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Cruisers

2002Honda VT125C Shadow

23 fields on record

The 2002 Honda VT125C Shadow is a small cruiser, one of the few 125s with a V-twin engine. Its liquid-cooled 124.5cc V-twin makes 15 hp and 11 Nm through a five-speed gearbox and chain, for a top speed of about 110 km/h. A low 680 mm seat, 145 kg dry weight and 14.5-litre tank make it popular with learner riders.

Capacity: 124.5 ccm
Engine: V-Twin
Gearbox: 5-speed
Dry weight: 145.0 kg
Seat height: 680 mm
Power: 15.0 HP (11.0 kW)

⇄ Compare with another bike ＋ Add to garage All model years

What’s new for the 2002 Honda VT125C Shadow

vs the 2001

Spec	2001	2002
Power	15.0 HP (11.0 kW) @ 11000 RPM	15.0 HP (11.0 kW)
Torque	10.7 Nm (1.1 kgf-m or 7.9 ft.lbs) @ 9000 RPM	11.0 Nm (1.1 kgf-m or 8.1 ft.lbs)
Rear brakes	Expanding brake	Expanding brake (drum brake)
Compression	11.8:1	not listed

Other years 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

How it rides

Editorial estimate from the spec sheet - not lab tested

Off-road & trail10%

Cornering40%

City riding68%

Daily riding60%

Touring30%

Two-up25%

Track5%

Best for: Best suited to relaxed cruiser-style commuting and short leisurely rides rather than outright performance.
Built for: A friendly, unintimidating small-capacity cruiser that prioritizes style and easy handling over speed.
Not ideal for: Not suitable for experienced riders seeking strong acceleration, highway touring comfort, or off-road capability.

Scores are derived from the spec sheet using the same model across every bike, so they compare like for like.

Will it fit you?

Worked out in your browser - nothing is sent to us

Your height

Inseam (optional)

Units

At 680mm, a rider of 68.9" with a 31" (estimated) inseam will reach the ground with both feet flat on the 2002 Honda VT125C Shadow, with a moderate knee angle of around 110 degrees and an upright riding position.

Assumes about 30mm of suspension sag once seated. This is an approximation from category-typical geometry, not a measurement of this bike or of you - sit on one before you buy.

More bikes at 750 mm or under — Short Kings →

Find bikes that fit your height →

Reliability & safety

Bike Reliability score, safety recalls and owner complaints

Bike Reliability

How the score works →

out of 100Below average

The Honda VT125C Shadow passed its annual roadworthiness test first time 76.3% of the time, 6.2 points below expected for bikes of the same age and mileage. That beats 27% of models.

This covers every year of the model.

76.3%Passed first time

14.7%Failed outright

9.0%Fixed during test

9,000Typical miles

2,744Tests

Pass rate by miles ridden

0-10k

82.1%

10-20k

71.5%

20-30k

66.6%

30-40k

72%

40-50k

63.8%

All years of this model.

Score by year first registered

2003200620072008

Against its rivals · ranks 1 of 6

#	Model (all years)	Score	Tests
1	Honda VT125C Shadow	27 Below average	2,744
2	Suzuki GN 125	19 Poor	15,158
3	Kawasaki Eliminator 125	17 Poor	184
4	Suzuki GZ125 Marauder	10 Poor	10,545
5	Kymco Zing 125	7 Poor	322
6	Daelim VL 125 Daystar	7 Poor	248

Rivals are the most-viewed bikes on MotorcycleDB in the same category and engine size, from within three years of this model.

From British annual roadworthiness tests, 2005-2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA MOT test data, Great Britain). How Bike Reliability works.

Full specifications

Engine

Capacity: 124.5 ccm
Power: 15.0 HP (11.0 kW)
Torque: 11.0 Nm (1.1 kgf-m)
Engine type: V-Twin
Power/weight ratio: 0.1034 HP/kg (dry)
Bore x stroke: 42.0 x 45.0 mm
Cooling system: Liquid

Transmission

Gearbox: 5-speed
Transmission type: Manual
Final drive: Chain

Performance

Top speed: 110.0 km/h (68.4 mph)

Dimensions & weight

Wheelbase: 1524 mm
Overall length: 2300 mm
Overall width: 888 mm
Seat height: 680 mm
Dry weight: 145.0 kg
Fuel capacity: 14.50 litres

Brakes & wheels

Front brakes: Single disc
Rear brakes: Expanding brake (drum brake)
Front tyre: 100/90-17
Rear tyre: 130/90-15

Other

Color options: Red, black, silver

Compiled from manufacturer documentation and user contributions, corrected on an ongoing basis. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.

What changed, year to year

Differences highlighted

Specification	1999	2001	2002	2003	2005	2007
Capacity	125 cc	125 cc	125 cc	125 cc	125 cc	125 cc
Dry weight	145 kg	145 kg	145 kg	145 kg	145 kg	145 kg
Seat height	680 mm	680 mm	680 mm	680 mm	680 mm	680 mm
Fuel capacity	14.5 L	14.5 L	14.5 L	14 L	14.5 L	14 L
Bike Reliability ⓘ	Too few tests	Too few tests	Too few tests	13 Poor	Too few tests	34 Below average