Bigger scooters have become quite popular in the country, especially for city commuting and long-distance travel. Compared to regular scooters, bigger ones offer better comfort for longer leisure rides. But with traffic jams being a common issue, they’re small enough to navigate through tight streets and are more fuel-efficient than driving a car.
Last October, Taiwanese motorcycle manufacturer Kymco launched the Sky Town 150, a new small maxi-scooter built for urban mobility. This versatile and commuter-friendly scooter combines practicality and performance with a clean, modern design.
As a Kymco Like user myself, I welcomed the chance to test-ride Kymco’s latest offering. What makes this scoot stand out? Read on.
Styling
At first glance, the Kymco Sky Town 150 looks familiar. It’s hard not to draw comparisons to other commuter scooters, like the Honda ADV 160, the Honda PCX 160 and the Yamaha NMax 155 in terms of its adventure-inspired and street-smart look.
The Sky Town has a sharp and sleek silhouette, with integrated LED lighting, clean lines and edges on the fairings, and a compact frame. There’s a built-in windshield that gives it almost a police motorcycle look and is useful for blocking drizzle and occasional debris on the road. It has an angas factor but still looks respectable. It doesn’t look too sporty or aggressive but definitely looks bigger and more powerful than scooters with smaller displacements.
I got issued a review unit in Pearly White, which looks neat and minimalist, but this model also comes in Pearly Black and Golden Brown. I appreciate how the colorways are neutral and practical instead of loud and trendy. It makes the scooter look more expensive than its sticker price.
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The saddle
The seat is pretty thick and felt cushy so I could immediately tell it would be comfy for longer rides. The Sky Town has a seat height of 770mm (30.3 inches) and a curb weight of 126kg. In traffic standstills, I had to sit near the edge and kept having to readjust my sitting position once the light turned green. The wider footrest meant I had to stretch my legs more to reach the ground. While I can’t flat feet this while reclining, I can reach the ground on tiptoes.
This is more of a height issue though, as I’m only 5”. Most average-sized Filipinos won’t have a problem with the seat height as seen in this Kymco video with different riders from 160 cm to 179 cm (5’2” to 5’8”). I appreciated the thick ergonomic saddle on a weekend ride outside the city. It felt like sitting on a comfortably padded couch.
For city rides, it felt like a better fit for my taller (5’9”) husband. I rode pillion a couple of times and found the back seat to be comfortable as well. While not as padded as the main seat, there was enough cushioning to soak up most of the bumps and potholes on the road. The wider footrest and rear footpegs, which fold neatly were placed at a good height.
Engine performance
The Kymco Skytown is powered by a 150cc air-cooled, single-cylinder SOHC mill that puts out 8.4 kW at 7,500rpm or 11.4 horsepower and 11.9Nm of torque at 6,500rpm. Kymco claims the Eco-Friendly Green Power Engine reduces fuel consumption by as much as 21% and lowers greenhouse gas emissions by 17%. While I can’t attest to the long-term performance with just a few rides on the bike, if true, that kind of fuel efficiency would be great boon for commuters.
However, it did seem a bit thirstier than my regular scooter. On one long ride, I loaded P200 right before leaving Quezon City and clocked in roughly 128 kilometers riding to Marilaque before the gas light blinked empty by the time I got back to Marikina.
Ride and handling
While it looks to be on the bulky side (for not-so-tall riders like myself), it’s pretty easy enough to use once you’re on it. Even newbies won’t have a problem driving this. It’s stable and light, easy to maneuver in tight spots, and surprisingly easy to put on and off the center stand. The compact size and smooth handling makes it an ideal choice for navigating congested streets, which Metro Manila has plenty of. I found it easy enough to park near cafes and tight mall parking spots.
You probably won’t be maximizing its engine power for daily commutes given the traffic. I enjoyed using this more on a solo mid-week brunch/coffee ride when you can really go full throttle. It felt stable and handled great on the Marilaque twisties. The Sky Town is the type of no-nonsense ride that even seasoned riders will appreciate if they’re in the mood for a spontaneous road trip or need to run city errands.
Some caveats, I did find it tricky backing out of gravel parking areas while seated because of the seat height. Good thing the bike is still light (at 126kg) so it’s easy enough to push so I would just reposition it so I could drive it forward rather than have to maneuver it backward, but that’s just me.
The frame in between the footrests where the gas tank lies is also a bit on the high side so may get dirty with repeated dismounts. I also found the stock side mirrors to be a bit wider than I'm used to for city traffic, so you'll want to take extra care with these.
While I didn’t notice any sagging during the review period, some riders have raised concerns about the ground clearance of 135 mm. This might be an issue for heavier riders, or those who regularly travel with another passenger. I’ve had my share of sayad moments on road humps using the Kymco Like 150i, which has a lower 120mm ground clearance, so the Sky Town felt like an improvement. You might want to test-ride this before making a decision or modifying the stock suspension down the line if you plan to use it for rough roads or uneven terrain if this becomes a major issue.
Extra features
The Sky Town comes with advanced safety features like dual-channel ABS and traction control for safer rides. The safety kickstand prevents accidental acceleration by automatically cutting the engine off when you put the kickstand down.
The high-visibility LCD dashboard contains all the key information without being too confusing. There's an easy-to-read digital panel showing the gas consumption gauge on the seven-liter fuel tank and odometer.
I didn’t get to use it, but the Sky Town also comes equipped with USB-C and USB-A charging ports for powering gadgets on the go, which is always good to have in case of emergencies.
One feature I appreciated the most was the 28-liter underseat storage compartment, that can easily fit a standard full-face helmet. This was great for mall trips, errands, coffee runs and dinner out in the neighborhood, so I didn’t have to lug around my helmet. I even managed to fit in a whole backpack with a laptop and books to work outside the house during one mid-week ride.
Verdict
At an affordable price of P118,500 (about P20-30k less than similar models), the Kymco Sky Town 150 feels like a steal for those who are looking to upgrade their scooters from 110 or 125 to 150 or want to invest in their first bike.
The colorways aren’t the most eye-catching, but opting for something classic and understated is not necessarily a bad thing since you won’t tire of it easily. You’ll get more than enough power for daily commutes and can throttle away happily on the weekends. The cushioned seat makes it a good choice whether you’re riding solo or with an OBR. The fact that it’s a new model means you won’t encounter many riders on the same bikes as much.
Given the smooth ride quality and specs for the price, the Kymco Sky Town is a pretty good contender. The premium looks, extra comfort (that padded couch-like seat!) and having enough space to stash a helmet for hands-free errands and weekend rides make this a value-for-money option.
SPECS: Kymco Sky Town 150
Price: P118,500
Engine: 149.6 cc air-cooled, single-cylinder
Power: 11.24hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 11.9 Nm @ 6,500rpm
Wet Weight: 126 kg
Seat height: 770 mm (30.31 inches)
Fuel-tank capacity: 7 liters
Score: 9/10
