NMAX 155 REVIEW

[losworld]

I recently spent a week riding the NMAX 155 approximately 1000 km including a trip between Phuket and Krabi.  Here are my observations.

 

This is in many ways a good bike but an odd one.  It is built to feel more like a cruiser but it's light weight and small tires give it a very odd maneuverability.  It is difficult to describe but when you first get on the motorcycle low speed stability is poor and it feels cumbersome with a poor turning radius.  I don't think it is a very good around town motorbike and is not an agile motorbike.  However, it does shine on the highway.  The smaller wider tires coupled with the assurance of abs and a top notch suspension give the motorbike the solid and safe feel of a heavier cruiser.  Contrary to other reviews I have read I found the motorbike very comfortable and the riding position excellent with very little fatigue after a 300 km ride.  

 

Power wise the motorbike has strong acceleration and can cruise comfortable at 100 km with uphill climbs included.  Top speed is approximately 120 km although I did not exceed 110 km due to the motorbike's poor response to crosswinds I think largely due to the light weight, small wheels and wide fairing to accommodate reclined feet.  I should let readers know the wind was 15-20 km per hour.  This in my opinion is a major weakness of the design.

 

The motorbike is a bit rough at idle for a fuel injected bike and has a bit of a grunt when accelerating.  It is not as smooth as the Honda bikes and not as fuel efficient.  However, as mentioned acceleration is very good and it pulls strongly.  

 

Construction wise I think the suspension is excellent and could not be better.  It is stiff enough to absorb bumps but not rattle the rider.  However, the bike seems cheap in a few spots including a rather flimsy side stand that will easily fold if the motorbike is moved forward in the slightest and a fuel cap that is a pain n the ass to open and close with the key after having a single switch such as the Hondas.  Storage under the seat is large however the seat construction is flimsy and can easily bend or break when improperly opened or closed.  The lack of a usb is rather silly given the low cost and popularity of the accessory.  I should mention the headlights are excellent.

 

So what is my verdict?  Incorporating dual discs and ABS at this price range is a plus as well as a 155 cc engine.  However with a good driver I don't feel the ABS and the rear disc did not add much if any stopping distance but the assurance of ABS in wet or sandy surfaces is a very good thing.  The motor is strong and the bike performs very well at highway cruising speeds.  The motorbike feels well planted and feels like a larger motorbike minus the wind susceptibility. 

 

Ideally this is a great bike to have for highway trips without having to go for 200 or 300 cc displacement.  I think it would be perfect to have this for trips and another mbike for short runs in town.  If you are not planning highway trips this bike is not the best choice.

Edited August 12, 2018 by losworld

[OneMoreFarang]

 

1 hour ago, losworld said:

The smaller wider tires coupled with the assurance of abs and a top notch suspension give the motorbike the solid and safe feel of a heavier cruiser.

555 I like to know your definition of a "heavier cruiser".

 

Short summary: A bathtub with a little engine.

 

[losworld]

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

555 I like to know your definition of a "heavier cruiser".

 

Short summary: A bathtub with a little engine.

 

I think i mentioned 200 or 300 we are in Thailand.  Back hme Ihave a 1500. Your post makes little sense. 

[scubascuba3]

Shame no photo or price

 

 

[uwe_rayong]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Shame no photo or price

 

 

81500,- THB with ABS.

 

 

 

 

[canthai55]

From the OP ...

"The smaller wider tires coupled with the assurance of abs and a top notch suspension give the motorbike the solid and safe feel of a heavier cruise

I did not exceed 110 km due to the motorbike's poor response to crosswinds I think largely due to the light weight, small wheels and wide fairing to accommodate reclined feet"

Hard time making up your mind ?

 

[Agusts]

I'm surprised it felt good on highway cruising, after all it has the smallest tires of scooters in this range of ~150/155cc , but I get your point about engine power and acceleration, it's the best on the paper, BHP to weight ratio, comparing to PCX etc. 

Cross winds and also big trucks and busses going by is always a problem with small scooters,  that's why I think a Forza or Xmax will be far better on highway - of course at double the price...!  

And thanks for the review, always good to hear other people's opinion.

 

[losworld]

6 hours ago, Agusts said:

I'm surprised it felt good on highway cruising, after all it has the smallest tires of scooters in this range of ~150/155cc , but I get your point about engine power and acceleration, it's the best on the paper, BHP to weight ratio, comparing to PCX etc. 

Cross winds and also big trucks and busses going by is always a problem with small scooters,  that's why I think a Forza or Xmax will be far better on highway - of course at double the price...!  

And thanks for the review, always good to hear other people's opinion.

 

you are welcome

[losworld]

7 hours ago, canthai55 said:

From the OP ...

"The smaller wider tires coupled with the assurance of abs and a top notch suspension give the motorbike the solid and safe feel of a heavier cruise

I did not exceed 110 km due to the motorbike's poor response to crosswinds I think largely due to the light weight, small wheels and wide fairing to accommodate reclined feet"

Hard time making up your mind ?

 

Not at all simply read between the lines the motorbike is stable and well glued to the road but very susceptible to crosswinds. 

[Ahnsahn]

This was a very good review of the Nmax 155, very insightful.

The observations of the scooter's characteristics that are focused on in this review should make it required reading, especially for potential Nmax 155 buyers.

[scubascuba3]

Yes a useful review, i have a honda click and don't notice any of the flaws mentioned for the Nmax, maybe I'm in love

[uwe_rayong]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Yes a useful review, i have a honda click and don't notice any of the flaws mentioned for the Nmax, maybe I'm in love

I think you should test drive the bike yourself. The OP mentioned, that he drives a 1500ccm bike in his home country.

 

 

On 8/12/2018 at 6:25 PM, losworld said:

I think i mentioned 200 or 300 we are in Thailand.  Back hme Ihave a 1500.

 

If you are used to drive a 1500ccm bike the Nmax feels of course tiny and not very stable. 
If you are used to a Honda Click a Nmax probably feels more stable and comfortable. 

 

Same with a car, if you drive a S-Class for a couple of month and switch to a new Civic you have the feeling the car is small, loud and uncomfortable. 
If you switch from a 8 year old Renault Clio to the Civic, the Honda feels rock solid, silent and fast.

 

In my opinion comfort wise the Nmax is in a different class compared to a Honda Click. 

 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

 
If you are used to drive a 1500ccm bike the Nmax feels of course tiny and not very stable. 
If you are used to a Honda Click a Nmax probably feels more stable and comfortable. 
 
Same with a car, if you drive a S-Class for a couple of month and switch to a new Civic you have the feeling the car is small, loud and uncomfortable. 
If you switch from a 8 year old Renault Clio to the Civic, the Honda feels rock solid, silent and fast.
 
In my opinion comfort wise the Nmax is in a different class compared to a Honda Click. 
 
 
 

I find my Honda click stable and comfortable and fast in comparison to my previous BMW F800GS and Honda 600CBR. Pointless having big bikes really, its mostly ego

[uwe_rayong]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I find my Honda click stable and comfortable and fast in comparison to my previous BMW F800GS and Honda 600CBR. Pointless having big bikes really, its mostly ego

Everyone is entitled to his opinion, but I would say those bikes have zero in common apart from having to wheels and therefore it is pointless to compare those bikes.

 

Is a GS a useful bike to drive 3km to the next Tesco without a separate Big Bike parking space? No, it is a PITA!

Would you want to drive Bangkok - Hua Hin on a Click? I would decline that offer.

 

Different bikes for different purposes.

Do you know many people in Thailand with a so called "Big Bike" that does not have at least one small Scooter at home to potter to the next 7eleven?
I don't know anyone that has only a "Big Bike" and no car or at least a Scooter, but I know a few guys that have only a Wave or Click...

 

Funny that mostly those people say how unnecessary it is to have a bigger bike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Aforek]

4 hours ago, uwe_rayong said:

In my opinion comfort wise the Nmax is in a different class compared to a Honda Click. 

 

During 6 years I had an Honda wave 110, I thought ( and still think ) it was a good small scooter, now I have a Yamaha nmax 155 and I prefer it 1000 times better  than the Honda wave 

[losworld]

Let me further clarify things.  I am not contrasting this bike with my 1500 as they are very different animals.  I am contrasting it with other scooters including one I am currently riding which is a modified Honda Airblade.  That's right I own an older modified Honda Airblade here because I have not yet been able to find a scooter that performs better. 

 

My Airblade has the following modifications: 1) ligher pulley weights allowing similar performance to the 125 cc PCX.  2) LED lights front and back for increased illumination and safety 3) PCX mirrors for increased safety.  4) usb charger port 5) seat modified for comfort 6) MIchelin 90 up front and 100 back same as the pcx stock for better performance and road handling at higher speeds.  7) disconnected combi breaking system for safety and performance. This combination creates the most agile yet comfortable motorbike for around town and great even on the highway if you stick to 80-100 km ph.  The bike Honda should be making is a 150 cc airblade.  In fact the chassis of tghe pcx is really the airblade with different rake and fairing and engine.  More money in making pcx's.  If I can find a better all rounder I will buy it tomorrow but as of yet no.  Maybe it will be the aerox which I will test soon as I feel it is a modified airblade in many ways.  Also the new forza 300 sure looks airbladish and looks to be an excellent bike.

 

So based on my current wheels here is how I would rate it vs the NMAX.

 

Comfort - airblade 7.8, Nmax - 9

acceleration - airblade 7, Nmax 9

agility - airblade 9  , Nmax 6.8

road handling at speed - airblade 7.5, nmax 8.8

cross wind resistance - airblade 6.5, nmax 5.2

lighting illumination - airblade 6.5, nmax 7.8

braking distance - airblade 7, nmax 7

braking without locking up - airblade 6, nmax 9

fuel efficiency - airblade 6, nmax 7.8

smoothness of engine - airblade 8, nmax 7

suspension - airblade 7, nmax 9.5

 

To further put things into perspective the current click 125 would trail the airblade in all categories except fuel efficiency, range and acceleration.  The underbone design of the airblade with dual shocks is simply superior to an open bodied bike in terms of structural stability and suspension. 

 

As per comments about big bikes vs small I have come to the conslusion that these smaller scooters are near perfect machines in view of reliability and ease of operation.  I realize how much overkill my 1500 is to both the environenment in terms of fuel consumption and is an unnecessary ego trip.  The future is the smaller scooters and manufacturers are quickly realizing it. 

 

 

 

[losworld]

2 hours ago, losworld said:

Let me further clarify things.  I am not contrasting this bike with my 1500 as they are very different animals.  I am contrasting it with other scooters including one I am currently riding which is a modified Honda Airblade.  That's right I own an older modified Honda Airblade here because I have not yet been able to find a scooter that performs better. 

 

My Airblade has the following modifications: 1) ligher pulley weights allowing similar performance to the 125 cc PCX.  2) LED lights front and back for increased illumination and safety 3) PCX mirrors for increased safety.  4) usb charger port 5) seat modified for comfort 6) MIchelin 90 up front and 100 back same as the pcx stock for better performance and road handling at higher speeds.  7) disconnected combi breaking system for safety and performance. This combination creates the most agile yet comfortable motorbike for around town and great even on the highway if you stick to 80-100 km ph.  The bike Honda should be making is a 150 cc airblade.  In fact the chassis of tghe pcx is really the airblade with different rake and fairing and engine.  More money in making pcx's.  If I can find a better all rounder I will buy it tomorrow but as of yet no.  Maybe it will be the aerox which I will test soon as I feel it is a modified airblade in many ways.  Also the new forza 300 sure looks airbladish and looks to be an excellent bike.

 

So based on my current wheels here is how I would rate it vs the NMAX.

 

Comfort - airblade 7.8, Nmax - 9

acceleration - airblade 7, Nmax 9

agility - airblade 9  , Nmax 6.8

road handling at speed - airblade 7.5, nmax 8.8

cross wind resistance - airblade 6.5, nmax 5.2

lighting illumination - airblade 6.5, nmax 7.8

braking distance - airblade 7, nmax 7

braking without locking up - airblade 6, nmax 9

fuel efficiency - airblade 6, nmax 7.8

smoothness of engine - airblade 8, nmax 7

suspension - airblade 7, nmax 9.5

 

To further put things into perspective the current click 125 would trail the airblade in all categories except fuel efficiency, range and acceleration.  The underbone design of the airblade with dual shocks is simply superior to an open bodied bike in terms of structural stability and suspension. 

 

As per comments about big bikes vs small I have come to the conslusion that these smaller scooters are near perfect machines in view of reliability and ease of operation.  I realize how much overkill my 1500 is to both the environenment in terms of fuel consumption and is an unnecessary ego trip.  The future is the smaller scooters and manufacturers are quickly realizing it. 

 

 

 

oh yeah almost forgot build quality airblade - 9, nmax 7.5  The airblades sold in thailand were pretty well bulletproof and built much stronger than today's click, yamahas etc. in fact I have some concern with build quality on the aerox and premature aging.  

[losworld]

On 8/14/2018 at 2:18 PM, Aforek said:

During 6 years I had an Honda wave 110, I thought ( and still think ) it was a good small scooter, now I have a Yamaha nmax 155 and I prefer it 1000 times better  than the Honda wave 

No question the nmax is superior to the wave in many ways.  The wave is a thai standard with its reliability and cheap running costs. However, the new click is a better in town bike than the nmax just as the nmax is a better highway bike than the click.  I really wish honda had not introduced the pcx then we would likely have a 150 cc airblade or the new forza 300 in a 150 cc body.  The pcx is just too profitable for honda. 

Edited August 16, 2018 by losworld

[alx123]

Great review, thanks. 

 

It's funny how some people summary of a very long review is just reduced to trolling. 

 

I have the PCX, comfort and power is enough on Thai highways, at least for me.

 

The only feature I want is the ABS.

 

Buying an Nmax for the abs crossed my mind, but the small size kinda bothers me too. I ride mostly highways and sometime even the PCX (which is heavier than nmax) doesn't feel that much stable at some speed. Anything below 100kph is perfect though, even with winds. I know I shouldn't be running that above that speed but..

 

Anyways, maybe waiting for the perfect scooter is not a good idea, there will always be better and more improved version every year or two. Just buy one that suits your needs and use it until it's time to change again. 

[Namplik]

On 8/12/2018 at 7:23 AM, losworld said:

This is in many ways a good bike but an odd one.  It is built to feel more like a cruiser but it's light weight and small tires give it a very odd maneuverability.  It is difficult to describe but when you first get on the motorcycle low speed stability is poor and it feels cumbersome with a poor turning radius.  I don't think it is a very good around town motorbike and is not an agile motorbike.

Haha, all small scooters are good around town bikes, strange feeling you got there...

[losworld]

On 8/16/2018 at 9:56 AM, alx123 said:

Great review, thanks. 

 

It's funny how some people summary of a very long review is just reduced to trolling. 

 

I have the PCX, comfort and power is enough on Thai highways, at least for me.

 

The only feature I want is the ABS.

 

Buying an Nmax for the abs crossed my mind, but the small size kinda bothers me too. I ride mostly highways and sometime even the PCX (which is heavier than nmax) doesn't feel that much stable at some speed. Anything below 100kph is perfect though, even with winds. I know I shouldn't be running that above that speed but..

 

Anyways, maybe waiting for the perfect scooter is not a good idea, there will always be better and more improved version every year or two. Just buy one that suits your needs and use it until it's time to change again. 

yeah i hear ya... however if I were you with the pcx i would put a michelin 110 on the back and a 100 on the front and have them disconnect the combi brakes this is the best braking config minus abs and in actuality if you are a good driver you will likely be able to stop in a shorter distance without lockup 

Edited August 19, 2018 by losworld

[alx123]

On 8/19/2018 at 8:25 PM, losworld said:

yeah i hear ya... however if I were you with the pcx i would put a michelin 110 on the back and a 100 on the front and have them disconnect the combi brakes this is the best braking config minus abs and in actuality if you are a good driver you will likely be able to stop in a shorter distance without lockup 

Hi, I just changed my tires a month ago. Increasing tire size actually crossed my mind but in the end I decided to replace it with  stock sizes. I'm thinking that a bigger size might slow down my scooter more. I'm planning to try the performance variators soon, maybe it'll compensate for a much bigger tire size. 

 

I don't find anything wrong with the combi brake system, so I'm not gonna modify it and possibly compromise any warranty or insurance claim (not sure if true).

[losworld]

4 hours ago, alx123 said:

Hi, I just changed my tires a month ago. Increasing tire size actually crossed my mind but in the end I decided to replace it with  stock sizes. I'm thinking that a bigger size might slow down my scooter more. I'm planning to try the performance variators soon, maybe it'll compensate for a much bigger tire size. 

 

I don't find anything wrong with the combi brake system, so I'm not gonna modify it and possibly compromise any warranty or insurance claim (not sure if true).

no a larger tire shouldn't slow things down much but will provide a better more stable ride as well as more grip for braking... the combi brake system is faulty in design not mechanics... it provides grip to front and  rear tires but there are many times you will only want to apply braking to only one wheel.  honda uses this to make people think they are getting something like abs... honda doesn't respect the intelligence of its riders in its combi brake comparison they show stopping distances between the combi brake vs the rear brake... what a joke the rear brake is drum on most scooters and 70 percent of stopping power comes from the front disc... shame on honda.  https://www.honda2wheelersindia.com/combined-braking-system

Why do you want to change the variator?  the pcx should do about 120km hour anything beyond that you are outrunning your brakes.  in fact you are probably out running them at 100 kmh. 

Edited August 21, 2018 by losworld

[alx123]

1 hour ago, losworld said:

no a larger tire shouldn't slow things down much but will provide a better more stable ride as well as more grip for braking... the combi brake system is faulty in design not mechanics... it provides grip to front and  rear tires but there are many times you will only want to apply braking to only one wheel.  honda uses this to make people think they are getting something like abs... honda doesn't respect the intelligence of its riders in its combi brake comparison they show stopping distances between the combi brake vs the rear brake... what a joke the rear brake is drum on most scooters and 70 percent of stopping power comes from the front disc... shame on honda.  https://www.honda2wheelersindia.com/combined-braking-system

Why do you want to change the variator?  the pcx should do about 120km hour anything beyond that you are outrunning your brakes.  in fact you are probably out running them at 100 kmh. 

 i just want to try variator modifications to improve low to mid power, i don't even care about the top end as i usually don't go beyond 100kph anyway.   Stock PCX is slow at low end to mid range,  Add heavier tires and a pillion to it and it gets slower. 

 

The combi brake system i guess is just another marketing strategy from Honda. 

 

 

[losworld]

On 8/21/2018 at 4:57 PM, alx123 said:

 i just want to try variator modifications to improve low to mid power, i don't even care about the top end as i usually don't go beyond 100kph anyway.   Stock PCX is slow at low end to mid range,  Add heavier tires and a pillion to it and it gets slower. 

 

The combi brake system i guess is just another marketing strategy from Honda. 

 

 

forget the variator a lot of the aftermarket ones are junk and it will only really help top end... what you need is simply lighter pulley weights probably 2 or 3 grams ligter than inside... cheap and the most effective way to improve accleration... any good shop can add these

[losworld]

Just now, losworld said:

forget the variator a lot of the aftermarket ones are junk and it will only really help top end... what you need is simply lighter pulley weights or commonly refereed to as rollers probably 2 or 3 grams ligter than inside... cheap and the most effective way to improve accleration... any good shop can add these

 

[alx123]

Yeah, I can actually easily change them myself. Probably gonna try diff variators and weights. Not looking for cheap, I want to play around with my toys.

 

Anyway, let's not go off topic here. 

 

This is a good review of Nmax, will come really useful for those who are planning to buy.  

[losworld]

On 8/23/2018 at 9:53 AM, alx123 said:

Yeah, I can actually easily change them myself. Probably gonna try diff variators and weights. Not looking for cheap, I want to play around with my toys.

 

Anyway, let's not go off topic here. 

 

This is a good review of Nmax, will come really useful for those who are planning to buy.  

let me know what you find with the variator.... i have a racing variator but not yet put it on... i have read that many are not well machined and will soon break...

[Zaid]

Hi, can anybody compare Nmax with Forza 2013? I have Nmax for riding in Bangkok, little modified- rear box, usb charger, wind shield. I like acceleration also. But I want to begin to travel some distance. 100-150 km. And now I can trade my Nmax on Forza 2013 good condition (+10,000 baht) and use it in Bangkok/highway 80/20%. What can you advise to me ? Thanks

[Agusts]

I don't have personal experience with Nmax, but I'm happy with my Forza 2016, it's much more stable and smoother ride on the road as oppose to 125cc bikes that I had, it accelerates beautifully and leave behind most traffic, easy 120kph speed, can do 140 on a good day,  lots of underseat space, and breaks are very powerful, just need two fingers. It has ABS on both wheels, but I'm not sure about it's combi-break though. And tank is so big,  you fill up and forget. Very comfy seat, dash and mirror are so nicely located...

 

Okay, it's a bit bigger and heavier, but I don't have any problem going through traffic, need a bit more room for parking, all in all highly recommended, I never go back to small bikes...