Yamaha NMAX 125 Tech MAX vs Honda PCX 125: Which to Rent

"Which of the two 125 scooters should I take, the Yamaha or the Honda?" It's the classic question for anyone renting for the first time in Lisbon. Both require an A1 licence, include 400 km per day and were designed for the city. The difference is in the details, and some of them end up in the final price. We compare the Yamaha NMAX 125 Tech MAX rental and the Honda PCX 125 rental using the numbers on each one's spec sheet. What isn't on those sheets, we don't claim.

In short:

• October 2026 prices: NMAX Tech MAX at €62.57 per day, PCX 125 at €45.77 and PCX 125 DX at €55.80.
• Almost identical power: 12.2 hp on the Yamaha, 12.5 hp on the Honda. Weight: 132 kg versus 134 kg.
• The Honda has an 8.1 L tank and about 320 km of range; the Yamaha has 7.1 L and about 300 km.
• 4.2-inch TFT display on the Yamaha, 5-inch on the Honda; seat height of 770 mm and 763 mm.
• Both: A1 licence (or B with 25 years of age), €600 deposit, 400 km per day included, extra kilometre at €0.35.

What the two have in common

It's worth starting with what decides nothing, because it's half the conversation. Both are 125 cc scooters with a variator, meaning no clutch and no gears: you open the throttle and go. Both run on 95-octane petrol. Both include in the price 23% VAT, third-party liability insurance, roadside assistance, a basic rider helmet and a lock.

The rental requirements are also identical. We ask for an ID card or passport, a driving licence of category A1 (or category B, if the rider is 25 years old), a credit or debit card to block the deposit and adequate motorcycle riding experience. The categories and the conditions for each are described by the IMT, the Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes (Portugal's mobility and transport institute), and there is a dedicated page about motorcycle driving licences. If you have doubts about your licence, check those pages before booking, not after arriving at the shop.

The deposit is €600 on both. It is held on the card, not charged, and is released within 5 working days. In practice, this means your card limit needs some room: if your card has an €800 limit and you've already spent €400 on the hotel, the hold may fail.

The numbers side by side

Here are the spec sheets we publish on each model's page. They are for comparing, not for deciding on their own.

Feature	Yamaha NMAX 125 Tech MAX	Honda PCX 125
Maximum power	9 kW / 12.2 hp at 8,000 rpm	9.2 kW / 12.5 hp at 8,750 rpm
Kerb weight	132 kg	134 kg
Seat height	770 mm	763 mm
Tank	7.1 L	8.1 L
Stated range	about 300 km	about 320 km
Display	TFT / T-BOX, 4.2 in.	TFT / T-BOX, 5 in.
Price per day (October 2026)	€62.57	€45.77 (DX: €55.80)

Looking at the table, the first conclusion is that the two scooters are much more alike than the price suggests. The power difference is 0.3 hp, almost impossible to feel with a passenger, luggage and the traffic on Avenida da Liberdade. The weight difference is 2 kg. The seat height varies by 7 mm. If someone tells you one "goes much faster" than the other, be suspicious: on paper, it doesn't.

How they behave in the city

Weight and seat

In Lisbon there are cobblestones, steep streets and traffic lights on uphill slopes. That is where a seat 7 mm lower and 2 kg more or less is either noticeable or not. The Honda, at 763 mm, is the most accessible for people with shorter legs who want to put both feet on the ground when stopping. The Yamaha, at 770 mm, is still far from tall, but that 7 mm difference can matter for someone who is 1.60 m tall, especially with the scooter tilted on a sloping street. If that's you, tell us when booking or at the shop and we'll try out the riding position at pick-up.

The weight is almost the same, so don't choose a scooter because of it. What changes the feeling of lightness is the person: someone who has never pushed a 125 with their feet, at walking pace, feels 132 kg and 134 kg as the same thing.

Display and information

Both have a TFT display with T-BOX connection. The Honda has 5 inches, the Yamaha 4.2. Half an inch of difference seems small until you ride in the August sun, wearing sunglasses and reading the speed or the navigation at a glance. A bigger display helps you read it the first time. That is a point in the Honda's favour on paper, although size says nothing about brightness or contrast, and we haven't measured those.

What the Yamaha brings that's different, and what justifies the name, is the Tech MAX equipment. On our sheet, the NMAX Tech MAX is described as a more complete 125 than the base Honda PCX, with a stable position in the city. That's the idea: more finish and more technology on board, with the same 125 cc engine.

What it actually costs

The October 2026 prices per rental day, with everything we described above included, are as follows: Honda PCX 125 at €45.77, Honda PCX 125 DX at €55.80 and Yamaha NMAX 125 Tech MAX at €62.57. There is no discount for long rentals, so the sum is simple to multiply.

1. One day: NMAX €62.57, PCX DX €55.80, PCX €45.77.
2. Three days: NMAX €187.71, PCX DX €167.40, PCX €137.31.
3. Five days: NMAX €312.85, PCX DX €279.00, PCX €228.85.

Between the NMAX and the base PCX, the difference is €16.80 per day. Over three days that's €50.40, enough for two simple dinners for two. Between the NMAX and the PCX DX, the difference drops to €6.77 per day, or €20.31 over three days. If you're torn between the two, take a look at the DX: according to our sheet, it is "the same urban rental" as the PCX with the DX finish, and sits midway on price.

To book, you pay 30% of the total. On a three-day NMAX, that's €56.31 at the time of booking, and the rest at pick-up. If you prefer to pay everything upfront, you can do that too.

The extras that count

The basic rider helmet is included, and the terms and conditions state that replacing it, in case of loss or damage, costs €50. There are optional extras, subject to availability: full-face helmet at €5 per day, gloves at €2 per day, protective jacket at €5 per day and phone holder at €3 per day. For a three-day weekend with a full-face helmet, gloves and holder, that's €30 to add. It's worth thinking about this before comparing only the list price.

Kilometres and range

Each day includes 400 km. If you go over, each additional kilometre costs €0.35. A 450 km day, for example, adds €17.50. In practice, 400 km per day is a distance most tourists never come near: a day trip to Cascais and Sintra stays well below that limit.

The stated range, on the other hand, matters more than it seems. The Honda points to about 320 km with 8.1 L, the Yamaha to about 300 km with 7.1 L. The 20 km difference between the two doesn't change any one-day plan, but on a longer outing, south through the Setúbal peninsula or north to Ericeira, you should refuel before the light comes on, not after.

Which to choose, depending on what you'll do

City and short rides

If the plan is hotel, restaurant, viewpoint and a beach nearby, the base PCX 125 is more than enough. It's cheaper, the seat is lower and the bigger tank means less worry. Our sheet describes it as the scooter rental in Lisbon "for the city and surroundings", with 134 kg and a range of about 320 km. If all you want is the Guincho road in the late afternoon, and then to leave the scooter at the hotel door, you don't need anything more.

If you want more equipment on board

If the display, the finish and the technology are part of what you look for in a scooter, the NMAX Tech MAX is the natural answer. The engine is practically the same, but the package is more complete. It makes sense for those who rent for more days, use the scooter as their main transport and therefore value the comfort of every small thing that repeats every day, like reading the display, connecting the phone and parking.

If you want a middle ground

The PCX 125 DX, at €55.80 per day, is the midpoint: 5-inch display, 12.5 hp and a low seat, with a more careful finish than the base PCX. It's the Honda with more finish and it costs €6.77 less per day than the NMAX.

For a more detailed analysis of the PCX, including day ideas and what is left out, you can read our Honda PCX 125 review.

Passenger and luggage

With a passenger, almost identical weight and power help you decide: the difference between the two is so small that the choice ends up depending on the comfort of whoever rides behind and on the luggage space. We don't have seat length measurements or under-seat storage volume published on our sheets, so we won't make up numbers. What we can say, frankly, is that both are scooters designed for two people on a short ride, not for two people with two big suitcases. If you're coming with a carry-on bag, agree with us before pick-up what fits and how to secure it.

That said, the extra helmet for the passenger has to be counted in the booking: the maximum is 2 helmets per booking, and each person's full-face helmet costs €5 per day, if you want it instead of the basic one.

Pick-up, return and what to check before leaving

Pick-up is at the shop, at Estrada Nacional N10-1 189, Sobreda, every day between 09:00 and 19:00. Home or airport pick-up is available as a paid service. Before leaving, check three things: the fuel level, the condition of the tyres and what is on the delivery checklist, because anything not listed there becomes the renter's responsibility, according to the terms and conditions.

On your first outing, ride for a few minutes somewhere quiet to get used to pulling away. That's what we suggest to anyone who has never ridden a variator: the throttle responds right away and the body needs half a dozen starts to learn the feel.

If you want to see the official specifications, you can check the PCX 125 spec sheet at Honda Portugal, the model overview and the scooter range at Yamaha Portugal. The manufacturer's sheets may differ slightly from ours, because ours describe the units in the fleet and the manufacturer's numbers refer to the model in general.

How to decide in two minutes

If you still haven't made up your mind, these three questions settle almost every case:

1. Is the budget tight or is the rental for several days? Then the base PCX 125 saves €16.80 per day compared with the NMAX.
2. Are you under 1.65 m or have you never ridden a scooter? Then the Honda's 763 mm seat gives more confidence when stopping.
3. Do you want the most complete display and equipment in the 125 range? Then the NMAX Tech MAX is the choice, or the PCX DX if you want the middle ground.

Frequently asked questions

Is the NMAX 125 faster than the PCX 125?

Not in a way you'd notice. The NMAX has 12.2 hp and the PCX 12.5 hp, a difference of 0.3 hp, and the weight differs by only 2 kg (132 kg versus 134 kg). For the difference to be noticeable, there would have to be far more than that.

Do I need a motorcycle licence to rent one of them?

A category A1 licence is enough, or category B if you are 25, plus adequate motorcycle riding experience. The official category requirements are described by the IMT.

How much does it cost to rent the NMAX 125 Tech MAX and the PCX 125?

With October 2026 prices, the NMAX costs €62.57 per day, the PCX 125 costs €45.77 and the PCX 125 DX costs €55.80. The price includes VAT, third-party liability insurance, roadside assistance, lock and rider helmet, and there is no discount for long rentals.

How many kilometres can I ride per day?

Each day includes 400 km. Each additional kilometre costs €0.35, so a 450 km day adds €17.50 to the total.

How does the deposit work?

It's €600 on either scooter, held on the credit or debit card at pick-up and released within 5 working days.

Can I take the scooter to Spain?

The terms and conditions provide for extension insurance for Spain, which costs €58 per 10 days. Ask for it before pick-up, because it is an extra subject to availability and is not included in the daily price.