards to top speeds I think most of us saw the speedo clock over 60mph, which again far exceeds what I was expecting.

Suzuki have really taken weight into consideration and have kept the Avenis rather light at just 107kg.

With a 5.2 litre fuel tank, the Avenis doesn’t have the largest fuel tank in the world, however, one of the biggest things going for it is the fact Suzuki states it should achieve up to 148mpg. On the day we did over 30 miles, and the fuel indicator barely moved, now as it was simply a one day press event I can’t confirm if Suzuki’s claims are spot on, but regardless we know, thereabouts, this will be one of the most economical 125s on the market.

That means with a full tank the Avenis could get up to 170 miles in range, throw in typical riding and yes we’d expect this figure to decline slightly, but nonetheless, it doesn’t take away how incredible that fuel economy is!

When it comes to height, I am a bit on the titchy side at 5’ 6, so some seats can get a bit interesting for me. However, the Avenis is definitely not one of them. Coming in at 780mm with a typical step-through scooter design, the seat is very accessible and shouldn’t be a problem for those vertically challenged amongst us.

I would say between the Avenis and its sibling the Address, the Address has a slightly more comfortable seating position and for me, ever so slightly more spacious in the leg and foot department.

The seat itself is pretty comfortable, and the material feels decent and of good quality. On some budget scooters, the seat can feel noticeably cheap and result in your derriere slipping and sliding here there, and everywhere, not on the Avenis, you feel well planted, and well positioned, though the riding position is a tad sportier, and leaning forward compared to the Address, which is typically neutral. Go beyond an hour in the saddle and it starts to feel firm, however, there aren’t going to be many 125cc scooters travelling inn excess of an hour at a time.

When it comes to storage, under that seat is 21.5 litres of storage space, I can’t see a full-face helmet getting underneath, though you should fit an open-face (do check for compatibility). The 21.5 litres of storage though is pretty darn respectable and will allow you to fit a good number of items.

There is more storage than this though, to the rear of the leg shield is one gloves box (not lockable), and an open pocket. Within the glove box, you’ll find a USB port that has lighting around it, to help you locate it in the depths of darkness.

When it comes to braking power the Avenis is rather standard. You’ll find a 190mm disc up front and to the rear, you’ll find a 120mm drum. As expected at a budget price, the Avenis has linked braking (also known as a combined braking system). The braking performance is decent and offers good progressive braking, I felt comfortable on the brakes for the entire test ride with no concerns even in the damp. We’d all prefer ABS, but that really is for the more premium models. It is worth noting for those that don’t know, combined braking means when you pull in that rear brake (left lever) it will automatically start applying some of the front brakes too.

Suspension again is oh so typical for a scooter of this nature, up front is a telescopic fork and offering the suspension at the rear is a monoshock off the swingarm.

Suspension, though slightly on the soft side, will handle your typical urban roads well and give a pleasant journey. Stumble upon rougher roads, or frequent pot holes, then like most scooters it can get a bit bumpy , but this really is expected. You can expect 160mm in ground clearance too.  I think most riders will enjoy a rather pleasant riding experience.  

At the front of the Avenis is a 12” wheel and to the rear slightly smaller with a 10” wheel.  Suzuki have gone with the security of well-known rubber circles in the way of Dunlop D307 N tyres.

The tyres have been chosen to offer good all around performance in most weather and situations, and I would have to agree with this, on a day mixed with all weathers and road conditions the Dunlop  tyres did an adequate job of handling what the Milton Keynes and neighbouring area roads had to offer – even when it was damp and muddy.

For a budget-friendly scooter, the dash, tech, and switch gear are impressive on the Suzuki Avenis.

I am used to testing budget-friendly Chinese bikes at a very similar price point and you come accustomed to cheaper, and dated dashes and switchgear which appear to have come from the 90s, however, Suzuki has come in and shook things up, by offering a really nice modern display and switch gear that feels refined, well designed and good quality.

With a large simple and clean digital display, the Avenis’ dash is simplistic and tidy displaying all the vital statistics in an organised and easy-to-see manner. The day was consistently overcast so I can’t comment on the glare, but for me, the dash was very good. Likewise, the switch gear, although nothing special just did the job well. Good positioning, quality to the touch, another refined and attention to detail from Suzuki here.

A nice little feature (if you care for it) is the eco indicator informing you when the scooter is being ridden in a fuel-efficient manner. An eco leaf icon glows green when it detects this desired performance.

Other spec includes the already aforementioned USB port, and LED lighting, but there are other features such as the Suzuki Easy Start System, simple starting of the scooter with the smallest of touches (no need to hold the button down).

I have alluded to the Suzuki Avenis 125 being a rather budget friendly model, and it really is. You can get your hands on the Suzuki Avenis 125 for just £2,699, which include a 3-year manufacturer warranty.

Once you have got the running-in service out of the way, expect the service intervals on the Suzuki Avenis to be every 2,400 miles or 12-months (whatever comes first).

To get a good idea of quite how competitively priced the Avenis is, let’s briefly look at the pricing of some of the Avenis’ rivals. Now admittedly I will omit to look and compare other stats between these models, but it should give us a really good price comparison.

Starting off with the uber budget-friendly models in the way of a couple of Chinese models, the Sinnis Hero-X a similar sporty looking urban commuter can be yours for £2,899, yup, the Avenis is £200 cheaper! Next up is the Lexmoto Diablo, one of cheapest 125cc scooters in the UK, which comes in at £2,279.99,  just over £400 more than the Avenis.

Moving onto a fellow Japanese manufacturer, now visually this lacks similarities but in performance they are comparable and that is the Honda Sh Mode 125, the Sh Mode costs from £3,049, £350 more than the new Suzuki Avenis 125. I think you can now truly see how impressively priced and spec’d the Avenis is.

The Suzuki Avenis is one of those scooters I have to hold my hand up and say, you know what, that is a lot better than I expected.

Don’t get me wrong there as some aspects I’d like improved, such as the underseat storage, but there is no denying as an overall package the Suzuki Avenis 125 (and its sibling the Address 125) are very good scooters indeed for this price point.

The Avenis is nimble, light, and accessible making it a great scooter, however, throw in that spritely engine, crazy good economy (148MPG people!) and the refinement and quality of the Avenis seems like a great overall package.

The Suzuki Avenis is not trying to be the highest spec best-performing commuter scooter on the market, it is trying to offer people a fantastically priced scooter, which will be reliable, good quality, and dependable and for me, it definitely ticks those boxes. I have a feeling it will be a very popular option!

• Great Fuel Economy (up to 148mpg)
• Engine has good acceleration and decent top speed
• Feels refined and very good quality throughout
• Extremely budget price tag for a Japanese scooter
• Expect great reliability
• Great sporty looks

• No ABS (expected for the price)
• The underseat won’t fit a full-face helmet
• Not as comfortable riding position as the Address

I hope you enjoyed my full road test review of the new Suzuki Avenis 125.

If you have your very own Suzuki Avenis 125, or perhaps another scooter you need to insure - make sure to get a scooter and moped insurance quotation direct with Lexham!