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How Long Do Honda Shines Last? (6 Examples)

The Honda Shine is one of the best-selling 125cc commuter motorcycles in India.

Developed by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India and Bangladesh Honda Private Limited, Honda has enhanced the Shine with upgrades with each annual revision.

While its popularity is reassuring, if you’re a rider in the market for a Honda Shine, you’d probably like to know how long do Honda Shines last?

 

 

Here’s the Short Answer to How Long a Honda Shine Lasts:

If properly maintained and serviced every 2,500 km, a Honda Shine has been known to last for up to 85,000 km, which is 50,000 miles. And since, on average, a motorcycle is ridden between 3,000 and 5,000 miles a year, a well-kept Honda Shine can run without issues for 10 to 15 years.

How Many Miles Do You Get on a Honda Shine?

The life miles of a Honda Shine vary depending on how aggressively the scoot is ridden and how regularly one maintains their bike.

One rider I encountered rides a Honda Shine he’s had for 14 years every day. He claims he’s got 225,000+ km on the clock and that the motor didn’t need an overhaul until 175,000 km.

The owner and daily rider of a 2016 Honda Shine claimed that once he put 38,000 km, his engine had a bad habit of smoking.

These adverse reports raised a flag for me, so I dug a little deeper to see what other riders said and found one who put 35,000 km on their odometer over a 9-year period and has never had an issue, highlighting that they’re careful to service and oil change every 1,500 km.

Yet another rider reported putting 8,5000 km on their Honda Shine and that it ran just fine, crediting the performance of their bikes with oil changes every 2,000-2,500 km.

Based on what I’ve heard from Shine riders and what I know about bikes, I’d say that any problems these bikes have with less than 85,000 miles on the clock result from negligence and that these bikes can be expected to last for 85,000 km saving any unconventional circumstances. 

What Is Considered High Mileage for These Models?

It’s generally considered that a Honda Shine with 50,000 miles on its odometer is high mileage, but as long-time riders know, that number isn’t as relevant as its service history.

If the Honda Shine you’re window-shopping has comprehensive maintenance records, no indication of physical damage, and no oil leaks, there’s no reason why it can’t run healthily for much longer.

Honda outlines maintenance for each interval in the Honda Shine’s service manual. Performing these maintenance inspections at each interval, following the service manual, could keep your Honda Shine running for longer than 50,000 miles.

When considering whether a Honda Shine is high mileage or not, check the service history and cross-reference it with the suggested schedule in the Honda Shine’s owner’s manual.

If you’re eyeing a Shine with 50,000 plus miles, but the previous owner regularly maintained the bike, then the mileage count isn’t that significant.

Make sure to also read our article about how long the Honda Magna lasts

How Many Years Does a Honda Shine Typically Last?

As I stated previously, a Shine’s longevity depends on how hard you ride it, and long it sits for, and how often it’s serviced.

But there’s no reason why a well-kept Honda Shine should last for less than 10 years.

Honda Bikes are well developed; lots of R&D goes into their engineering.

On average, a motorcycle is ridden between 3,000 and 5,000 miles a year. Based on that estimation, we can deduce that a motorcycle with a minimum life of 50,000 miles should be street-solid for 10 to 15 years.

Again, some responsibilities fall on the owner to make that happen, and we’ll get more into that further down. But the TLDR is to follow the maintenance schedule outlined in the Honda Shine’s manual, and your bike could last even longer.

Is the Honda Shine Reliable?

Commuter bikes are among the most reliable in the moto market, as their design is as simple and straightforward as it gets. 

As if that wasn’t enough to secure the Shine’s reliability, if you ask any motor mechanic, and they’ll tell you, no matter how begrudgingly, that Honda’s motors are the most reliable out there.

If the examples listed above weren’t enough to convince you of this point, let’s take a look at two more.

One rider eagerly reported that his bike was 3+ years old and that he never had an issue. 

The rider said that apart from routine oil service every 3,000 km, he didn’t have to touch a thing on his bike to have it run perfectly until he hit 13,000 km, at which point all he had to do was replace his front brake pads and charge his battery.

He noted that during his 3,000-km services, they sometimes changed his chain sprockets too, but he’s at 65,000 km, and at the time of telling his story, he hadn’t had a single issue with the engine.

Another rider who’s owned their Shine for closer to 10 years claimed that the bike is so reliable his maintenance cost is virtually nothing except for oil and the occasional sprockets and brake pads. 

While it may differ from rider to rider, most of the reports I’ve dug up have claimed that if well maintained, the Honda Shine rides the way it did on the day its owners bought it without ever missing a beat.

Please also read our article about how long the Honda Fury lasts.

Does a Honda Shine Last Longer than Other Motorcycles?

 Honda Shine is the most reliable commuter bike in India, and its sales reflect a loyal dedication compared to the sales of some of its rivals. 

The Honda Shine falls in the 125cc category, which puts it in league with some premium commuters. 

Still, the bike complies with BS6 while running off a 125cc air-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine that produces around 10.6 horsepower that combines with a peak torque to crush the competition.

Why does this matter for longevity?

Extra power means that the Honda Shine engine isn’t working as hard as the motor on other commuters.

A less-stressed motor means less heat, less friction, and less damage to the engine’s components.

What Typically Breaks First on a Honda Shine?

According to the myriad Honda Shine rider reports I’ve sifted through, the first part of a Honda Shine that sees wear is tied between Rear Pinion Handle and the Chain Sprockets.

The first isn’t a huge deal, but it’s worth mentioning. Apparently, the plastic underneath the rear pinion handle vibrates after 3,000 km of hard riding your Honda Shine. 

This vibration is because the pinion isn’t seated but hooked by plastic. 

Over time, the plastic’s integrity is compromised from the bike’s vibration, and, once compromised, the rear pinion develops its own vibration. 

Many Shine-riders gripe about the frequency of replacing their chain sprockets.

Honda has updated the newer Shines with a more robust chain set-up in hopes of nipping that complaint in the bud.

Also read our article about how long Honda Rebels last.

10 Great Tips to Make Sure Your Honda Shine Will Last Long

Keep your Honda Shine in tip-top shape by following these tips:

1. Keep Your Honda Shine Clean

Gunk doesn’t just look bad. It triggers the formation of rust. Wash your Shine at least once a month, and wipe it down twice a week.

2. Keep Your Honda Shine’s Tire Pressure Full

Rolling on low tire pressure makes your engine work harder and burns more fuel. Keeping your tires a few PSI more than the manufacturer recommended amount is ideal for better mileage and your Shine’s longevity.

3. Keep Your Honda Shine’s Brake Pads Fresh

In addition to the obvious dangers of poor stopping power, damaged or dirtied brake pads can cause permanent damage to your Shine’s rotors.

4. Keep your Shine’s Chain Tight

A loose drive chain reduces mileage, which means the bike is working harder, but the threat to your Shine’s longevity doesn’t end there.

If a loose chain pops off, it can damage the casing and other parts of the bike, but an over-tightened chain can snap. Keep your Honda Shine chain right where it needs to be to enjoy it for years to come.

5. Keep Your Shine’s Clutch Adjusted

Clutch plates wear down from force, and eventually, the clutch lever loosens, making shifting gears more difficult.

Inspect the bike to ensure the clutch lever has an adequate amount of free play but isn’t too loose. If the clutch lever is too tight, you may end up burning the clutch plates.

7. Keep Your Shine’s Oil Fresh and Full

Changing the engine oil regularly will keep your Shine’s heart and soul, the motor, lubricated and smooth-operating.

Also, keep the oil full to the recommended amount and use Honda’s oil blends to enjoy a longer engine life.

8. Keep Your Shine’s Wheel’s Aligned

Poor wheel alignment forces the motor to work harder, which chips away at its longevity.

Your Honda Shine will last longer if you occasionally take it to a Honda-literate mechanic and check if the wheel alignment is true.

9. Keep Your Shine’s Battery Charged

Due to myriad functions being powered at once, the battery on your Honda Shine needs to be charged every few months.

If you don’t use the motorcycle regularly, your battery can’t charge. So, if you plan on leaving your Honda Shine sitting for an extended period, charge its battery.

Be vigilant about what type of charger you’re using to avoid overcharging and spoiling your battery.  

10. Keep Riding Your Honda Shine!

A sitting bike is a sad bike. Keep your motorcycle’s fluids flowing and fresh and avoid corrosion and gunk-build-up by putting your tires to the street, hitting the throttle, and letting your Honda Shine rip!

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