Almost all scooters come with cheap tyres fitted as standard. The manufacturers do this because the bean counters want to keep the price of every component as low as possible, so the scooter can be competitively priced. We get that.
But the thing is, an economy tyre is a false economy. When the difference between a really good scooter tyre and a low quality one is only around £30, it seems like madness to go to all those lengths to develop a great 125cc scooter, only to roll it onto the showroom floor on a budget tyre.
The good news is that when you come to replace your tyres, you have countless great options in scooter sizes. All of the major manufacturers use the technology developed for their motorcycle tyres on their scooter tyre ranges. So you’re getting the benefit of all of that Research & Development for big bikes, packed into smaller scooter tyre.
Some owners, especially delivery riders, will ditch the standard tyres the moment the drop their scooter in for its first oil change because they know a poor quality tyre isn’t as trustworthy as a quality one.
If your 125cc scooter is your daily transport, it makes sense to fit a decent tyre. Sure they’ll cost a bit extra but then do you really want to be putting your trust into the cheapest tyre the manufacturer could get away with?
125cc Scooter Tyre Sizes
There are common wheel sizes you’ll find on most 125cc scooters. Modern scooters tend to have larger wheels than older ones. Larger wheels tend to offer a better quality of ride as they roll over potholes, rather than drop into them. They’re also less susceptible to tramlining (where the wheels follow the cracks and lines in the road).
10″
This is a common fitment to a lot of the older Vespas. For example the Vespa ET4 125 runs a 100/80/10 front and 120/70/10 rear.
11″
These tiny wheel sizes are common on classic Vespas and Lambrettas although you will find an 11″ rear on the all new electric Vespa Elettrica, which has a 120/70/11 tyre size.
12″
Again these are mainly seen on classic scooters although some of the modern Vespa range also run 12-inch wheels, like the Vespa GTS 125 Super which runs a 120/70/12 front and a 130/70/12 rear tyre size.
13″
A lot of the older scooters (from the 2000s) ran 13-inch wheels but also Yamaha’s N-Max 125, a seriously popular scooter, runs 13-inchers with a 110/70/13 front and a 130/70/13 rear tyre.
14″
14s are a very common fitment and are found on a range of scooters, including the massively popular Honda PCX 125. The modern PCX runs a 100/80/14 front and a 120/70/14 rear tyre.
15″
Not many 125cc scooters run a 15-inch wheel and if they do it’s likely to be on the front and not the rear. The Yamaha Xmax 125 and Honda Forza 125 both run a 120/70/15 profile 15-inch front.
16″
Years ago, there were quite a few motorcycles that ran a 16-inch front wheel and they were a popular choice at the top level of motorcycle racing too. However these days most road-going motorcycles run a 17″ front and rear. Scooters that run a 16-inch wheel will feel most like a motorcycle and will handle the bumps and cracks in the road far better than a smaller rim size. One of the best examples of this is the Honda SH125, a small bike, with big bike pretentions! It runs a 100/80/16 front wheel and 120/80/16 rear.
Best tyre options for 125cc scooters
We asked a leading motorcycle insurance company to provide us with data on the most popular 125cc scooters. They supplied us with a list of the makes and models of scooters with the most policies on their books.
We’ve then worked through this list to suggest the best tyre options for your 125cc scooter. Our picks are based on the tyres that customers ask for when they come into our shop and also the tyres that we know work well for small capacity scooters. Our budget pick isn’t the cheapest scooter tyre but it is the best cheap scooter tyre that we recommend. We’re not going to suggest our customers buy the cheapest tyre because these are usually also the worst tyres and if the tyres are bad, the customer isn’t going to come back to us!
Honda Forza 125
Front tyre size: 120/70/15
Rear tyre size: 140/70/14
Our upgrade tyre pick: Michelin City Grip 2
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Tournee Scooter
Honda PCX125
Front tyre size: 90/90/14
Rear tyre size: 100/90/14
Our upgrade tyre pick: Bridgestone SC
Our cheapest tyre choice: Kenda K434
Honda PCX125 2018
Front tyre size: 100/80/14
Rear tyre size: 120/70/14
Our upgrade tyre pick: Michelin Pilot Street
Our cheapest tyre choice: Pirelli Angel City
Honda SH125
Front tyre size: 100/80/16
Rear tyre size: 120/80/16
Our upgrade tyre pick: Continental Conti Scoot
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas MB-34
Honda Vision 110
Front tyre size: 80/90/14
Rear tyre size: 90/90/14
Our upgrade tyre pick: Michelin City Grip 2
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Tournee Scooter
Honda Vision 110 2018
Front tyre size: 80/90/14
Rear tyre size: 90/90/14
Our upgrade tyre pick: Michelin City Grip 2
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Tournee Scooter
Kawasaki J125
Front tyre size: 120/80/14
Rear tyre size: 150/70/13
Our upgrade tyre pick: Pirelli Rosso Scooter
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Tournee Scooter
Kymco Agility City 125i
Front tyre size: 100/80/16
Rear tyre size: 120/80/16
Our upgrade tyre pick: Continental Conti Scoot
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas MB-34
Lexmoto Enigma 125
Front tyre size: 120/70/14
Rear tyre size: 130/60/13
Our upgrade tyre pick: Pirelli Angel Scooter
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Tournee Scooter
Lexmoto Milano 125
Front tyre size: 3.50/10
Rear tyre size: 3.50/10
Our upgrade tyre pick: Pirelli Angel Scooter
Our cheapest tyre choice: Kenda K413
Peugeot Speedfight 125
Front tyre size: 130/60/13
Rear tyre size: 130/60/13
Our upgrade tyre pick: Michelin City Grip 2
Our cheapest tyre choice: Kenda K413
Piaggio Liberty 125
Front tyre size: 90/80/16
Rear tyre size: 110/80/14
Our upgrade tyre pick: Michelin City Grip 2
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Tournee Scooter
Piaggio MP3 125
Front tyre size: 120/70/12
Rear tyre size: 130/70/12
Our upgrade tyre pick: Pirelli Rosso Scooter
Our cheapest tyre choice: Kenda K413
Suzuki Address 110
Front tyre size: 80/90/14
Rear tyre size: 90/90/14
Our upgrade tyre pick: Bridgestone SC
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Tournee Scooter
Suzuki Burgman 125
Front tyre size: 110/90/13
Rear tyre size: 130/70/12
Our upgrade tyre pick: Continental ContiScoot
Our cheapest tyre choice: Avon Viper Stryke
Vespa 946
Front tyre size: 120/70/12
Rear tyre size: 130/70/12
Our upgrade tyre pick: Michelin City Grip 2
Our cheapest tyre choice: Bridgestone SC
See our full Vespa tyre guide here.
Vespa Elettrica
Front tyre size: 110/70/12
Rear tyre size: 120/70/11
Our upgrade tyre pick: Pirelli Angel Scooter
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Winter Grip 2
See our full Vespa tyre guide here.
Vespa GTS125 Super
Front tyre size: 120/70/12
Rear tyre size: 130/70/12
Our upgrade tyre pick: Michelin City Grip 2
Our cheapest tyre choice: Kenda K413
See our full Vespa tyre guide here.
Vespa Primavera 125
Front tyre size: 110/70/12
Rear tyre size: 120/70/11
Our upgrade tyre pick: Pirelli Angel scooter
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Winter Grip 2
See our full Vespa tyre guide here.
Yamaha NMAX 125
Front tyre size: 110/70/13
Rear tyre size: 130/70/13
Our upgrade tyre pick: Bridgestone SC
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Tournee Scooter
Yamaha Xmax 125
Front tyre size: 120/70/15
Rear tyre size: 140/70/14
Our upgrade tyre pick: Michelin City Grip 2
Our cheapest tyre choice: Anlas Tournee Scooter
Scooter Tyres – Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best wet weather tyres for 125cc scooters?
There are a handful of good scooter tyres for rainy conditions. Two of our favourites for wet-weather scootering are the Anlas Wintergrip 2 and the Michelin City Grip 2.
How long should my scooter tyres last?
You ought to be able to get 3,000 miles from a pair of scooter tyres. The front might last a little longer, perhaps 4,000 miles. When customers come in for a set of new scooter tyres, we always check the front and advise them if they can get a few more miles out of the front. However in most cases, the bike feels much better with a pair of tyres rather than just the one and while the bike is in the workshop you might as well stick a new front on. Each to their own.
Do I need to scrub in my new scooter tyres?
Yes, you do.
Tyre manufacturers use a release agent on the tyre to make it easy for it to be removed from the mould when it is produced. This can cause the tyre to be slightly slippery when new. The tyre manufacturing process has improved a great deal over the last few years and now with Teflon moulds, the use of release agent is minimal but it’s still worth taking care when your tyres are brand new. We tell our customers to ride as if it’s raining for the next 10 miles and by that we mean no big angles of lean, no heavy throttle inputs and, if possible, smooth braking action.
You also need to give your tyres a few miles to properly seat on the rim and bed in, then you can ride it how you normally would.
What tyre pressures should I run?
Each scooter will have a recommended tyre pressure chart provided by the manufacturer. You will be able to find this in the manual. However as a good guide, if you run 28psi in the front and 30psi in the rear, you won’t be far off.
Can I repair my scooter’s tyres?
You can legally repair a rear tyre but not a front and the maximum times you can legally repair a rear tyre is three times. There are some caveats to this, as each repair needs to be a certain distance from the previous one and they puncture can’t be repaired if it is through the sidewall of the tyre or on the shoulder of the tyre (the last quarter from the edge towards the centre).
You can repair it by plugging the tyre from the outside with a puncture repair kit or you can have it professionally repaired, which is when the tyre is removed from the rim and the repair applied from the inside. A professional repair should last as long as the tyre does whereas a repair done using a kit and from the outside is only deemed a temporary repair.
While this temporary repair should last a decent length of time, it isn’t as strong as a professional one and ought to be done as a “get you home” method and then you should change the tyre for a new one at your earliest convenience.
