Yamaha tops PCX

[MikeP]

I was getting worried. For a moment there I thought I was going to have to sell the PCX and get the SMax.
My ego demands the best!

[gn2]

My ego demands the best!

You'll be needing a Forza 125 when it goes on sale then...?

[Mr Elbows]

I really wanted the Yamaha S Max. I love that the dashboard is digital, and it looks really nice when lit up at night. That bike is a beauty.

But, I was told I could never lose with the power of Honda. So, that's what I went with in the end.

[kcpcx]

Ok, since I am working night shift and am tired and bored, I will bite.

Riding position looks poor on the smax to me. From what I read on the advrider smax thread, 65 is about the top sustained speed you can get, maybe 70 if conditions are perfect, I.e.no headwind, flat road, small rider. One guy who has one said he was running 65 on the highway and had just about nothing left. If top speed is a huge priority, a Forza for just a touch more money starts looking real attractive.

The mpg reports on advrider in the real world are not even close to pcx numbers fom what I can tell.

As far as price, when you can get a new leftover smax for under 2800 out the door like I did my pcx, I will definitely consider one assuming I fit on it.

I decided to go with a leftover 13 pcx because the smax wasn't worth roughly a thousand dollars more to me out the door. My dad got a new Forza for under 4 grand before sales tax. Very close to smax price. I will spend a couple hundred dollars more and get a Forza at that point.

Considering that you can buy a PCX quite frequently at a hefty discount, the real world price difference tends to be a lot greater than msrp to msrp on paper. Also, with big Forza discounts, they are suddenly a stones throw in price above the smax, which makes you think real hard.

I am eager to ride an smax, and I bet they are real nice rides. I'm not convinced yet, though, that they represent a better overall value than a pcx. Maybe, but I don't think that has been established yet. When we get a couple thousand of them on the road for a couple years, time will tell. I don't have any particular loyalty to Honda, Yamaha builds equivalently decent stuff. Honda is an easy tafget because they are the big kid on the block, so people like to bash them sometimes.

I'd be curious if you drop an smax, what Yamaha wants for plastic bits. Pcx parts are dirt cheap. Perhaps Yamaha parts are equally cheap, I'm not sure.

[dkazzed]

Someone mentioned they top out at 75 indicated, which is really 69 GPS verified. Ugh, you think with a digital speedometer it would be somewhat accurate. 3%, maybe 5% is the maximum acceptable speed overstatement imo. My BWS showing 60km/h is actually going 58km/h, which is fine.

I only need to go 55 anyway.

[Daddy Cool]

I ride my PCX over mountains and hills daily. I must say I love being able to change foot positions going down a long slope. It makes for a very comfortable ride. Its a feature I give thanks for daily. Even pulling into my garage is a steep slope. I don`t think I would enjoy the position of the Yamaha. I did consider a BWS 110 and the 3 wheel Yamaha` before choosing the PCX.

[Mel46]

I love the fact that we can get accessories for the pcx that can make it prettier, faster, and more comfortable. We can add taller windshields, better mirrors, and more storage. We can add more lights, pinstripes, and even sidecars. What more could you ask of a little commuter scooter?!

[MikeP]

Built in espresso machine... for those long rides.

[tbln930]

So now the Yamaha sounds like a dog with fleas. Are they out yet to look at? I will head over to one of the two close Yamaha dealers.

[Driller]

I'm going to join this since I had a PCX125 and have ridden the SMax.
Of the several bikes and scooters I have had, the PCX is one of my favorites. My first scooter was a Majesty 400 so Yamaha is familiar. The build quality on both brands is excellent. A test ride on the SMax reveals the Yamaha standard although there were a couple of small paint blemishes noted on the demo bike.
Twenty minutes and five or six miles on a bike is by no means an exhaustive test. Also, I had been on a larger bike (People S250) for the 50 mile ride down to Palatka. That can skew your opinion since you have been tuned in to a different kind of ride. The SMax left a positive impression with good acceleration and fairly nimble handling. We were not going to rag out a bike that will belong to someone else one day but were able to get a feel for what it will give and it seemed willing. Brakes were quite good. The suspension was OK but not what would be considered plush. Coming back on the lot over a concrete transition was jarring. The scoot did feel well planted on the road. The windscreen worked very well for me. Very little buffeting around my helmet. SMax is a very nice bike, but...I don't feel like I fit it well. I stand 5'10 with a 30" inseam and felt a bit cramped while riding it. The bar ends were too close to my knees when turned. That could be remedied by rolling the bars up and forward, though. There are what looked like perfect places to set your feet forward when desired, but it just did not work for me. Again, I just did not feel like I fit the bike that well.
Fast forward a couple of weeks. I was in a shop that had a new 2015 PCX. When I sat on it, my body's memory said "Yes". I could tell a difference in the seat design compared to what I remembered on the 2011 and the overall ergonomics felt right to me. In fact, I hopped on a Forza sitting next to the PCX to compare and concluded I liked the feel of the PCX more.
The fellow with me when trying the SMax had much the same feelings about the scooter. "A very nice machine with many positives, but just not sure about the fit". He has three scoots and was on his SYM RV200 that day. We traded bikes on the way to lunch after the test ride. When on that bike, that light "IT FITS" went off. Ergonomics were all good for me. The Yamaha may have wooed me with more time I'm sure, but I think I will let the "scooter slush fund " build and wait to see if any new 2015 PCX's begin to appear on the used market Or... there is a nice NOS SYM close by.
Sheesh, there goes my Multiple Bike Disorder again.

Mel, We are planning a "Scooter Swap'orama Ride Test" at Two Wheels Suches as soon as the weather warms. If you can join us, a test ride on a PCX150, Kymco People S250, Kymco Gti 300, Sym HD200, Aprilia SportCity 250 and maybe even a Buddy125 could be on the dance card. Stay tuned.
Cheers!

[tbln930]

Good write up. How tall are you?

[sendler2112]

I stand 5'10 with a 30" inseam and felt a bit cramped while riding it.

[tbln930]

Cool. I'm 5'11" and a 32 inseam so just a wee bit more cramped.

[kcpcx]

Very nice write up, Driller. Thank you.

[Mel46]

Driller your invite sounds good. I like riding up in the Suches area. Because my wife and i ride as a team, i will have to see how she feels at that time though. I think if anyone tried our bikes they might fall in love with them, though. We have adjustable shocks and custom seats on both of them. Someday i hope to upgrade the variators and drive faces too. The bikes look so forlorn right now, just sitting there in the basement with no place to go. :-( Spring, where are you!?

[Bash On!]

I prefer the PCX because mine is paid for.

[fish]

Remarks from an S-Max owner:
"Fantastic bike, build quality is excellent. Bike is fast and handles really well. Suspension smooths out bumps better than the BWS. Yamaha has hit a home run with this bike. Service on the Smax is 1000km first service. Oil change/ check over fasteners etc / valve check.

Yamaha has done an excellent job engineering this bike. They really thought out maintenance. The spark plug and valve access is super easy. Take out 4 screws to remove panel and boom its right there. I have had bikes where you have to take the whole bike apart to get at things like this. Really impressed with this. "

Fish

[gn2]

That's a comparison with a BWS.
Anything is going to seem good after one of those, they're shite.

[dkazzed]

Easy valve access is enticing. Unfortunately the PCX is the top limit of my budget and the SMax at $200 more exceeds that.

That's a comparison with a BWS.
Anything is going to seem good after one of those, they're shite.

Hey. My BWS resembles I mean resents that.

And I wonder if they meant the BWS 50 or 125?

[GlassMan]

Ok,friend of mine bought an smax but being 25below in Chi-Town hasn't had it out yet. I went over and had a sit on it . I'm 6.2 and 195lbs with a 34in waist ( not bad for 51 huh ! ) I imedietly did not like the position, felt VERY cramped compared to my PCX. When the weather warms we will do some swaping comparisons and I will post my findings. Hope spring shows up soon, brrrr.