Maxi-scooters are incredibly popular, mainly up to 500cc, but Honda has been producing larger capacity machines for a while. Its successful Forza 750 has been updated and improved, which will have new buyers and owners of the previous model racing through dealers' doors. RTR got one of the latest generation scooters and had a wail of a time.

The Honda Forza 750 has quality chassis parts, and the 2021 model provides many. Wheel sizes are 17in front and 15in rear, so you get the feel of riding a motorcycle and the handling characteristics, too.

You get Showa suspension with 41mm non-adjustable forks and a preload-only rear shock, giving 120mm travel. The Honda Forza 750 has wheel travel like a motorcycle, so you get much better absorption and handling. Unlike a motorcycle, the riding position means you steer with your upper body and hands rather than leaning, engaging your legs.

Agile steering means you can nip in and out of traffic easily,

and the Forza 750 is secure when taking longer corners at speed. It's ideal for heading out of the urban shackles and taking in some country lanes.

Braking comes from Nissin four-pot radial calipers at the front running on 320mm discs, and the Forza features a manual handbrake. It sits on the right handlebar, where a cable leads to a caliper on the underside of the rear brake disc. Honda uses its automatic DCT transmission on the maxi-scooter, so you get an instant smooth pickup when applying the throttle. Remember that this machine's left handle is a brake, not a clutch.

Honda states that the Forza 750 is their Grand Tourer of maxi-scooters, and it can easily take you anywhere you want to go. It has a 200-mile range from its fuel tank, and you can purchase panniers and a top box to aid with your travels. Honda has provided a supremely comfortable seat, which matters when spending extended time on the machine.

Honda uses a 745cc engine in the Forza 750, producing 57.8bhp. The engine sits low in the scooter's frame, giving it a low centre of gravity, which provides confident steering. The power allows you to pull away from lights and at junctions rapidly, as you see all couriers in London, but you won't get the performance of a motorcycle of similar capacity. However, you would not purchase a Maxi-scooter if you wanted a motorbike. It will comfortably sit at motorway speeds to meet GT requirements.

Linked to the engine, the Forza 750 has Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), which provides automatic gearchanges. The left handlebar has paddles that allow you to ride manually, using them to move up and down the gears. It is possible to ride in auto mode and then switch to manual if you want to control your slowing down for a corner, for example. Riding modes of Sport, Standard and Rain provide different gear shifting styles to adapt to conditions or your mood.

Honda claims the Forza 750 will return up to 78mpg, so the 13.2-litre tank should give you about 170 to 220 miles, again giving it touring potential.

Being a Honda, the Forza 750 should be reliable and not cause you any mechanical issues. The company states that DCT is less stressful on the engine, drivetrain, and chain.

The Honda Forza 750 feels like a quality machine, with everything well made and fitting correctly. The 5-inch TFT display is the centre of the rider’s area, and all key features are ergonomically located around this hub. You sit behind a good-sized fairing, offering protection from the elements, which is much needed when riding in the UK. The fairing is sleeker and more dynamic, thanks to sharper angles and cutaways. The LED headlights are twice as bright as the previous bike’s, with an LED daytime running light on each side that double as indicators.

The fairing screen is now electric and adjusted from a button on the left handlebar. It is also broader and steeper (fully extended) than the old bike’s fixed screen. The fairing-mounted mirrors also give plenty of rearward view.

The Honda Forza 750 has plenty of electronic rider aids, all adjustable via a deep menu of options. You can alter power delivery, TC, engine braking level, DCT gearchange, and the ABS setting using the three Ride Modes Honda selects or the two you can customise.

For practicality, the Honda Forza 750 has a 22-litre storage compartment under the seat, an LED interior light, and a USB-C charging point so the rider can use it more. It also has a glove box.

In summary, the Honda Forza 750 is a good-looking, practical, versatile maxi-scooter with the heart of a motorcycle. Its ease of getting on and off, along with its riding position, makes it perfect for urban use, although its performance would easily allow you to escape the city limits and take on countryside twisties and mundane motorways. It is a definite choice if you want a two-wheeled machine but not a motorcycle. It is fun to ride, easy to maintain, and economical to run- all you want from a bike.

Estimated price for 2025

£10500

The Forza is only available in black, grey, and bronze.

Rivals for the Forza would be Yamaha’s T-Max Tech Max with a smaller cc at £14,011 or the X-ADV from Honda

Honda’s 750 Forza is a Force to be Reckoned with.