What's so much better about a Honda Scooter?

Honda PCX150

Chinese "200" efi

Chinese scooters are cheap and easily bought via the internet. Scooters made by Honda (or Yamaha, Suzuki and other "Name Brands") are expensive and only available new from dealers. So what do you get from the more expensive scooters. As an example I'll look at the Honda PCX150 and a generic 150cc Chinese scooter (or even a "200cc" - actually 168cc - Chinese scooter.

The Chinese scooter is going to be air cooled and my either be fuel injected or use a carburetor, while the PCX150 is water cooled and fuel injected. Water cooling improves engine efficiency, giving you more power. Fuel injection should give more reliable operation and better gas mileage. It does on the PCX150, I don't know about Chinese fuel injection.

It's hard to compare specification on things like power, torque, maximum speed and gas mileage on Chinese scooters because the numbers reported are unreliable. They are basically all over the map depending on which site you are looking at. I believe the figures on the official websites of the Japanese and European manufacturers (Honda, Vespa, Yamaha etc.) are probably quite accurate. Honda specify the PCX150 power as 15.8HP and the torque as 11.16 ft.lbs. Chinese scooters typically quite numbers form 10 to 12 HP and around 10ft.lbs.

Comparing a 2016 PCX150 to a Shenke 150 (carbureted)

Comparing the riding experience on these two scooters, there were clear differences, mostly in favor of the Honda.

  • The PCX159 starts VERY easily every time and the exhaust is quieter than the Chinese 150
  • The suspension of the PCX150 is much better at absorbing road shock and keeping the whees firmly planted over rough surfaces
  • At speeds of 40mph and up, the PCX150 feels much more stable, possibly due to the better suspension and larget wheels (14" vs. 13").
  • At top speed (55mph and above), the PCX150 feels quite happy, while the Chinese 150 feels like it strugling.
  • The PCX150 is faster. Top speed around 65mph on the flat. I chickened out at about 55mph on the Chines 150, it didn't feel 100% stable and it didn't really want to go much faster.
  • The PVX150 returns 110mpg or more in normal driving and close to 100mpg at highway speeds. The Chinese 150 returns 70-80mpg in normal driving.
  • The PCX150 has a 2.3g tank, with a range of about 250 miles. The Chinese 150 has a 1.3g tank and a range of about 100 miles.
  • The headlights on the PCX150 illuminate the road better then those of the Chinese 150, though neither come near the standard of car headlights. Both benefit greatly from addition driving lights.
  • The PCX150 has more underseat storage space. You can store a 3/4 helmet under the seat.
  • At low speeds the Chinese 150 seems more "nimble", presumably due to the smaller wheels (13" vs 14").
  • The wiring on the Chinese 150 is simpler (and probably easier to get at) if you want to make any modifications such as adding extra lights.

So overall the PCX150 is a clear winner from the viewpoint of comfort and performance. But this comes at a cost. A new PCX150 (2024), fully assembles, tested and road ready is around $4500 from a dealer. A new Chinese 150 (with shipping) usually comes in a crate (though there are dealers) and the price can range from $1200 to over $2000 depending on exactly what you buy ("150" or "200" and fuel injection or carburetor). Parts for Chinese scooters are significantly less expensive, though you are likely to need more of them (stuff breaks).

If you don't do your own repairs (which you should if you can), it's easier to find someone willing to work on a Honda than on a generic Chinese scooter.

I think the bottom line is that a Chinese 150(or "200") scooter is good value. It's not very refined and you may need to occasionally fix it. I've had to change the clutch on mine (twice) and rebuild the carburetor (once). I also replaced the brake disk since the original wasn't perfectly flat. But it's cheap to by and cheap to fix (if you can do the repairs yourself). On the other hand the more expensive Honda PCX150 is better in almost every way (except for cost). It's probably more reliable and the engine should last a lot longer, something to consider if you ride a lot of miles. Like the old saying..."you get what you pay for". If you don't have the money, Chinese scooters are still a great buy, especially if you are mechanically inclined and prepared to do some tinkering.