2019 Honda Click 150i

Perfect for pillions

There are quite a lot of motorcycles on sale out there, but few seem so perfectly made for taking on pillion riders as the Click 150i.

Honda has quite an extensive lineup of AT scooters, with the Click 150i being positioned somewhat in the middle, just above the Beat and Click 125i, but just below the PCX 150.

Design

The Click 150i in particular still manages to stand out with its bold design, sporting an all LED lighting system composed of position lights, head lights, tail lights, and front and rear turn signals.

The front face is very distinct, particularly at night, thanks to its antler-shaped position lights and twin LED headlights. Honda calls this the dual keen design, inspired by Honda's high-end sports car, the NSX.

The rest of the body thankfully left naked, without the brightly colored decals so common in this segment. Instead, it compliments the bold design with small 3D emblems, exclusive to the 150i. It rides on telescopic forks in front and a single unit swing shock in the rear. It's finished off by a sporty muffler design with an aluminum end cap.

Powering the Click is a 150cc, liquid-cooled PGM-FI engine, with Enhanced Smart Power, an ACG starter, and idling stop system, which gives the bike a fuel economy of 52 km/L. The model comes with the Combi Brake System and Park Brake Lock as added safety features.

New features

Unique to the 150i is the new keyless system, typically offered on larger bikes. It’s composed of a key fob with no physical key. Instead, the fob emits an electronic signal that tells the bike when the owner is near.

When near the bike, first press and hold the on/off button on the fob, push the start button on the right handlebar to activate, turn the ignition switch on, then pull the brake lever and press the start button again to start the bike. The bike also has a push-button seat unlock.

Simply twist the dial to the “Seat” position and press the button to open the seat. This eliminates the need to bring out the key to get your valuables. It opens up an 18 liter compartment capable of storing a full face helmet.

The keyless system can also have the bike answer back (by making a sound) to help the rider find it in a crowded parking lot. If the bike is ever stolen from the owner, it will not start up again, unless the key is near. If it taken when the engine is already running, it will not start up again when the motorcycle ventures far from the key.

Once switched on, the most evident change is the fully digital instrument panel. It features a digital fuel gauge, digital speed display, real time fuel consumption, clock, and a trip meter that can display various info. Simply press the "select" button and it will show the odometer, trip A and B, and average fuel consumption for trip A.

The ride

Features aside, the Click should be very accessible to most riders. The bike is quite compact and light. It should be easy to use for riders of average height but may pose some difficulty for those very short of stature. As for tall riders, like myself standing at 5'9", the footwell is still relatively roomy and there’s still a lot of room between my knees and the front shield.

Around the city, the Click proved to be very agile, easily handling tight corners thanks to the wide tubeless tires, its short wheelbase, and low center of gravity. It’s quite easy to change direction, and fairly eager to lean if desired.

What’s most enjoyable is the added power from the 150cc. It’s slightly quicker to get up to 60 km/h than its 125cc sibling. In addition, that added power also easily handles the extra weight of a pillion rider.

Safety and efficiency

With the Idling Stop system switched on, you’ll feel it activate when you come to an intersection or stoplight. Just a few seconds after the bike comes to a full stop, the engine shots off to save fuel. Simply twist the throttle and it will start up again. It doesn’t work right after starting but begins to activate a few minutes into the ride as the capacitor needs to build up energy.

Another new feature is the Combi Brake system. In an emergency, this system controls both the front and rear brakes with just one brake lever (the left). It activates when the left lever is pulled more than 50%. When pulled less than 50%, it simply serves as the rear brake. When pulled more than half way, it also activates the front brake to decrease stopping distance in emergencies. It slows the bike very quickly and efficiently, stopping much sooner than you'd expect if you did so manually. It works best when the lever is pressed progressively as sudden presses may end up locking the rear wheels. Needless to say, it's quite a handy system and is easily the least talked about but most impressive feature of the Click.

When departing the bike, simply turn the dial back to the off position and press the lock button on the fob. If you forget to do this, the bike actually locks itself when you walk away from it. For added security, the parking brake on the left handlebar can be pulled, locking the rear wheel. It should be familiar to those who already had older models like the Zoomer X.

Conclusion

Our time with the Click showed that, despite the many new features, it’s very easy to learn to use and adjust to. The keyless system takes some time to get used to but quickly becomes second nature after a while. We recommend switching on the idling stop feature in low to medium traffic, as keeping it on in very heavy traffic will have it stop quite frequently, making it annoying at times.

It’s no surprise we see the Click 150i often used by Angkas riders as the additional power from the 150cc engine effortlessly handles the weight of an extra passenger. The combi-brakes are also a handy feature particularly when not used to the weight of that extra passenger.

We only wish it had at least one lockable compartment on the front shield for storing valuables. Also, a single-sided swingarm in the rear would have drastically improved its looks.

Overall, we’re quite impressed with the Click as it’s fast, light and maneuverable. The pricetag of PhP98,900 may seem a bit steep for some, but it’s well worth it with the sleeker look, added features and power.