Yamaha SMAX vs. PCX 150

[PCX2016]

Anybody fit 2 helmets in the PCX? I would love to see a picture. My 3/4 face fits in, and the gf's half a helmet does not fit. Trying to see what combination would work.

[gn2]

PCX underseat storage only intended to store one helmet.

[Old Grinner]

PCX underseat storage only intended to store one helmet.

X2

3/4 Open Face helmets should fit with no problem.

FF Large or Extra Large helmets may or may not fit depending upon the configuration.

I used to hang my FF off the helmet hook under the seat and it worked fine.

[PCX2016]

I believe two skull-caps will fit, that may work.

[Old Grinner]

I believe two skull-caps will fit, that may work.

I didn't want to mislead you when I posted X2.

The "X2" means I agree with the previous post mentioned. . .or, I second that opinion.

So the PCX under seat storage area IMHO is designed for one helmet but you shouldn't have any problems getting a 3/4 Helmet in there or a Full Face Helmet that isn't too large. I had success hanging my FF off the helmet hook up under the forward part of the seat.

That said I am not so sure you can get two half helmets under there. You may want to measure things before you buy new ones just to be safe.

[PCX2016]

Thank bro, I figured you meant that. I will measure for two skull caps.

I believe two skull-caps will fit, that may work.

I didn't want to mislead you when I posted X2.

The "X2" means I agree with the previous post mentioned. . .or, I second that opinion.

So the PCX under seat storage area IMHO is designed for one helmet but you shouldn't have any problems getting a 3/4 Helmet in there or a Full Face Helmet that isn't too large. I had success hanging my FF off the helmet hook up under the forward part of the seat.

That said I am not so sure you can get two half helmets under there. You may want to measure things before you buy new ones just to be safe.

[Old Grinner]

Took my new 2018 Yamaha SMAX for a Christmas Eve ride and made a vid where I give my thoughts on how it compares to my old 2015 Honda PCX 150. I also do some testing on the highway from about the 24 to 38 min mark where I hit a top speed of 82 (indicated) mph - probably not the best way to break it in - LOL. Enjoy!

Just saw your review in http://www.motorscooterguide.net/Yamaha ... X-155.html. Well written!

I happened to have been comparing maintenance costs and the replacement costs of parts that can wear out or burn out (like headlights) between the PCX, SMax, and XMax. I couldn't get any information for the new Forza 300 from BikeBandit.com because it's not sold domestically. However they did list parts for the 2015 Forza. The older Forza has the non-LED old school Halogen lights.

Some things I was rather astonished with was the cost of the headlight assembly for the XMax. . .almost $400. And you have to buy the assembly. . .can't just buy the LED bulbs if they burn out. However on the SMax you can get replacement bulbs (Halogen 12V 60/55W) for about $20 bucks each since they are not LED. We know from your night ride video that high beam is pretty good but low beam is "meh". . .. Still out on the open road where high beam is most often used the low beam shortcoming seems rather insignificant.

The oil drain, oil pump strainer, and final drive oil maintenance are similar on both the SMax and Zuma. No filter cartridge replacement involved. . .just clean the screen. However on the XMax the oil filter is almost $20.

The PCX oil change, oil pump screen cleaning, and final drive oil maintenance procedures are similar although not identical to the Zuma and SMax. That said the LED headlight assembly replacement cost can be well over $200 depending upon where you do business. MSRP is actually around $275. . .and that doesn't include labor. No LED bulb replacements listed. . .just the assembly.

The SMax, Zuma, and PCX valve adjustments are all screw and nut adjustments. The SMax and Zuma are relatively easy to get to and the PCX is labor intensive just to remove the panels. The XMax uses shims. . .but the scheduled maintenance is about every 12,000 miles. If you can afford to have the dealer do the shim replacements at least it won't be that often. By the time you get to this point if you owned an SMax/Zuma or PCX you would have already checked the valve clearances several times.

I have to say with the front and rear disc brakes, higher top speed, ease of access for maintenance, and price the SMax ticks a lot of the right boxes.

But the PCX still remains the clear winner for fuel economy, offering a charging port, and LED headlights.

Tough decision for even experienced riders between these two price point machines. You really can't go wrong either way. Just choose the one that offers the most of what you want from a scooter.

[Oldie]

Some things I was rather astonished with was the cost of the headlight assembly for the XMax. . .almost $400. And you have to buy the assembly. . .can't just buy the LED bulbs if they burn out.

That got me thinking about some of the new laws in places like France where it is mandatory to carry a spare bulb kit. I can only assume that there must be some kind of simple solution, without having to replace the entire assembly?

[gn2]

Nope, the headlamp on the Xmax 300 is described in the owners manual as not user serviceable.
Its enough to put me off ever buying one and I wull now be making sure any bike I buy in future isn't blighted by this ridiculous arrangement.

[Oldie]

Nope, the headlamp on the Xmax 300 is described in the owners manual as not user serviceable.
Its enough to put me off ever buying one and I wull now be making sure any bike I buy in future isn't blighted by this ridiculous arrangement.

The Forza could well be the same. Just looked at my owners manual under "bulbs" and all it says is " If there is an LED not turned on, see your dealer for servicing"

[Jge64]

partzilla is showing a 19 PCX headlight for $573......wow....

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/honda ... /headlight

[Old Grinner]

partzilla is showing a 19 PCX headlight for $573......wow....

The source for the PCX headlight replacement I looked at was BikeBandit. The newest one they list right now only goes up to model year 2018. . .. It's a lot cheaper. I wonder if there's a difference with the 2019 PCX headlight assembly that makes it cost so much more.

https://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/20 ... sch1024803

[gn2]

The current facelifted model Forza 300 doesn't have a headlamp bulb listed, just a whole replacement headlamp.
Taillight is the same.
In fact there isn't a single bulb listed at all for the whole scooter.
So if an LED pops, its going to hurt.

https://www.bike-parts-honda.com/honda- ... FORZA/2018

Plus it appears other LED headlamp motorcycles also have a requirement to change the whole unit.
Hopefully someone will work out how to do easy home repairs on these things.

Worth bearing in mind if choosing a new bike/scooter.

[gn2]

partzilla is showing a 19 PCX headlight for $573......wow....

The source for the PCX headlight replacement I looked at was BikeBandit. The newest one they list right now only goes up to model year 2018. . .. It's a lot cheaper. I wonder if there's a difference with the 2019 PCX headlight assembly that makes it cost so much more.

https://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/20 ... sch1024803

Seems new 3rd gen model is also full LED, not a single bulb listed for the whole scooter, so the complete units also need changing if an LED blows.

https://www.bike-parts-honda.com/honda- ... 25AK/36548

[GatorGreg]

Took my new 2018 Yamaha SMAX for a Christmas Eve ride and made a vid where I give my thoughts on how it compares to my old 2015 Honda PCX 150. I also do some testing on the highway from about the 24 to 38 min mark where I hit a top speed of 82 (indicated) mph - probably not the best way to break it in - LOL. Enjoy!

Just saw your review in http://www.motorscooterguide.net/Yamaha ... X-155.html. Well written!

I happened to have been comparing maintenance costs and the replacement costs of parts that can wear out or burn out (like headlights) between the PCX, SMax, and XMax. I couldn't get any information for the new Forza 300 from BikeBandit.com because it's not sold domestically. However they did list parts for the 2015 Forza. The older Forza has the non-LED old school Halogen lights.

Some things I was rather astonished with was the cost of the headlight assembly for the XMax. . .almost $400. And you have to buy the assembly. . .can't just buy the LED bulbs if they burn out. However on the SMax you can get replacement bulbs (Halogen 12V 60/55W) for about $20 bucks each since they are not LED. We know from your night ride video that high beam is pretty good but low beam is "meh". . .. Still out on the open road where high beam is most often used the low beam shortcoming seems rather insignificant.

The oil drain, oil pump strainer, and final drive oil maintenance are similar on both the SMax and Zuma. No filter cartridge replacement involved. . .just clean the screen. However on the XMax the oil filter is almost $20.

The PCX oil change, oil pump screen cleaning, and final drive oil maintenance procedures are similar although not identical to the Zuma and SMax. That said the LED headlight assembly replacement cost can be well over $200 depending upon where you do business. MSRP is actually around $275. . .and that doesn't include labor. No LED bulb replacements listed. . .just the assembly.

The SMax, Zuma, and PCX valve adjustments are all screw and nut adjustments. The SMax and Zuma are relatively easy to get to and the PCX is labor intensive just to remove the panels. The XMax uses shims. . .but the scheduled maintenance is about every 12,000 miles. If you can afford to have the dealer do the shim replacements at least it won't be that often. By the time you get to this point if you owned an SMax/Zuma or PCX you would have already checked the valve clearances several times.

I have to say with the front and rear disc brakes, higher top speed, ease of access for maintenance, and price the SMax ticks a lot of the right boxes.

But the PCX still remains the clear winner for fuel economy, offering a charging port, and LED headlights.

Tough decision for even experienced riders between these two price point machines. You really can't go wrong either way. Just choose the one that offers the most of what you want from a scooter.

Thanks OG - glad you liked it! That MotorScooterGuide website is a wealth of information - I've spent many an hour nerding out over it - LOL. If we could somehow combine the best attributes of the PCX and XMAX into one scooter we would have an amazing machine, eh? Thanks for all the maintenance cost info - very interesting.

[Old Grinner]

Thanks OG - glad you liked it! That MotorScooterGuide website is a wealth of information - I've spent many an hour nerding out over it - LOL. If we could somehow combine the best attributes of the PCX and XMAX into one scooter we would have an amazing machine, eh? Thanks for all the maintenance cost info - very interesting.

I have to say that I'd also choose the SMax if I was going to buy a 150 class scooter today knowing what my experience was with my PCX.

The PCX sure looked good and ran really well but the seat was just a pain for me. . .. And as I've said before about the new Honda products I don't like where they put the horn button. . .but it's something I can work around. An uncomfortable seat is just not acceptable. I wish it was just flat. Cheeky Seats didn't have an option for the newer PCX seat design and I didn't feel like rolling dice on complete after market seats. . .although some posters here have had good luck with them.

When I bought the Zuma, I could have had the SMax for just a few hundred more, but I had my reasons to get the Zuma. Mainly that it could be a "shoe in" for mild off road adventures if I sell my KLR. BTW they won't be selling the KLR 650 anymore. . .the 32 year reign has come to an end according to an article I read.

https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/t ... un-is-over

But now that I'm kind of in the same situation where you were not riding my "sport bike" too much anymore I'm thinking a "twist and go" replacement that is lighter and easier to get around on would be a nice replacement.

So after seeing your video review, and some others, it's got me thinking that getting the SMax may not be a bad idea after all. It does what it does and I do remember that the seat was comfortable for me when I checked one out at the dealer. It's a little heavier than the Zuma for higher speed stability, already comes with a windshield, will do close to 80 MPH, and is relatively easy to work on. A rear carrier and SHAD SH39 top case from Yamaha would be a must. That said, I have to continue to weigh out the advantages of paying the extra $2K for the XMax compared to what the SMax already offers. In the mean time maybe Honda will announce a market entry for the new Forza 300 later in 2019 (as a 2020) but I'm not holding my breath. It would be nice to compare the XMax with the Forza 300 before dropping the cash on the table and trade in the Suzuki Bandit.

[E. Foster Salsbury]

Excellent write-up on MotorScooterGuide. The link only brings me to YouTube and not your video though.

[WI_Hedgehog]

Thanks for posting all the information, although I don't have the PCX anymore it was a great machine and I do miss how light and maneuverable it is, plus parking in tight spots is a dream!

I'm not worried about high-quality LEDs burning out, the top manufacturers don't seem to have a problem with that. If it did become a large problem I'm sure someone on eBay would come up with a reasonably priced solution.

[big bear]

while i was at the yamaha dealer buying my zuma they had a Smax there it was a nice looking bike alot of gauges on the dashboard looked like a really nice bike kinda like a pcx with a floor

[Old Grinner]

Gator - Last night I watched the whole SMax video and the Headlight video again but this time on my regular Big Sceen TV with the sound system.

It was a richer experience. I could appreciate the fuller sound of the motor and get a better idea of the highway speeds climbing well into the '70s almost 80 MPH.

That high beam on that SMax really does blast out a pretty good field of vision for night riding.

Oh . . . and can't say enough about those brakes. And no extra ABS or CBS required. They work excellent just the way they are don't they? Same thing on my Zuma.