Bigger Yamaha Nouvo

[jackcorbett]

Looks like I'll just have to do a report on the new Nouvo. My Pal Ross has been thinking about buying a bike for nearly three weeks now. We have both been anxiously waiting for reports here on how the new Nouvo drives. Nothing.

So tomorrow Ross will be picking up his new 135 cc. Nouvo. He's been renting the old model such as I have and he's already rented an Air Blade in the past for about a month. So expect some comparisons here soon.

[jackcorbett]

First review of the new Nouvo. Within a couple of hours of Ross's picking up his new Nouvo the two of us ran them side to side along the back streets up here in Naklua. First off, Ross's machine is similar to mine in color being black and silver. What appears incongrous with the new model are the twin rear springs which are red and in my opinion do not look good. I'd have the dealership swap in either a pair of black colored springs or chromium to make the appearance of the rear shocks not clash so vividly against the other colors of the bike. Ross did not see this as a problem so he never bothered to ask the dealer to swap in a different colored pair of springs.

Keeping in mind that Ross's new 135 cc. machine is not broken in one iota we nevertheless raced them side by side several times up to 45 or 50 kilometers per hour. There wasn't a lot of difference but I'd say that by the time we hit 45 to 50 Ross came on stronger at the end and got a bike length or two ahead of me.

When I got on the new 135 cc. bike, I felt that it didn't work as hard to get good acceleration up to 40 kilometers per hour. It seemed torque played a key role here and that the engine did not rev as much to get the same acceleration from the new machine. The bike was also substantially quieter especially during acceleration than my 115 cc. Nouvo. The sound of the machine and the bike's overall smoothness driving off from a dead stop reminded me of the Honda Airblade. Acceleration of the new Nouvo because of the overall smoothness and quietness of the bike seemed effortless as if the bike is not straining at all Someone earlier posted that this engine quietness was due to the fact that the Airblade is liquid cooled whereas the 115 c.c. Nouvo is air cooled. I'd agree that the difference in the cooling systems is the reason why both the Airblade and the new 135 c.c. Nouvo are both much quieter than the old model Nouvo. However, Ross liked the sound of my 115 c.c. machine as it sounded more businesslike and faster.

I am curious what the fuel economy is going to be of the new Nouvo versus the 115 c.c. model. Both bikes have the same sized fuel tanks. It is possible that the new 135 c.c. model might get a little better gas mileage due to the engine not seeming to rev so hard but we'll know later on this one.

I might have mentioned in a much earlier post that my brakes would squeek when I'd first start driving my bike but that they would improve vastly after the first couple of minute's driving. For awhile I thought the culprit was the brake cable and putting WD-40 on the cable and inside the brake lever seemed to help but after awhile the oiling of this area no longer worked. Later I cleaned the brake rotor up extensively and this did the trick. Although I'd give a slight nod to the Honda Airbalde's brakes over the Nouvo's, both Ross and I agreed that there was not that great a difference between the two machines to warrent choosing one over the other. Driving Ross's new 135 cc. bike, I'd venture to say that the brakes are a bit smoother than mine. For that matter upon raising or lowering the kickstand of the new Nouvo I found the new machine to be a bit smoother and more precise. So overall, the new model is simply more refined.

But back to the bike's cosmetics. Viewing my machine side by side with Ross's I'd have to give the nod to Ross's machine. The inside of the front cowling is black on mine. Because of the way the new model's silver and black colors are painted when you sit on the new machine you see a silver rim outlining the overall black area of the inside of the machine's cowling. This provides a richer appearance. There's a few differences in the cosmetics of the two machines, but overall the new silver and black machine looks just a little more elegant (Is that why it's called the Nouvo Elegance) than the 115 cc. model. Also the odometer is digital in the new model and there's also a water temperature guage, which is a necessity in my opinion for all machines having liquid cooled engines.

The handling of the 115 cc and new 135 cc. models is identical. All in all I feel the new model represents a worthwhile upgrade in terms of overall smoothness, quietness of the engine, possible slight improvement in braking, improved cosmetics (except for those bright red rear springs), and the engine not having to work as hard. If I didn't already have a bike that does just about everything well for day to day driving conditions in my area I'd definitely buy the new Nouvo and I'd definitely prefer it to the Air Blade. But more later as Ross's new 135 cc. Nouvo gets broken in after which we will run the two machines side by side on faster roads.

Edited March 7, 2008 by jackcorbett

[ozzydom]

Just came back from perusing the new Nouvo, our local dealer also had on the floor the new 135 Spark and the new Yammy RR1 135 cc Which at 10k less than the Nouvo is a much better buy IMHO.

Yammy RR1 135 ??

Thats new on me.. Was it a typo ?? Just did a google and didnt come up with anything either..

No typo, its in the showroom and I am looking at the brochure now,,,,the Spark 135 is designated the RX ,,,the RR 135 has sportier paint work ,black slim-line mags and is standard with manual clutch , not a bad looker...

[HDRIDER]

jackcorbett

Thanks a lot for the info, i have the old one as well but want the new one, but i will wait to you 2 guys have tried up hill to see if its much faster, can you please call your friend and get him to ride all night so it will be ready tomorrow to do a full speed test

think i will buy it anyway....... but lets see.

[tropo]

I'd have the dealership swap in either a pair of black colored springs or chromium to make the appearance of the rear shocks not clash so vividly against the other colors of the bike. Ross did not see this as a problem so he never bothered to ask the dealer to swap in a different colored pair of springs.

I don't think dealers will swap the rear shocks - you'd have to buy a chrome or black set. They would have no use for a pair of red Nouvo shocks.

Personally I think the 115cc MX Nouvo looks a lot better than the new model, especially sporting alloy wheels. Check out the new red/black 115 MX Nouvo with black wheels.

Just a word of warning to any Nouvo/Air Blade riders who like to put their feet up on the front fairing step - you can't on the new model. I like to do this and find it a comfortable postion to give the backside a break after riding a while (which is possible on the 115 Nouvo and even easier on the Air Blade).

[jackcorbett]

Now that Ross's new 135 cc. Nouvo is gettting broken in I wanted to do another test spin on it. Once again, we raced although we did not take the two bikes (mine is 115 cc air cooled 2 year old Nouvo) onto roads where we could really get them up to speed. Ross rode mine and I drove his. Ross said we hit a terminal speed of over 70 kilometers per hour. This time the new Nouvo was noticeably quicker. I was well out in front. Then we went the opposite direction, this time slightly uphill. I got up to over 70 km/her but Ross backed out well before then. Still, in pretty short order I got a couple of bike lengths ahead of him. Also subjectively I felt there was a very noticeable increase in power and the engine did not seem to be working as hard. All in all the new Nouvo is incredibly smooth and feels much quicker than the Air Blade. And it is VERY QUIET, as quiet as an Air Blade. Brakes seem to be smoother as well. I then decided that at close to 10,000 kilometers on the clock it was time for a new spark plug for me so I took the bike up to the Honda shop up the street from me and had an oil change done to it plus a spark plug change. Definitely idles much smoother now although while running the bike it is not in the same class as the new Nouvo for quietness. I'd say 11 horsepower is pretty much on target for the new model compared to the old model's 8.9 horsepower. This new Nouvo is very impressive.

But at the Honda shop both Ross and I tooked at a new CBR 150, sat on it, etc. Also at Ross's lodgings there's a new CBR which we were both admiring. Then the owner walked down from his lodging to take his CBR out for a spin.

Have to say that I'm right with the guys here who keep raving about their CBR's. It is small, it looks terrific. It has a very narrow front, and I'll bet it's one helluva fun machine to drive. If one had one, it would be easy and cheap to get serviced. I'll just have to see if I can rent one in good conditon down on Beach Road just to test run for the helluva it. Just looking at it, reading the comments here and sitting on one reminds me of one of the first bikes I ever drove. My brother in law had gotten a twin cylinder 650 Yamaha back in 1969 which was quite a bit like a twin cylinder Triumph. But I went to a dealer and drove the 2 stroke Yamaha 350, I think it was an RD model. It was a very small feeling bike yet very quick. I loved that bike, its light weight feeling, quick acceleration and great handling. Within a year or so I bought a 350 Honda however. But I have the impression the CBR 150 feels a lot like that 350 Yamaha even though it's basically an 80 mile per hour machine whereas the old Yamaha 2 stroke was good for 100 miles an hour plus. It seems a neat neat bike, and it's no doubt all one needs here in Thailand.

Then I went back to the condo and saw in our parking lot a Yamaha R-1. It's really cool and I'm sure it would be a blast to drive on little trafficked roads out in the American West, but, in the real world here of congested traffic in Thailand, serviceability problems, high initial cost, I have to think, who needs all that power? The CBR probably offers more fun and for a lot less baht.

Edited March 17, 2008 by jackcorbett

[tropo]

Then I went back to the condo and saw in our parking lot a Yamaha R-1. It's really cool and I'm sure it would be a blast to drive on little trafficked roads out in the American West, but, in the real world here of congested traffic in Thailand, serviceability problems, high initial cost, I have to think, who needs all that power? The CBR probably offers more fun and for a lot less baht.

Try doing your shopping on a CBR. There's not much use for one at all unless you're a teenager seeking a little thrill. Didn't you get over that in your Yamaha RD 350 days?....I had one of those too when I was 18.

[jackcorbett]

I think I have been pretty consistent with my posts that in a place such as Pattaya the best automatics are the way to go as 1. There really isn't much opportunity to go fast here (without being suicidal), 2. These machines are well balanced with their main luggage area being under their seats while providing ample carrying capabilities for shopping bars, etc, 3. The automatic transmissions are reliable while providing such an easy driving experience that a driver's focus is the driving hazards around him instead of shifting. The manual transmission motor bikes such as the Honda Waves and Yamaha Sparks pretty much require a front mounted basket in order to come close to a Nouvo's carrying capabilities and this detracts from the machine's handling. Get a Phantom or a CBR and you are going to need saddle bags and /or an after market luggage carrier which in my opinion detracts from the overall lines of the bike. So at this point, for overall driving around this area the new Nouvo would be my number one choice. Nevertheless, especially for those living in such areas in Thailand that offer move highway driving, a Phantom or CBR will come into its own a lot more than here. Both have their charms. I would imagine eitther one offers superior braking to what the smaller motorbikes offer. Also their tire size is signicantly larger making such bikes more roadworthy at higher speeds. And in the more outerlying areas where opportunities to fuel up come fewer and more far between I would think the small capacity gas tanks on the small motorbikes put them at a disadvantage to machines such as the Phantom and CBR which offer gas tanks containing at least double the amount of fuel.

[HDRIDER]

HI Jackorbett

Thx a lot for that.

[tropo]

And in the more outerlying areas where opportunities to fuel up come fewer and more far between I would think the small capacity gas tanks on the small motorbikes put them at a disadvantage to machines such as the Phantom and CBR which offer gas tanks containing at least double the amount of fuel.

I couldn't think of any reason why an adult male would need a boy-racer style of motorcycle. The natural progression from a small shopping scooter for around town would be a maxi-scooter for the open road.

[jackcorbett]

I believe you are thinking about something like the Yamaha Majesty, which is what it is called in the States. Here you will see used Tri Maxes. Honda has its entry too. But I think the best of the lot is the Majesty which is 400 cc's. (the Tri Max is 500). From what i've read Yamaha discontinued the Tri Max so the Majesty currently represents the Yamaha vision of state of the art. It weighs about 430 pounds to the Nouvo's 230 and will do 95 to 100 mph. From what I've head it is pretty competent on U.S. highways. Has two, not one drive belt, bigger storage area under the seat, and most definitely represents on the U.S. market a logical alternative to "real motorcycles". I think Honda's Silver Wing is 600 cc's. I think it looks simply too large and ungainly compared to the Yamaha Majesty. Also, if you look up various bike reviews you will find the Majesty gets rave reviews while the Silver Wing garners reviews that are just so so. All these bikes are much larger than Nouvo's, Air Blades, etc and they aen't going to be as maneuverable in Pattaya traffic, but out of all these machines the Majesty in my opinion has the best design and seems to be best out of the lot for slicing and dicing through tight traffic. But here in THailand I would think one would wind up paying double for such machines and is likely to end up looking on the used market for one. I personally want to buy only new.

A CBR costs just 60,000 baht while the Phantoms go for 80,000 baht. Parts for both are readily available. That's a huge difference between what one would expect to pay for the large scooters we are talking about here. A German who owns a condo on the top floor of my building just bought his 3rd Phantom. Would he prefer a BMW? Certainly, and so would I. But Germans tend to be very practical and this guy certainly is. He admits that Waves and Nouvos have virtually the same top end as the Phantom. Yet he obviously prefers the Phantom because of its feel and other attributes as compared to those of much smaller bikes. Each to his own.

Edited March 21, 2008 by jackcorbett

[tropo]

I believe you are thinking about something like the Yamaha Majesty, which is what it is called in the States.

I haven't looked into the local market of maxi-scooters, but there are now a large number of them getting around Pattaya now...especially for rentals.

[jackcorbett]

I believe you are thinking about something like the Yamaha Majesty, which is what it is called in the States.

I haven't looked into the local market of maxi-scooters, but there are now a large number of them getting around Pattaya now...especially for rentals.

As far as Yamahas what I have seen here in Thailand are the Trimax models, which are I believe 500 c.c's. I recall reading that the Trimax had been replaced, at least in the U.S. market by the somewhat smaller Majestry which displaces 400 c.c's. From what I have read the Trimax was viewed by Yamaha as being a little too expensive to produce for its market niche and that it was a little too heavy. From what I have seen the Majesty is a more compact machine and its reviews from bike magazines rate it as an excellent machine.

[Asianrider]

Can someone please explain the normal guarantee / warranty that comes with a new Yamaha Nouvo135.....how many km or years is the norm in Thailand .

Many thanks,

[tropo]

Well, it's mid-April already and I see many of the new nouvos on the streets around Pattaya. Surprisingly I haven't seen a single alloy wheel version yet here in Pattaya.

Any reports on how good this new model is, or isn't?

[jackcorbett]

Well, it's mid-April already and I see many of the new nouvos on the streets around Pattaya. Surprisingly I haven't seen a single alloy wheel version yet here in Pattaya.

Any reports on how good this new model is, or isn't?

Ross now has over 900 km on his new Nouvo. Its engine which was very quiet has gotten a bit noisier with getting broken in, developing a bit of a growl in it, although it's still not as loud as my 115 cc. model. He liked the sound of mine. It also seems noticeably more powerful now. Truth is, my 115 c.c. model easily has enough power for driving anywhere in Pattaya. It's Songkran now, and yesterday I absolutely had to drive to South Pattaya to pay my motorcyle insurance premium, which couldn't wait so my girlfirend and I took a route down Naklua's back streets to North Pattaya Road, to Sukumvit Road, then South to Pattaya Thai to AA Insurance, my thinking we would probably not get wet by taking these major streets as opposed to 2nd Road, Beach Rd, etc. Took Sukamvit Road riding double and we stayed dry the whole trip. I'd say we were clipping along at 40 to 45 miles per hour on Sukamit,with the engine loafing and we got from South Pattaya Road to North Pattaya Road in very quickly. One really could not ask for anything more out of a piece of machinery.

I figure the new Nouvo has about 20 % more displacement, 20 % more torque, and 20 % more horsepower. It's liquid cooled whereas mine is air cooled so the engine will probably outlast mine and hold up better when driving at sustained speeds of 55 to 60 miles an hour for example. I've got over 10,000 km on my 115 cc. model now and with the exception of oil changes all I've done to it is to put in a new headlight bulb and spark plug and had to wait just 10 minutes total for both jobs to be done---at a Honda dealer no less (remember the Nouvo is a Yamaha).

I'd rate the old 115 c.c. Nouvo model as a marvelous machine that is the epitomy of perfection for day to day driving in and around Pattaya, and it's very versatile as it has comfortable seating for two that is far superior to say a Honda Wave's with ample storage space for groceries under its large seat along with hooks on several points on the bike for hangling all sorts of things. I'd rate the Honda Air Blade as roughly equivalent although most of my friends and I feel the Nouvo is slightly superior but this is a matter of personal preference. Both the Yamaha Click and the Yamaha Mio and Fino are substantially inferior. Just for starters they have a single rear shock, and it you really think that's enough just try putting a large Western male behind you with your Thai girlfriend riding behind him thus riding three up for a short distance. I don't recommend it, but on occasion I've done it for short distances and here I'm talking about myself at 170 pounds, plus a pal who weighs 250 plus my girlfriend who weighs about 100 pounds.

Now, as for the new Nouvo, I believe it's simply King of the Hill when it comes to what the average guy really needs here in Pattaya. The automatics I've mentioned represent the utmost in reliability, parts availability, etc. The new 135 cc. engine that puts the new Nouvo over the top really isn't new as its been employed in the Spark and thoroughy tested. Once again it's going to be up to Honda to play catch up. What really upsets me is someday, perhaps in about 2 years (if I haven't replaced my Nouvo with something newer) I'm going to have to have something major to it such as replacing the drive belt, and that's going to cost me something like 500 baht.

[tropo]

Once again it's going to be up to Honda to play catch up.

Thanks for the report update!

IMO the new Nouvo hasn't surpassed the Air Blade except in engine capacity.

The features I've come to appreciate on the Air Blade are still not on the new Nouvo and made me decide on a near new Air Blade instead.

1. Kick stand engine cutout.

2. Integrated front and rear brakes which are exceptional.

3. Front raised foot rest area. The new Nouvo doesn't have this. I use it often, so it put me off purchasing the Nouvo.

4. Hand brake.

5. Fuel tank accessed without lifting the seat with a functional realease button on the key console.

6. Meatier tyres. Never had a puncture on an Air Blade - had many on the Nouvo.

Some benefits on the Nouvo:

1. Front hook for shopping.

2. Cup holders on the front console.

3. A little more space under the seat.

IMO the design of the new Yamaha Nouvo Elegance doesn't hold a candle to the new Air Blade design and IMO worse than the Nouvo MX 115cc model.

Where are those alloy wheels? Haven't seen any in Pattaya!

Overall they're all great bikes (Nouvos and Air Blades).

[jackcorbett]

Once again it's going to be up to Honda to play catch up.

Thanks for the report update!

IMO the new Nouvo hasn't surpassed the Air Blade except in engine capacity.

The features I've come to appreciate on the Air Blade are still not on the new Nouvo and made me decide on a near new Air Blade instead.

1. Kick stand engine cutout.

2. Integrated front and rear brakes which are exceptional.

3. Front raised foot rest area. The new Nouvo doesn't have this. I use it often, so it put me off purchasing the Nouvo.

4. Hand brake.

5. Fuel tank accessed without lifting the seat with a functional realease button on the key console.

6. Meatier tyres. Never had a puncture on an Air Blade - had many on the Nouvo.

Some benefits on the Nouvo:

1. Front hook for shopping.

2. Cup holders on the front console.

3. A little more space under the seat.

IMO the design of the new Yamaha Nouvo Elegance doesn't hold a candle to the new Air Blade design and IMO worse than the Nouvo MX 115cc model.

Where are those alloy wheels? Haven't seen any in Pattaya!

Overall they're all great bikes (Nouvos and Air Blades).

Agreed. Both are excellent bikes and either one has ample power and speed for driving in and around Pattaya. I'd be quite happy with an Air Blade. As for my 2 year old 115 c.c. Nouvo, it drives like it's brand new and as I've mentioned before it is so perfectly balanced that I can easily drive it no hands, which admittedly is not a good idea. The new model is not quite as well balanced, not that this is critical. I also prefer the paint scheme of my black and silver Nouvo over the new model offerings.

As for the kick stand cutout---nice feature to be sure but I cannot begin to tell you how many times I've accidentally driven off with the kickstand down on my Nouvo let alone many other bikes I've owned back in the U.S. with no ill effects. Brakes are important and I used to feel this alone would be enough reason to buy the Air Blade over the Nouvo. However, when Ross and I both rented Air Blades on Koh Larn island and drove up and down that big steep hill I didn't feel the stopping power of the Air Blades was up to what it was cracked up to be. Granted, the idea is to equalize the front and rear brakes, a great idea, but I'm not so sure this is going to make that big a difference here in Pattaya compared to 1. Luck, 2. Good judgement while driving, 3. Keeping all one's senses alert to the idiot drivers within a 360 degree circle of one's motorbike.

As to your comment about the meatier tires on the Air Blade, I've oftentimes considered the relative merits of the wider tires on the Air Blade, both front and rear, (they are 11-14 % wider) to the larger diameter tires on the Nouvo. That is the Air Blade has 14 inch diameter wheels to the 16 inch diameter tires of the Nouvo. Larger diameter wheels provide a greater gyroscopic effect providing more stability.

Putting all this in perspective, most motor scooters still being sold in the U.S. have Mickey Mouse sized tires. Take for instance Honda's Helix selling for $5349 (from the Honda web site). Keep in mind this is for a 250 cc. scooter. The front tire is just 12 inches in diameter while the rear tire is only 10 inches in diameter. Smaller models have 10 inch diameter tires front and rear. The same is true for similar Yamaha offerings with the exception for much bigger machines from both Honda and Yamaha such as Yamaha's 400 cc. Majesty and Honda's even larger Silver Wing.

I personally think the matter of tire size is critical with most scooters being sold in the U.S not nearly being up to the likes of either the Air Blade or Nouvo (unless one considers superhighway offerings such as the Majesty and Silver Wing which also cost a great deal more money). Personally I would have liked to have seen the Nouvo come out with a 16 inch wheel such as it now has with tires as wide as those on the Air Blade with a slightly larger gas tank. But currently I prefer 135 cc's to 110 so I think Yamaha has once again upped Honda---for now.

[tropo]

That is the Air Blade has 14 inch diameter wheels to the 16 inch diameter tires of the Nouvo. Larger diameter wheels provide a greater gyroscopic effect providing more stability.

At the speeds that these scooters travel, there will be no difference in stability between a 14" or 16" wheel. Bare in mind that the actual diameter of the Air Blade tires will make up for some of the rim difference.

Perhaps you could explain how the circumference effects stability because from personal experience I find the Air Blade extremely stable. The smaller wheel is actually stronger (more rigid).

You need to ride around on an Air Blade for a while to appreciate how much better the brakes are in all situations.

[LivinLOS]

There may be no gyroscopic difference but the smaller airblade tyres do feel like they bump around more on the potholed roads..

I like the lower center of gravity feeling on the airblade tho, somehow I feel perched on top of the nuovo and more down on the AB.

[jackcorbett]

I think I mentioned this before but I rented an Air Blade in Krabi soon after the Air Blades first came onto the Thai market. Among other things I drove from Ao Nang Beach to Krabi City and back. The road was not crowded at all and my tilak back then kept asking me to slow down. I wanted to get an Air Blade and trade off my Nouvo at that time but didn't. Since then I've done a lot of thinking about the two bikes, and have concluded that on that very good road I would probably have enjoyed driving my Nouvo just as much as the Air Blade. It's my buddy Ross who's rented a Nouvo for a month, then turned around and rented an Air Blade for a month who's commented he finds the Nouvo to be the more stable of the two. David, another American friend of mine, who used to often rent Nouvos wound up buying an Air Blade when I strongly recommended he try one out so he could compare the two before making a decision. He rates the two bikes as a complete tossup.

I have noticed as well the glued to the ground feeling one gets driving an Air Blade because of its lower center of gravity. (because of this it also grounds out when you drive one over obstacles such as concrete curbs). The Nouvo definitely gives the feeling it likes to travel in straight lines. The Air Blade makes one feel like Stirling Moss at the wheel of a Grand Prix car and you want to "turn, turn, turn." The Nouvo wants you to just sit back and relax and enjoy the ride. As for the brakes......again, I do agree they are better on the Air Blade.

One other thing I want to mention is that machinery with longer wheel bases tend to offer a better ride all other things being equal. The Nouvo has a noticeably longer wheel base than the Air Blade. To give you an example of what I am talking about here, when I used to farm in the U.S. I wound up owning two John Deere tractors. The larger was a 4650, a two wheel drive that had 165 horsepower stock. My neighbor had a number of tractors but one was a 1566 International tractor. It was also rated around 165 horsepower stock. The International had a much shorter wheel base and it was a much more compact machine. My neighbor's father kept commenting that my John Deere just didn't produce the horsepower a tractor its size warranted and stated that it was as large as many four wheel drives that got more power to the ground, thus outperforming my John Deere by a substantial margin.

All of which was very true, but when it came to the end of those long days on a tractor seat, some of which went for 36 hours straight traversing very rough fields that would give a man both a hernia and a hemorhoid at the same time if he was driving that International 1566, that John Deere was the cat's meow. It had a wonderful ride and a lot of it was due to its larger frame and its much longer wheelbase.

[tropo]

He rates the two bikes as a complete tossup.

My history of riding these small bikes is as follows: 5 years on a Honda Wave (Philippines). 18 months on a Nouvo (Thailand & Philippines) and 12 months on an Air Blade (Thailand).

What your friend said is exactly right, it's a complete tossup.

My decision to buy an Air Blade was based on the factors I listed above which IMO makes it better value for money. The ride is much the same on both bikes and neither bike pretends to be a high performance machine where small differences in setup (centre of gravity, wheel size, tire size etc) will make a difference.

[diesel123]

Hi

I am from singapore. Riding the yamaha nouvo elegance 135cc.

Can anyone tell me where / who to buy performance parts for this bike?

Rollers, variator, big bore kit etc

Thank you.

[globerunner4]

So the 135cc Nouvo has been out for a couple years now and I'm wondering if there is any talk of a new model in the works? I'd hate to buy one now only to have a new model come out later this year. Seems like styling and performance updates would be needed in order to compete w the Honda PCX.

[Just1Voice]

Today I went to test drive the Honda CPX and the Yahama Nouvo Elegance 135. I my opinion, NOT EVEN CLOSE! The CPX is heavy, not very responsive, somewhat sluggish when you twist the throttle, and that seat with the "butt pad" on it is, literally, and pain in the ass if you are over 5'4" tall! Plus, it angles downward, so every time you slow down, or break, you tend to slide forward, and that pulls your pants tighter around the crotch, and that is NOT a good thing! And the ride was Very Rough. The dealer let me take it out on the road, and after about 3 kilometers, I couldn't want to take it back. Pulled it back into the showrooom where my wife was waiting, got off, pulled my jeans out of my crotch and told my wife: "No Way!". Told her I'd rather have an Air Blade than the CPX.

Left there and immediately went to the Yahama dealer by Kad Suan Kaew Mall. They let me test an Elegance. Totally different. Standard seat allows me to sit back farther to accommodate my legs, much smoother ride over small bumps, much quicker response when you twist the throttle, and simply handles better in traffic.

The CPX listed for 73,500, and the best deal I could get, since I have previously bought a CBR, Air Blade and recently Scoopy R, was 72,000. Nouvo, with mag wheels, plus 2 years theft insurance, was 61,500. Even if they had been the exact same price, I would still have taken the Nouvo, hands down.

Also, Yahama DOES make a Nouvo Elegance 150cc, but it is not available in Thailand yet. They are having problems getting the government to sign the import papers, or so the rep said, and that it could be up to a year before they can finally get them in country.

[LivinLOS]

Where does yamaha make and sell the 150 nuovo ??

Its not in any of the asian markets I have seen.

[jackcorbett]

Where does yamaha make and sell the 150 nuovo ??

Its not in any of the asian markets I have seen.

I can't find it in any of the search engines.

[CMX]

Perhaps for the new 150, given the company's "naming division's" record, we should be searching for Yamaha Nouvo Grande Elegance? Yahama Nouvi Fancy Pants? Yamaha Nouvo Nouvo? Nouvo La-Ti-Da?

I have it: Yamaha Nouvo Frou Frou Chi Chi Elegance.

More seriously, how a Yammie 150F1 would trump the pcx! at the same price approx.

[katabeachbum]

Perhaps for the new 150, given the company's "naming division's" record, we should be searching for Yamaha Nouvo Grande Elegance? Yahama Nouvi Fancy Pants? Yamaha Nouvo Nouvo? Nouvo La-Ti-Da?

I have it: Yamaha Nouvo Frou Frou Chi Chi Elegance.

More seriously, how a Yammie 150F1 would trump the pcx! at the same price approx.

I dont think yammy want to do Fi. Dealers arent up to it yet. Just like most Honda deales arent up to it yet.

[skybluestu]

Perhaps for the new 150, given the company's "naming division's" record, we should be searching for Yamaha Nouvo Grande Elegance? Yahama Nouvi Fancy Pants? Yamaha Nouvo Nouvo? Nouvo La-Ti-Da?

I have it: Yamaha Nouvo Frou Frou Chi Chi Elegance.

More seriously, how a Yammie 150F1 would trump the pcx! at the same price approx.

I dont think yammy want to do Fi. Dealers arent up to it yet. Just like most Honda deales arent up to it yet.

Noticed the Yamaha Spark is now Fi, why don't they use the same engine in the Nouvo Elegance?

http://www.yamaha-motor.co.th/Product/?ProductID=16