Picking the right scooter for Phuket is mostly about three things: who's riding, where you're going, and what licence and insurance you hold. The cheapest bike is not always the right one, and the biggest is rarely needed. We run nine models at our scooter rental in Phuket Old Town, and this guide walks through them in five classes, using the manufacturers' own numbers rather than brochure adjectives.
Every bike below is automatic (twist and go), comes with two helmets, and is delivered anywhere on the island. Rates are on the price page; the 2026 price guide explains what drives them.
The five classes at a glance
| Class | Bikes | Engine | ABS | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Scoopy 110 | 110cc | No | Solo riders, beginners, Old Town and short beach hops |
| Standard | Click 125, Click 160, Click 160 ABS | 125cc / 157cc | 160 ABS only | Most visitors, couples on a budget, all-island riding |
| Premium | PCX 160, NMAX 155 | 157cc / 155cc | Yes | Two-up comfort, luggage, daily hill riding |
| Adventure | ADV 160 | 157cc | Yes | Rough lanes, tall riders, viewpoints and dirt tracks |
| Maxi | Forza 350, ADV 350 | 330cc | Yes, 2-channel | Touring, highway, big riders, full-licence holders |
Small: Honda Scoopy 110
Honda's spec sheet lists the Scoopy at 109.51cc, 94 kg and a 4.2-litre tank, with a combined-brake front disc and rear drum, and a U-box that swallows a full-face helmet. It's the lightest bike we own, which is exactly why first-time riders and smaller riders love it: easy to push into a tight Thalang Road parking spot, easy to hold up at a stop with a passenger.
Where it runs out: two adults on the Patong hill, or a fully loaded run up the bypass into a headwind. It will get there, slowly. Solo, around Phuket Old Town, Chalong and the southern beaches, it's all you need.
Standard: Honda Click 125 and Click 160
The Click 125 is the default Phuket scooter and the one we'd hand most visitors. Similar weight class to the Scoopy, a little more pull, same rental rate on most bands. Insurance-friendly too: many travel policies stop at 125cc, and this bike sits inside that line.
The Click 160 uses Honda's 156.9cc engine in a 119 kg body with a 5.5-litre tank and about 18 litres under the seat. The extra torque is what you feel with a passenger on the Karon viewpoint climb or pulling out onto the Chalong roundabout. The Click 160 ABS is the same bike with front-wheel ABS, which on painted lines and wet tarmac in the green season is worth the small difference in monthly rate.
Premium: Honda PCX 160 and Yamaha NMAX 155
This is the class to choose if you'll be two-up most days or carrying anything bigger than a day bag.
- PCX 160: 156.93cc, 133 kg, 8.1-litre tank, ABS on the front disc and a 30-litre U-box by Honda's numbers. Bigger seat, longer wheelbase, more wind protection. The tank range means fewer fuel stops on a week touring the island.
- NMAX 155: 155cc liquid-cooled four-valve engine, 7.1-litre tank, disc brakes front and rear with ABS by Yamaha's spec. Slightly sportier riding position than the PCX; riders who've owned an NMAX at home ask for it by name.
Both are a step heavier than a Click, which matters only when you're paddling it around a hotel car park. On the road the weight settles the bike at speed on the bypass and on the Kathu to Patong hill. Couples staying in Patong or Kata who plan to ride daily: this is your class.
Adventure: Honda ADV 160
Same 157cc eSP+ engine as the PCX, taller suspension with twin sub-tank rear shocks, wavy-disc brakes with ABS, and a more upright riding position. In practice: more ground clearance for the pot-holed lane to a viewpoint, the gravel at the top of the Big Buddha road, and the concrete tracks around Rawai and Nai Harn. Taller riders find it the most comfortable 160 we have. Underseat space is smaller than the PCX, so a couple with luggage should look at the PCX or a 350 instead.
Maxi: Honda Forza 350 and ADV 350
These are the big scooter rentals in Phuket, and they are genuinely different machines: 329.6cc liquid-cooled four-valve engines, 186–187 kg, 11.7-litre tanks, two-channel ABS, and a U-box that fits two helmets, all per Honda's specifications.
- Forza 350: electric screen, highway-stable, the most comfortable two-up bike we own. Ideal for a couple doing the island loop, the Sarasin bridge to Phang Nga, or the ride to Krabi.
- ADV 350: the same engine in an adventure body with longer-travel suspension and a USB-C console box. Better over broken surfaces, slightly more upright.
Two cautions. First, the weight: 187 kg is a lot to hold up at a camber on Bangla Road with a passenger, so these suit riders who already own or have ridden a maxi scooter. Second, the licence: a 330cc machine needs a full motorcycle category on your licence and IDP, and a travel policy that doesn't cap you at 125cc. Our guide on whether you need a licence to rent a scooter in Phuket explains the tiers.
Why we don't offer 50cc scooters
People search for "50cc scooter rental Phuket" because at home a 50cc moped can be ridden on a car licence or at 16. That shortcut doesn't exist here:
- Thai law treats a 50cc exactly like a 110cc: it's a motorcycle, and you need a motorcycle licence or an IDP with category A. There is no licence saving.
- Honda Thailand's automatic range starts at 110cc with the Scoopy; there is no 50cc model to buy, so there is none to rent.
- Phuket is hilly. A 50cc with a passenger would struggle on the Patong hill and be a hazard on the bypass where traffic runs fast.
The Scoopy 110 is the honest answer to that search: as light and easy as a moped, with enough engine to be safe.
Hills, two-up, luggage, fuel: how each class copes
Phuket's hills
The three climbs visitors meet most are the Kathu to Patong hill (route 4029), the Karon viewpoint road between Karon and Kata, and the road up to Big Buddha from Chalong. A solo rider on any bike is fine. Two adults: a 125 does it at a crawl, a 160 comfortably, a PCX or 350 without noticing.
Two-up riding
Passenger comfort is about seat length and suspension, not just engine. Scoopy and Click seats are short; the PCX, NMAX and the 350s have proper pillion room and grab rails. For a two-week holiday riding together daily, the PCX is the sweet spot on price.
Luggage
Underseat capacity from the makers' figures: Scoopy fits one full-face helmet; Click 160 about 18 litres; PCX 160 30 litres; Forza and ADV 350 two helmets. For beach gear and a laptop, the PCX box takes a small backpack; for anything more, the 350s.
Fuel
Smaller engines sip. By the makers' tank sizes, a Scoopy's 4.2 litres and a PCX's 8.1 litres cover very different distances between stops, but every class is cheap to run in Phuket; fuel is the only running cost on top of the rental. On a long-term monthly rental the smaller bikes' economy adds up.
Our quick recommendation
- Solo, first time, budget: Click 125 or Scoopy 110.
- Solo, rainy season, wants brakes that forgive: Click 160 ABS.
- Couple, daily riding, some luggage: PCX 160 or NMAX 155.
- Rough lanes, tall rider, viewpoints: ADV 160.
- Touring, highway, full licence, experienced: Forza 350 or ADV 350.
Thinking about an electric scooter instead? Our electric vs petrol scooter comparison looks at range and charging on the island.
Still not sure which one suits you? Message us on WhatsApp through the contact page with how many of you are riding, where you're staying and what licence you hold, and we'll recommend a bike and bring it to your hotel.