Test Drive: HONDA CLICK 150

Reviewed by Ren Alcantara

Despite the pandemic, there’s no denying that traffic jams have returned. Clear roads, one of the woefully few good things we had during this crisis, have become clogged once more, and as we did before all of this went down, we’re looking to leave our cars at home and take alternative modes of transportation.

Honda has once again come to my rescue, sending over a bike to test while we come to grips with hassles of going out. The new Click 150 offers some impressive tech, and promises to be a great city bike without compromising things such as power. It’s not the rst Click 150 I’ve tried, and the last one left a scooter-shaped hole in my heart when they took it back. Will this new version make me feel the same pain? Let’s find out.

DESIGN - 4 / 5

Think “commuter.” Now spice that up a bit with some sharp angles and straight lines. Now, take that, and give it a downward-pointing face that might not look out of place on a big bike. You now have in your head, the Click 150i. It’s aggressively styled (incidentally what I liked about the previous model), but not gimmicky. There are some very sporty lines in there, giving what would otherwise be a large-looking scooter a much sportier vibe. Our test unit, which came in a very fetching stealth black, looked surprisingly imposing, and didn’t feel out of place among the other large-displacement bikes we have at home.

A downward-pointing, angular face, upswept exhaust, and very tasteful accents give it the air of a larger bike than it actually is, while retaining that light, nimble performance one expects from a city scoot.

HARDWARE - 4.5 /5

TThe click 150 has some nice tech going for it. Apart from the water-cooled, fuel-injected 150cc mill, it has a smart idling system, keyless pushbutton starting, and a built-in alarm all standard. There unfortunately is no ABS though, but the single front disc, and rear drum provide ample stopping power when you need it. It comes with a 90/80 front, and 100/80 rear tires on 14-inch cast wheels, don’t look half bad. It has a 5.5-L tank, a digital gauge cluster, and can produce 13 HP, and 13.4 Nm of torque.

The seat is a comfortable 769mm o the ground, and the scoot a ords you 132mm of ground clearance. It’s on the larger side for a scoot, clocking in at 1919 mm long, 679 mm wide, and 1062 mm long, and tipping the scales at 113 Kg.

USER EXPERIENCE - 4.5 / 5

Within the first few kilometers of myride on the Click 150i, just like its previous incarnation, was a winner. The comfort, ergonomics, and ride height were perfect for someone of my height (5’4, a little thick in the middle), and offered no challenges when I needed to put my foot down on the pavement at a stop. The long seat looks angles downwards visually, but is in fact nicely stepped, and allows for a bit of shifting around during longer rides, to keep from cramping up.

There’s ample step board space as well, though there’s not much room for anything aside from feet. Groceries or other packages will have to be placed in the under-seat storage, which while reasonably large, has barely enough room to fit a 2XL helmet. And bigger than that, and you’ll have to sling the load on your back. The Click 150 has a lot of power on tap, without being excessive. It’s plenty to put a bit of a smile on your face, without having so much as to tear that smile o from acceleration. You do feel that 150cc engine, and it spools up, getting you up to speed quickly. The brakes are up to the task as well, and while it’s not going to throw you o the bike, grabbing two stfulls is enough to get you into a bit of trouble if you aren’t ready for it.

One standout thing about the scooter is the suspension, which is comfortably pliant without feeling oaty. It feels planted, with great feedback. It absorbs the usual bumps and potholes on bad city roads quite well, while not making it feel like you’re just oating around.

Crowded city streets is where this bike shines the most. While it’s not the smallest commuter, it happily behaves like it is. Tight spaces are pleasantly easy to navigate, and the engine is more than happy to give a quick burst of speed to get out of sticky situations. The engine responds quickly to rider demands, and the brakes are just as quick to scrub speed or bring you to a quick halt should you need it.

I am slightly embarrassed to say that I had to consult the manual to get the bike to start. It is apparently a combination of a button press on the fob, turning the switch on the bike, and only then hitting the starter. I appreciate the tech, but it’s not the most intuitive system, at least for the first few times you get on the saddle.

The gauges are very clear and easy to read in all lighting conditions we encountered. It’s digital, which is great, and a quick glance is all you’ll need to get the info you’re looking for. It also offers an auto start/stop system that kills the engine when you’re at a traffic light, and starts it back up with the slightest twist of the wrist.

Over all, there are some features we’d have loved to see, such as ABS as an option, or even a USB charging port, but most of all, we would have wanted a little bit more under-seat storage, particularly since the scooter itself is on the larger side.

VALUE - 4 / 5

At about PHP 98,000, the Click 150i is a great commuter, with enough power to keep up with longer rides. All the features at this asking price isn’t bad at all, and makes for a great city companion, particularly through crowded Metro traffic.

What’s Hot:

- Great comfort

- Excellent suspension

What’s Not:

- Underseat storage could be larger

-Involved startup sequence

BOTTOMLINE:

An excellent city scoot with plenty of power to get you out of trouble.