what scooter to buy?

[sikishrory]

I'm a Yamaha guy.

I had a mt07 before Thailand and loved it.

I'd like to get one again but spend a lot of time in traffic jams and like the storage of a scooter. Also better for the girlfriend.

So I want the (buy outright) nmax connect. Been reading lots of reviews of yamaha places around Phuket and they're not great.

Bolts falling off etc. Mechancs causing damage and getting you to pay.

Prices higher than the yamaha Thailand website. Maybe higher if not getting on finance?

The biggest concern is parts. Yamaha doesn't seem that popular in Thailand or something.

Lots of reports of people waiting weeks/months for simple parts? Apparently from Indonesia?

My concern is buying something that is a pain in the butt for parts and that any little shop can't do basic repairs for if I get a flat tire or something. Nmax is tubeless.

So wondering if it's better to just get a honda or something. Pcx is the equivalent honda I think.

Any thoughts?

 

[VocalNeal]

Nmax is more popular in Indonesia than PC. by a factor of about 5 from my observations. Not sure why. 

 I'm sure Yamaha dealers in Phuket are no different from Honda probably all owned by the same company anyway.

Just go with your heart????

[eisfeld]

4 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

 I'm sure Yamaha dealers in Phuket are no different from Honda probably all owned by the same company anyway.

Just go with your heart????

There are a few different Honda dealers but I think only one Yamaha (counting owners, not outlets. Not sure if same owner in Kata). The Yamaha dealer that has shops in Phuket Town and near the Monument circle has a very so-so reputation unfortunately. But Yamaha bikes are pretty good.

 

4 hours ago, sikishrory said:

My concern is buying something that is a pain in the butt for parts and that any little shop can't do basic repairs for if I get a flat tire or something. Nmax is tubeless.

Simple stuff should be possible to do in most little shops. Flat tire easier to fix on tubeless than with tube imho. At least with a temporary plug.

 

I think just rent both bikes for a day and see which one you like more. That'll probably be more important than the dealers. You'll be riding it more often than getting service or repairs done.

[papa al]

Both bikes are super reliable

& easy to maintain.

Farang think too mut.

[2long]

I had many years on Nouvos, and was looking for a decent replacement. I'm not anti Honda but there wasn't a Honda that fitted my needs. So, I was leaning towards the NMax, until I rode one in Bali. WOW! Horrible! With a long wheelbase and small wheels, it was horrible to ride. And then came along the Aerox, and I got it and love it! It's not ideal for passengers (making it even better for me). Great ride, and love it to pieces. Reliability is so far no problem at all (15,000kms in 3.5 years).

[Woof999]

Use the car mostly but I've had 2 Honda Clicks and if the current one dies it would almost certainly be replaced by another. If you're likely carrying a passenger often then I'd go for something bigger. Apart from that I think they are superb, ultra reliable and great value for money.

[EricTh]

Honda is more popular in Thailand and will get you a higher value if you decide to sell it later.

 

 

[FrederikKitten]

Scooters are for girls. ???? Men drive real motorcycles.

[Agusts]

There are a lot of NMax about, even all police bikes in Phuket are NMax, no problem with parts and service, you just need to try it and see what you like ...

 

Aerox is also a great bike, has bigger wheels, but for carrying passenger and longer legs NMax maybe better...

 

As for Honda, dealers in Phuket have a cartel, you find out more about this later ...! 

[richard_smith237]

Take a look at the Honda ADV 150.

Or even the ADV 350 if you wanted something a little bigger.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, FrederikKitten said:

Scooters are for girls. ???? Men drive real motorcycles.

 

Kittens are for... ????

[eisfeld]

54 minutes ago, Agusts said:

There are a lot of NMax about, even all police bikes in Phuket are NMax

Police in Phuket have mainly CBR and PCX. Maybe some new ones are NMax?

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by eisfeld

[London Lowf]

2 hours ago, FrederikKitten said:

Scooters are for girls. ???? Men drive real motorcycles.

It would seem that I have transgendered!

[London Lowf]

11 minutes ago, eisfeld said:

Police in Phuket have mainly CBR and PCX. Maybe some new ones are NMax?

 

Really? Spent five months on Phuket after Sandbox and never saw a cop on anything other than a white nMax - and that includes 20+ of them doing the 10pm closing-time sweep along Bangla.

 

[London Lowf]

A few years ago the PCX vastly outnumbered the nMax on Phuket but last visit I was surprised at how the situation had levelled up.

 

I've ridden both extensively including day-trips up to Khao Lak - in truth there's not a lot to choose between them. I feel that the Yamaha is safer as it has better handling and brakes (although i believe that the newer Hondas finally have a decent rear disc setup) but the PCX is smoother and more refined and so better on longer journeys.

 

Both will be super-reliable and routine servicing or even a belt/clutch change should be within the abilities of any decent indie shop or reasonable diy-er.

 

[scubascuba3]

Honda Click is faultless, maybe bigger required if over 6 ft or a bloater

[VocalNeal]

7 hours ago, eisfeld said:

Police in Phuket have mainly CBR and PCX. Maybe some new ones are NMax?

 

Lots of police in BKK ride Nmax and 37 in Pattaya apparently.

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by VocalNeal

[eisfeld]

I guess they have a deal with Yamaha then. Didn't notice that. All those years it was always Honda. I wonder if they'll be out and about on MT-03 as a CBR replacement then? ????

[London Lowf]

14 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Honda Click is faultless, maybe bigger required if over 6 ft or a bloater

I'm Thai-size 5'7" and find the Click very cramped compared to the PCX/nMax - although the flat floor is handier for cargo.

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by London Lowf

[scubascuba3]

37 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

I'm Thai-size 5'7" and find the Click very cramped compared to the PCX/nMax - although the flat floor is handier for cargo.

 

PCX more room for sure but i don't like the floaty armchair feeling

[ThailandRyan]

If you want a bigger bike then the Yamaha X-Max 300 is perfect for a tall person with long legs.  However if price is an issue then a N-Max would work, just not as tall of a motorbike.

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

If you want a bigger bike then the Yamaha X-Max 300 is perfect for a tall person with long legs.  However if price is an issue then a N-Max would work, just not as tall of a motorbike.

I’d agee... 150cc scoots never seem to have enough grunt.

The X-Max 300 would be idea...  Even better would be the Honda ADV 350 IMO.

 

Or... if you wanted a bit of ‘cool’.... the *Vespa GTS 300 (or the Sei Giorni model)

 

*This last comment may not go down well with the sandals & socks brigade ! 

[London Lowf]

The 150's are fine for hopping around somewhere like Phuket but not so good for anything more than about 50km. At least in Thailand there is generally a dedicated inside lane so that you can keep out of the way of the faster traffic on the highways. Yes, the PCX does wallow around a little but is very comfortable - the nMax is "sportier" but not as relaxing on a longer journey.

 

At home I have a Kymco 300 for the occasional days when the temperature goes above 20C and that will happily cruise at 120kph all day but I think that the bigger scooters are bad value in Thailand.

 

[London Lowf]

On 9/18/2022 at 5:04 PM, FrederikKitten said:

Scooters are for girls. ???? Men drive real motorcycles.

I had an MV Agusta F4 Senna before my sex change - needed balls to ride that animal!

 

(Search "MV Agusta Senna Bonhams" to have a drool)

 

 

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

The 150's are fine for hopping around somewhere like Phuket but not so good for anything more than about 50km.

I found a 150cc Honda ADV ok in Phuket (rented while sandboxing there for 2 weeks), but I often found I needed a little more grunt on the hills and getting up to traffic speed on some of the faster roads....   thats just personal riding taste though...  a 200cc + is ideal.

 

8 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

At least in Thailand there is generally a dedicated inside lane so that you can keep out of the way of the faster traffic on the highways.

IMO - thats the most dangerous place to be...  

Each to their own of course, but that inside shoulder is often gritty, has other vehicles / bikes going the wrong way, has things parked in it, has dogs running along it, has things pulling out without looking... and if I’m going slower than the traffic passing me I’m placed in a very precarious position. 

IMO - its better to drive with the traffic than get squeezed to the site... 

 

Hence why I’d want something that can comfortably sit in the main lanes, but is also light enough to just be a normal scooter. 

 

8 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

Yes, the PCX does wallow around a little but is very comfortable - the nMax is "sportier" but not as relaxing on a longer journey.

 

At home I have a Kymco 300 for the occasional days when the temperature goes above 20C and that will happily cruise at 120kph all day but I think that the bigger scooters are bad value in Thailand.

That Kymco 300 looks ideal... along with the Xmax 300 and ADV 350...  but as you mentioned, it is a fairly big jump in price from +/- 90,000 baht up to 190,000 baht....

 

.... and the Vespa is 230,000 baht but you’re paying more for the brand (as I mentioned earlier candles and sock guys won’t get that part).  

[scubascuba3]

15 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I found a 150cc Honda ADV ok in Phuket (rented while sandboxing there for 2 weeks), but I often found I needed a little more grunt on the hills and getting up to traffic speed on some of the faster roads....   thats just personal riding taste though...  a 200cc + is ideal.

 

IMO - thats the most dangerous place to be...  

Each to their own of course, but that inside shoulder is often gritty, has other vehicles / bikes going the wrong way, has things parked in it, has dogs running along it, has things pulling out without looking... and if I’m going slower than the traffic passing me I’m placed in a very precarious position. 

IMO - its better to drive with the traffic than get squeezed to the site... 

 

Hence why I’d want something that can comfortably sit in the main lanes, but is also light enough to just be a normal scooter. 

 

That Kymco 300 looks ideal... along with the Xmax 300 and ADV 350...  but as you mentioned, it is a fairly big jump in price from +/- 90,000 baht up to 190,000 baht....

 

.... and the Vespa is 230,000 baht but you’re paying more for the brand (as I mentioned earlier candles and sock guys won’t get that part).  

You're right about the inside lane, that is a place to avoid on the motorbike. On the subject of you needing more grunt, are you heavy?

[Aforek]

I  have a Nmax 155 for three years, very, very good and reliable

two dealers in my region,  I just had to change oil  and tyres

I bought tyres on Lazada, and a small bike shop change them ( 100 bahts each ) 

[Tofer]

On 9/20/2022 at 1:39 AM, richard_smith237 said:

IMO - thats the most dangerous place to be...  

100% agree.

 

Also drivers turning left in front of you, thinking you are only crawling along at a snails pace, or not even bothering to look in the nearside mirror.

 

I've just completed a 2 month tour of Thailand over 6,500kms, and never used the bike lane, unless someone was tearing up the road behind me and I wanted to get out of their way on a narrow 2-lane A/B road.

 

Get the bigger bike, e.g. Honda ADV 350, with more presence on the road, more power and huge storage capacity.