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
Parked in shade outside Fisherman's Village market last January, I lifted the Filano's seat to show the storage compartment to a group I was guiding. The full-face helmet I was carrying went in cleanly - just - with the visor angled forward. Yamaha lists the compartment at 17.3 litres, smaller than the Scoopy's underseat bay and much smaller than the NMAX 155's storage. What the Filano trades in volume it compensates for with a USB charging port positioned at the top of the bay.
Riding the Filano at Samui's natural pace - 40 to 60 km/h through Chaweng, 70 to 80 km/h on the ring road - the 125cc single-cylinder engine remains inaudible over wind noise. Yamaha rates it at approximately 9.2 horsepower, which exceeds the Scoopy's 6 horsepower and is enough to pull two riders of combined weight under 150 kg on moderate gradients. The fuel injection mapping is smooth at low throttle - no surge on initial pull from a standstill, which matters most in stop-start traffic.
Last November on a dry Tuesday morning I filled the Filano's 4.2-litre tank at the Shell in Bo Phut and rode the full north coast route to Nathon, then south along the ring road back to Chaweng - 68 kilometres. The fuel gauge dropped by slightly over one quarter. Extrapolating, that put fuel economy at around 50 km/l, consistent across three days of mixed riding. Compared to the Scoopy's 45 to 48 km/l, the Filano's more efficient mapping adds one additional day of riding between fill-ups.
Front disc brake and rear drum on the Filano, with a unified braking system that links both circuits through the rear lever. I tested it on the wet section near the Lamai junction last October - the same test I run on every scooter I evaluate. Firm rear lever, 35 km/h, wet road. The Filano stopped in a straight line, no drama, front wheel never locked. The linked system is slightly more progressive in feel than the Scoopy's equivalent - it responds to graduated pressure rather than requiring a decisive input.
I watched a couple load the Filano at the Chaweng ferry terminal last March: two backpacks, a camera bag, and a small cooler. Everything went on the pillion seat in bungee cords except the camera bag, which went on the rider. Underseat took the wallets, phones, and one small day bag. The USB port - standard in the Thai-market Filano - kept a battery pack topped up during the 45-minute ride. For tourists who navigate by phone, that charging port is not a minor feature.
Seven years of guiding tours across Koh Samui's road network has given me a clear sense of which specs matter in practice. The Filano's fuel efficiency and linked braking system translate directly into a better daily experience. The 17.3-litre underseat storage is the limitation that appears first on longer trips. For a rider who packs light and stays within Samui's town radius, the Filano's spec sheet delivers everything needed. For riders who want to carry more or ride further, the NMAX 155 addresses both gaps.
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