This Honda benefits hugely from its 16″ wheels. Where a normal scooter would slide out of control, it leans, steers and grips tenaciously. Agility is augmented by superb brakes and an engine with enough punch to make good handling more than an exotic luxury.

With the pre-dawn darkness overwhelmed by the little Honda’s powerful headlight, I was soon accelerating and braking aggressively, despite overnight rain and volcanic ash on the road. Risky perhaps, but the ride characteristics of modern motorcycles do not reveal themselves under gentle use.

The SH300i is compact enough to be a big asset in urban congestion, but its svelte modernity is deceptive.

The 279cc single-cylinder engine has been developed from units used on Honda’s CRF series of motocross machines. It is superb.

Top speed is just above 160km/h and the SH300i will cruise at 140km/h – enough to book a slot in the fast lane of the winding autostrada between Giardini Naxos and Catania, and more than ample for the M25.

Motorcycle-style telescopic front forks and adjustable rear dampers provide a truly refined ride; relaxed but taut enough to respond if trouble looms.

This scooter does not get forced into the gutter when the going gets quick. It allows a rider to maintain the prominent, mid-carriageway posture that so enhances visibility.

Of course, it is a compromise. Honda set out to mix the diminutive, traffic-busting size of a 125 with the open-road performance of a super-scooter. The surprising thing is how well it works. The SH300i is short and light enough to dodge cars in the most confined spaces, but it rarely feels frail.

Instant linkage

I have ridden 400cc scooters that are more sluggish. Here, the V-Matic transmission system beats the limitations of conventional centrifugal systems to deliver power promptly.

Climbing that mountain in the dark, I felt the full benefit. Making progress through slippery hairpins on a steep upslope requires instant linkage between right wrist and rear wheel.

The SH300i has it. One twist and I shot up even the steepest incline. That felt good because it gave the macho youth in his Golf GTI a surprise. But it is just as useful for zooming ahead of the pack when the lights go green, or filtering fast between frozen lines of cars.

That said, all compromises come at a cost, and here the sacrifice is luggage capacity. A pillion passenger is no problem – the broad, low seat is comfortable solo or two-up, and there is torque enough for two.

Restricted storage

But under-seat storage is restricted. The wide, flat floor that makes it so easy to leap aboard is achieved by locating the engine under the rider. This works beautifully in terms of comfort, mass centralisation and leg room.

But to carry a laptop, an optional 35-litre top-box must be fitted to the rear luggage-rack. I would prefer to see it included as standard equipment.

The optional wide-coverage windscreen should also be standard. The high-speed cruising of which the SH300i is capable provokes less buffeting with a screen.

But the front glove-compartment comes with a cellphone charging socket; the instrument panel is clear and comprehensive, and the styling is clean and elegant; anodyne but never dowdy, even amid the prettiest Italian scooters.

Optional ABS

ABS is an optional extra and I recommend it. If there is a better-linked ABS system on a scooter, I have not encountered it. It kept me upright in an emergency stop on wet cobbles greased with cigarette butts.

There are bigger, more powerful scooters, and smaller ones that can nip through tighter gaps. But for a competent rider seeking a machine on which to trim the daily commute, this is an exceptionally attractive option.

It makes mincemeat of a 40-mile journey involving motorway, fast A-roads and congestion. And a smooth, unfussy ride helps you to arrive relaxed. Twist-and-go scootering doesn’t get much more practical than this.

Specifications

Engine: 279cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, 4-stroke.
Maximum power: 20kW at 8250rpm.
Maximum torque: 26Nm at 6000rpm.
Brakes: 256mm discs at front and rear.
Transmission: fully automatic gearbox with V-belt final drive.
Dry weight: 162 kg.
Seat height: 785 mm
Price: £3599 (about R50 600)