French · 7 years on Samui
French motorcycle tour guide living on Koh Samui for 7 years. Marc leads group rides across southern Thailand and knows every road on the island.
Updated: May 2026
Last February I rode the full counterclockwise Samui ring road on the PCX 150 and the NMAX 155 on consecutive days - same rider, same route, same time of day. Average speed on the PCX: 68 km/h. Average speed on the NMAX: 71 km/h. End-of-day fatigue on the PCX: lower. End-of-day fatigue on the NMAX: slightly higher on wrists and shoulders. The performance numbers favoured the NMAX marginally; the comfort outcome favoured the PCX. This summary defined every subsequent comparison I made between these two scooters: the NMAX performs better, the PCX feels better.
On the three gradients of the Samui ring road last January, the NMAX 155 maintained 65 km/h under two-up load where the PCX 150 settled to 58 km/h on the same sections. Solo, the NMAX reaches 95 km/h before the throttle feels used; the PCX reaches 88 km/h in the same conditions. The NMAX 155's 15.4 horsepower exceeds the PCX 150's 13.0 horsepower by 18 per cent - a difference that shows on gradients and at sustained ring road speed above 80 km/h. Performance on Samui's roads: NMAX 155 is the correct answer.
The PCX 150's seat is wider, the suspension softer, and the engine smoother at 60 to 70 km/h than the NMAX 155 on the same routes. I tracked this over four consecutive days last October: day-four PCX fatigue was lower than day-four NMAX fatigue on comparable distances. The PCX's upright riding position also reduces wrist load on long days. For a rider whose priority is arriving comfortable rather than arriving quickly - especially with a pillion - the PCX 150 is the correct answer on the comfort criterion.
Last November I watched a German couple switch from the NMAX to the PCX mid-week: the pillion rider reported lower back discomfort after two days on the NMAX's firmer rear seat. On the PCX for the remaining three days she described no back issues. The NMAX's suspension is calibrated for single-rider performance and adapts to two-up adequately; the PCX's factory calibration is designed for two-up use as the baseline. On Samui's road joins and gradients with two riders, the PCX's factory calibration produces measurably better pillion comfort.
The NMAX 155 underseat storage is 22 litres; the PCX 150 is 28 litres. Tested with the same two-helmet and day-bag load, both scooters accepted the gear under the seat - the PCX with more remaining space. The PCX also adds a smart key system the NMAX does not have. On storage and features the PCX 150 is the better-equipped scooter. On ABS, both models offer it. On price, the PCX and NMAX typically sit within 50 baht per day at Samui's rental shops - close enough that price is not the deciding criterion.
Seven years of riding both the PCX 150 and NMAX 155 across Koh Samui's full road network has produced a clear decision framework: choose the NMAX 155 if the plan involves sustained speeds above 75 km/h, significant gradients, or solo long-distance ring road riding. Choose the PCX 150 if the plan involves two-up touring, multi-day riding where comfort accumulates, or coastal cruising where smoothness matters more than pace. The two scooters are close enough that either choice is competent on Samui. The specific itinerary is what separates them.
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