Artist creates a full-size Honda SH125i scooter that is made of marble
Honda has celebrated 25 years of the SH125i with a full-size marble sculpture, a sustainability-focused concept scooter and a new film series exploring the design behind one of Europe’s most familiar urban commuters.
Honda has marked 25 years of the SH125i by turning one of Europe’s best-known scooters into both a marble sculpture and a rolling design study focused on more sustainable manufacturing.
The project, built around the SH125i’s anniversary, includes two separate creations. One is the SH125i Marmo concept, developed by engineers at Honda’s Atessa factory in Italy using recyclable acrylic resin bodywork designed to mimic the look of marble. The other is ‘Hanami’, a full-size marble sculpture of the scooter created by Italian sculptor Filippo Tincolini.
Honda says the idea behind the project was to explore how a scooter originally designed for everyday urban transport could also be viewed as an object of design and craftsmanship.
The SH125i has been a cornerstone of Honda’s European scooter line-up since the early 2000s, with production centred at the Atessa factory in Italy. Over the years the scooter has gained a reputation for simple, practical transport, while keeping much of the same design identity through multiple generations.
The more eye-catching side of the anniversary project is undoubtedly the Hanami sculpture. Tincolini carved the scooter from a single block of marble, although the bike is only partially revealed from the stone in a nod to Michelangelo’s unfinished sculptures. Sakura blossom details are carved into parts of the bodywork, with the name “Hanami” referencing the Japanese tradition of cherry blossom viewing.
Tincolini said Honda’s designers explained how the SH’s styling was inspired by the clean lines and restrained surfaces associated with Renaissance sculpture, which became the basis for the collaboration.
Alongside the sculpture sits the SH125i Marmo concept, which takes the same marble theme in a very different direction. Honda engineers used recyclable acrylic resin to create body panels with marble-style veining built directly into the material.
According to Honda, the process removes the need for a traditional paint stage, potentially reducing emissions and waste during production. The company also says the material offers good scratch and impact resistance, making it suitable for real-world use rather than just display purposes.
Sebastiano Cerrone, Head of Product Innovation at Honda Italia Industriale, said projects like the SH Marmo were part of wider efforts at the Atessa factory to reduce environmental impact through changes to production methods, energy use and materials.
The anniversary project is being documented through a three-part film series following the development of both the sculpture and the Marmo concept, while also exploring Honda’s broader approach to design and sustainability.
For Honda, the whole thing appears to be less about building a future production model and more about celebrating the SH125i’s staying power after 25 years on Europe’s roads.
Find the latest motorcycle news on Visordown
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
