BikeDawg: Honda PCX150

2013 Honda PCX 150 review.

Welcome to the future of commuting in western cities. The Honda PCX 150 is truly the "Rolls Royce" of scooters and is a thoroughly modern scooter. Honda have put a great deal of thought into this scooter, which is a clear sign that they appreciate the significance and relevance of scooters these days. Scooter sales are growing dramatically even in markets such as the USA, where traditionally bigger has always been better, but as cities become more and more congested and oil prices remain unstable and always threaten to reach record highs, more and more people are realising just how much sense scooters make, and just how planet friendly they are.

If you care about being eco-friendly, but are not interested in riding a bicycle, then why not consider a scooter? Honda make the PCX Scooter in two variants, namely the 125cc and the 150cc. The PCX 125 was launched first, but is not highway legal in most countries, and so a need was created for a larger capacity scooter that is legal for highway use.

The Honda PCX 150 is a stylish scooter with beautiful flowing, curvaceous lines, a scooter which really gives pride of ownership.

Riding.

The PCX is really fun to ride, like all scooters are, but the difference with the PCX is that it has a real quality feel to it. All the switches are quality switches just like regular motorcycles in the Honda range. The headlights are quality headlights, as good as any motorcycle of three times the price and the mirrors work well, without any vibration. The first thing I noticed when riding the PCX for the first time was the huge improvement made in the suspension and ride quality compared to the Honda Air Blade that it replaced (also reviewed on this site).

The Honda PCX is an all new scooter and it shows. It still has the same 14 inch wheels as the Air blade and one or two other things have been carried over, for example the switch to unlatch the seat and fuel flap, and the combi brake system. The engine however, is all new, and has to be the smoothest engine in the scooter world by far. The riding position is upright, comfortable and neutral. I am 1.78m tall (5'10") and I do not feel cramped on the scoot. The seat height is 761mm (29.96 inches). Handling, like on all Hondas is really good and it is really easy to flick from side to side. The 14 inch wheels really add to the stability at higher speeds, while still allowing quick turns. The PCX comes standard with a small tinted screen, although it is very low and does not offer much protection from the elements. Aftermarket screens are available from Givi and Ermax and from Honda themselves. I am planning to fit a tall touring screen on mine, I think that will make the PCX even easier to live with. Another factor that makes the PCX 150 easy to live with is its light weight, at 129Kg (284lbs), the scoot is so easy to handle in all situations.

Engine

According to Honda, several factors drove the development of Honda's next generation scooter engine, enhanced durability with excellent performance, quieter running, reduced CO2 production and improved fuel economy.

The 153cc single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled SOHC two-valve unit employs a host of low-friction technologies to improve efficiency in terms of output and economy. The overall weight and physical dimensions of the engine have been minimized to allow greater packaging choice around it for a variety of platforms to come. I have to say that they really have got it right. The engine is so smooth and quiet and starts instantly every time. It also has more than enough power for commuting in urban environments, the engine produces 10Kw (13.5Hp) and 14Nm (10.33 Ft/pounds) at 5250 RPM.

Performance

The PCX has a CVT transmission and so it is just twist and go. Performance is lively and it easily out accelerates most cars to 80Km/h (50Mph), thereafter acceleration tapers off a little bit but continues on to about a 112Km/h (70Mph) on a flat road. Performance may differ in different markets due to emissions requirements and local laws. This may not seem like much, but the figures are deceptive because the engine is quite torquey and does not lose a lot of performance on up-hills. Although the PCX150 is highway legal, it is not ideal and I would only recommend short hops on the highway if necessary.

Features

Standard features on the PCX include massive under-seat storage as well as a convenient storage compartment under the left handle bar. It also has a fuel gauge and a trip meter. It is surprising how much you can fit under the seat, with a little creativity and clever packing, the under-seat storage compartment will swallow up way more than you expected. The PCX also has a side stand as well as a main stand which makes life easier when cleaning wheels and pumping tires.

Storage space

Seat open

Front storage compartment

Fuel economy

This is probably one of the most important topics in any scooter review, after all

fuel economy is one of the main selling features of any scooter. The PCX 150 does not disappoint in this department. It is important to note that fuel consumption on any vehicle is hugely dependent on how the vehicle is driven, this is true of all vehicles whether they are cars or larger motorcycles. When it comes to scooters however, there are more factors involved and one of them is the weight of the rider. This is far more of a factor on small capacity scooters than it is on larger motorcycles. Also do you regularly carry a passenger? These are some of the reasons why people get such varying fuel consumption figures on small scooters.

I am of average height and build (1.78m or 5'10") and 76 Kg or 167 Lbs, most of my riding is in an urban environment with odd small trips on the highway and I get anywhere from 38 Km/litre, 2.63 Litres/100Km (90.25 US Mpg, 107 Imp Mpg) to 41Km/litre, 2.44 Litres/100Km (97 US Mpg, 115 Imp Mpg). I usually fill up every 180 Km/112 Miles, and she usually takes 4.5 litres. The tank holds 5.9 litres (1,55 US Gallons, 1.31 Imperial Gallons), so when I fill up, I still have a range of about 50 Km or 30 miles or so. Fuel economy is aided by a clever idling stop feature which switches the engine off after 3 seconds of idling. So for example while stopped at a red traffic light, the engine automatically cuts out and immediately starts up again just by twisting the throttle. It takes a little getting used to and the feature can be switched off if you do not like it.

Safety

This scooter is fitted with Honda's Combi brake system, which combines front and rear brake force even if only the rear brake is applied. This dramatically reduces the chances of lock-up and skidding in the event of heavy braking. As mentioned earlier, the 14" wheels are also a safety feature, providing more stability than smaller wheels on cheaper scooters.

Combined braking system

Just the fact that is a Honda is a safety feature. You can rest assured that it has been brilliantly engineered and that it will work reliably and safely.

Value

There are many cheaper scooters available, but few have been engineered and designed with as much thought and care as this one, and in the long run, most budget scooters will cost you more in repairs and depreciation.