Yamaha Nmax vs. Kymco Like 150i: Performance against elegance

The variety in the scooter industry often throws up some of the most unlikely comparisons that are still very much relevant. Also, an array of customer demand leads to some very different products at the same price point competing for attention.

The Yamaha Nmax and Kymco Like 150i will both set you back by around Php 98000 -Php 119000. But the two scooters cannot be more different if they tried. While the Yamaha Nmax is futuristic, the Kymco Like 150i looks like what people in the 60’s thought the future would look like. The differences are not limited to their styling but extend to their core USP. While the Kymco Like is all about elegance, the Yamaha Nmax is a performance-oriented machine. That is not to say, they are not similar in many ways.

The Yamaha Nmax is a maxi scooter with a small engine. This scooter combines performance with luxury, and also offers a seating position that gives the rider a feel of sitting inside the scooter. The 'piece da resistance' is the large front fascia that incorporates a triple lamp headlight and large LED indicators with a huge functional windshield. The scooter is based on an underbone chassis with a high spine and therefore is not a proper step through. But this does give it a front mounted fuel tank on the spine that can be used without opening the seat. The seat itself is very large and gives the rider that cruiser like seating position that only maxi scooters can provide. Under the seat is space for a full face helmet. With ABS available as an option and a digital display, it is also very hi-tech.

The underbone chassis also gives the kind of rigidity unheard of in this segment which leads to exceptional performance. The 13-inch wheels with 110/70 front and 130/70 rear tires with 26º rake angle, and 92 mm of trail and 1350 mm wheelbase make it comparable to proper motorcycles on the twisties. Yamaha Nmax specs read a liquid-cooled, and fuel injected 4 valves 155 cc unit with variable valve actuation that is just as refined as it is lively. It produces 14.88 hp at 8000 rpm and 14.4 Nm of torque at 6000 rpm which translates to a top speed of 110 kmph. This makes the bike a hoot whether it be weekend rides around hills, highway riding or shorter sprints around town.

The Kymco Like 150i, on the other hand, is a classic retro scooter. The classic design of the Vespa has never really died, and now Kymco has put its own spin on it. Many words come to our mind when we look at the Like 150i – clean, refined, and elegant. There is nothing immature about the design. It simply does not have to resort to any theatrics to get noticed. From the clean front fender to the tasteful shapes and badging on the front apron and the engine cover. And again from the chrome surround on the jewel-like LED headlight to the recessed indicators that also use LEDs. It is not all harkening to nostalgia either.

There are some adventurous choices too with the shape of the headlight and the pattern on the taillight when it lights up. While styling elements are way too many to list, this scooter is not short on features and performance either. Like 150i specs reveal that it is powered by a 150 cc fuel injected air-cooled engine producing 13.3 hp at 9000 rpm and 12.5 Nm of torque. The fuel filler is situated in the front along with a sizable and lockable glove box compartment that even has a USB port. Even more space can be found under the seat which can store a full face helmet. Also, included in the package are dual disc brakes and ABS. But the most hi-tech feature on the list here has to be the optional LCD dash that can be customised and connected to your smartphone to provide navigation services.

Both these scooters are then very evenly matched when it comes to performance or features. And they should for the price they demand and the position they occupy in their catalogs. And yet, with their designs they attract a different set of buyers. This goes to show just how far along the two-wheeler industry has come in the Philippines.