Suzuki GS 150 vs. Honda CG 125 | Which is Best for City Use?

Suzuki GS 150 and Honda CG125 are two of the best bikes from the two best brands. Both have a cult following and are solid options in their desired category. 

However, for an average person who is thinking of buying a motorcycle for city and office use and has a budget of 230k PKR, which one is good in the end?

Under a 230k budget, you can get a brand new CG125, but for GS150, you can get a used 2018-19 GS150SE with disc brakes and alloy rims.

Here’s our editorial opinion based on our usage of both bikes:

Riding Comfort

Of course, GS150 is a winner here. CG and comfort? It’s like comparing oranges with mangoes; there is no comparison. GS has a balancer shaft engine and a very soft, comfortable seat. The overall riding comfort is good in the GS. There are vibrations in GS, but they are not very noticeable. Only if you go above 90 Km/h, which is very rare in the city rides, you might feel some little vibrations in the seat. 

CG vibrates like a generator. Not just vibrations, but the seat is hard as a rock. If you remember, barbers used to put kids on wooden boards for cutting hair. Sitting on CG feels exactly the same. It’s really not enjoyable. After riding it for more than 30 minutes, you stop the motorcycle, but your middle body section will stay vibrating for 3-5 minutes. It’s that uncomfortable.

But people who buy CG don’t care about its ride quality—that’s a fact!

For city riding, GS150 is a good choice, but CG will also work if your daily riding is not too much, e.g., 20-30 Km. But, if you live in a society and your office is in the city, then you should prefer GS for this car.

Fuel Average

The main concern for city traveling is fuel economy. GS, with a 150cc engine, does about 34-37 Kmpl in the city. CG, with its dinky 125cc engine and low body weight, does 39-44 Kmpl in the city. Here, we can see that CG takes the clear lead. 

Our personal experience with CG’s economy is superb. Our team has CD70, GS150, and CG125 for office use. CD and CG have fuel bills that are almost similar. CD does 52 Kmpl, and CG does 42 Kmpl. At the end of the month, if CD gives a fuel bill of Rs. 5,000, CG gives a fuel bill of Rs. 5,400.

But GS is pretty expensive; its fuel bill is Rs. 6,790, and it runs the same monthly as the CD and CG.

Maintenance Cost

After every 1,000 Km, both bikes require proper tunning. Here’s their tunning cost breakdown:

• GS150 engine oil cost: Rs. 1,479
• CG125 engine oil cost: Rs. 910 (Havoline 20w-50)

 

• Tuning labor cost of GS150: Rs. 550
• Tuning labor cost of CG125: Rs. 450

 

• Total tuning cost of GS150: Rs. 2,030
• Total tuning cost of CG125: Rs. 1,360

Tuning cost-wise CG is much cheaper. 

Spares Cost

In regular city riding, it’s very common to get into small accidents with Chingchi’s, bikes, and TukTuks. The first thing you’re probably going to break is the indicators, then headlights and taillight. 

Let’s see how much it’s going to cost you if something like this occurs (original parts from 3s dealership):

CG125:

• Indicator: Rs.450
• Headlight: Rs.1400
• Tailight: Rs.700

GS150:

• Indicator: Rs.950
• Headlight: Rs.2,500
• Tailight: Rs.1,100

So, again, CG is a simple winner in terms of parts cost.

Pick and Power

GS, indeed a bigger engine, still can’t outperform CG in acceleration. CG’s low body weight and OHV engine make it a true acceleration beast but at the cost of discomfort and generator-like vibrations.

However, in the end, the GS is more powerful, with better torque and higher horsepower than the CG. In a drag race, the CG might take the lead initially, but once you hit 80 km/h, the GS will give it a fly-by due to superior horsepower and torque figures. The GS’s top speed is also better than that of the CG.

In city riding, quick acceleration is more important than horsepower or top speed. Imagine you’re late for work, and you see a clear stretch of road. You accelerate, but suddenly, a Chingchi appears in front of you, so you hit the brakes. In moments like these, having strong acceleration matters more than top speed.

Verdict

Suzuki GS150: Best for city riders who prefer comfort and long-distance commuting, especially if your residence is in society and far from the city. Its smooth ride, better power, and higher top speed, good for for those with longer daily rides and who don’t mind a slightly higher fuel and maintenance cost.

Honda CG125: Best for riders focused on fuel economy, lower maintenance costs, and quick acceleration in city traffic. It’s perfect for short, daily commutes where maneuverability and cheap running costs are the main preferences.