Japan versus Taiwan in the battle of the 125cc scooter. Will the mighty Honda PCX125 be victorious over the Sym Joyride 125?
Which one is the the better buy?
Reasons to buy Honda PCX125 | Reasons to buy Sym Joyride 125 |
- It's a Honda, well-built and reliable
| - You'll enjoy riding it; it handles well and is nippy too
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- It's fuel efficient (130mpg) and also has idle stop technology to lower consumption by a further 5%
| - Feet forward comfort is well worth having
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- Fuel injection, liquid cooling and nippy too thanks to the 11.17hp engine
| - Roomy storage area beneath the large dual seat can hold one full face helmet and one half face
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- Weighs 124kg, 20kg lighter than the Sym and very agile
| - Comes with a three year warranty
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- Honda's CBS combined braking means you'll stop safely
| - Well lit instruments with multifunction digital display
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- At £2600 it's priced competitively in the cut throat 125 market
- You can store a full-face lid under the seat
- 14" wheels for added stability
| - Sym are now a well-known and respected brand
- Large Maxi scooter styling gives you good road presence
- Flat floorboards are great for carrying the shopping
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Price: £2600
Capacity: 124.9cc
Power: 11.17hp
Dry weight: 124.4kg
Seat height: 761mm | Price: £2971
Capacity: 124.6cc
Power: 11.9p
Wet weight: 144kg
Seat height: 780mm |
The winner:
From a riding point of view the Sym Joyride is the one to go for, it’s one of those scooters that just glides around corners. It’s very comfortable and has great weather protection too. Like the Honda, the Joyride also has a fuel injected liquid cooled engine, no idle-stop though and it’s a bit thirstier than the PCX. One significant disadvantage is the price, the days of Taiwanese scooters being cheaper than the Japanese and European rivals seems to be a thing of the past. The price may have risen but so have the levels of quality, finish and reliability. ‘Made in Taiwan’ is no longer a joke.
However, the Honda has idle-stop technology, is very frugal, and costs almost £400 less than the Sym. That’s a big saving on a 125cc scooter, especially when you're getting Honda peace of mind too. For those reasons, we’d choose the Honda PCX125; it’s a close call and if the price was a match or we were likely to do some longer distances the Sym would have potentially won this duel.
