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
Riding the ring road on a busy Saturday morning last February, I lined both bikes up at the petrol station near Chaweng Beach before heading south toward Nathon. The NMAX 155 pulled out first, ABS pulsing once on a patch of wet road near the Big C junction. The PCX 150 sat beside it with identical midrange character but a quieter temperament. Seven years guiding tours on Koh Samui have taught me that these small differences matter enormously when you are covering 60 kilometres in island heat.
Watch any rental handover at Chaweng pier on a warm October afternoon and you will notice tourists reaching for the NMAX first when they are carrying bags. Under-seat storage on the NMAX 155 swallows a full-face helmet; the PCX's underseat bin closes on half a helmet and a thin jacket. I packed a dry bag with fins, mask and a change of clothes for the Big Buddha beach run and only the NMAX cleared the lot without bungee cords dangling from the grab rail.
Heading up the north coast from Bo Phut to Na Thon and back-roughly 35 kilometres of rolling coastal road-I filled both tanks at the same Shell station in Mae Nam. The NMAX 155 returned 42 kilometres per litre on that run; the PCX 150 came in at 38 km/l, burning slightly more because I was pushing it harder to keep pace through the uphill stretches near Lipa Noi. Over a week's rental, that gap adds up to a noticeable difference at the pump.
The descent from the viewpoint road above Chaweng Lake produced the one moment where specs changed my behaviour. Coming down a wet slope after a late-May squall, I pressed the NMAX's front brake harder than intended. The ABS caught it cleanly, no drama. On the PCX 150, which lacks ABS on the base variant most rental fleets stock, the front tyre chattered briefly on the painted road marking. I have ridden both enough to know which one I hand to an intermediate rider without hesitation.
The question I get most from returning tourists is which bike to upgrade to. The NMAX 155 rewards riders who want a stronger pull on the highway approach to Laem Sor beach; the PCX 150 is calmer, softer at the bars, and forgives a heavier wrist. Neither choice is wrong. The deciding factor is usually whether you are circling the island or circling Chaweng-the NMAX wins the former without effort, and the PCX handles the latter with a relaxed confidence the bigger bike cannot match.
Couples sharing one scooter always end up on the PCX 150 after I explain seat height and passenger comfort. Solo tourers who ask about the mountain road to Khao Hua Jook viewpoint leave on the NMAX 155 every time. After seven years watching both bikes leave and return to the garage, I have stopped thinking of them as rivals-they answer different questions. If you are planning a full island loop, take the NMAX. If Chaweng and Lamai are your orbit, the PCX is plenty.
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