The 2026 Honda ADV160 is a scooter designed for riders who seek a blend of city-friendly practicality and a promise of adventure-ready toughness. Sporting the ADV moniker, it aims to be more than just an urban commuter—Honda calls it a City Adventure concept. It’s designed for zipping through urban streets and taking on light-duty unpaved paths. Can a street-friendly scooter really have an adventure alter ego? Let’s get to the 15 Fast Facts and find out.
- Getting started is easy, thanks to a fob system. You simply walk up to the 2026 Honda ADV160, twist a switch that looks like a key, and it comes to life. Pull in the front lever, push the start button, and away you go. The handlebar switchgear is easy to understand and use. A switch and two buttons sit in front of the LCD dash for scrolling through different information. Scrolling is doable while you are riding, but be careful of the distraction, as you’ll have to take a hand off a grip and your eyes off the road.
- The 157cc single-cylinder engine paired with a fully automatic CVT delivers a smooth, no-fuss ride in the city. The motor accelerates smoothly from a stop, linearly adding power until approximately 50 mph. From there, it’s a slow climb to the 70 mph top speed. There are no power modes, and it doesn’t need any; if you’re capable of riding a two-wheeler, the ADV160 shouldn’t intimidate.
- The motor is Honda’s Smart Power design, which focuses on fuel consumption and emissions. The motor idles normally. Fortunately, this isn’t a stop-start system that turns off the motor at stops, and then turns back on when you twist the throttle.
- In urban settings, the ADV160 excels. Its compact 52.1-inch wheelbase and sub-300-pound weight make it agile in traffic. The 2.1-gallon fuel tank offers a great range; fuel consumption is around 75 mpg, which is impressive considering my hard-twisting right wrist. If you’re riding around town, visits to the gas station will be infrequent. The ergonomics are comfortable, with spacious floorboards that allow you to reposition your legs on longer rides. The seat is rear-end-friendly, and the 30.7-inch height is manageable.
- Traction control is standard, though you’ll be hard-pressed to feel it engage. The fully automatic belt-pulley transmission does a good job on its own when it comes to holding traction. Still, the extra margin of error provided by the electronics is always welcome.
- Showa takes on the suspension duties. The 31mm fork has over five inches of travel, a nod to the ADV name. Honda prominently displays the twin shocks and their piggyback reservoirs, further reinforcing the idea of adventure experiences, despite the rear wheel travel being limited to just over four inches. The suspension is non-adjustable, though the shocks have triple-rate springs. For city work, I’m fine at 115 pounds, and heavier male editors didn’t complain. Certainly, the extra travel is helpful on Los Angeles’s deteriorating urban roads.
- Braking is strong up front. The 14-inch wheel is matched to a 240mm disc with front-wheel-only ABS, so you can feel free to put a tight squeeze on the right lever. The rear brake is old school—a 130mm drum, which makes it easy to implement the left-lever locking parking brake. Initial engagement of both brakes is gently reassuring—no surprises.
- The underseat storage is generous. The 27-liter capacity cavity is well-shaped, allowing you to place a helmet inside. If you go shopping, a tote fits in nicely. Opening the seat is done electronically, via a rocker switch next to the key-style switch. There’s also a mechanical release behind a door next to the switch to release the seat. It uses a proprietary Honda hex key, but anyone with the key will be able to release the seat. That makes me a little nervous about leaving my helmet or anything of value in the underseat storage.
- In the left fairing is a non-locking cubby space. It’s a perfect place for your smartphone, as there’s a powered USB-A port for charging. However, it’s 2026, so that should be a USB-C port.
- The fuel cap is hidden under a locking cover. It uses the same rocker switch as the seat release. It’s easy to use and helps prevent someone from stealing $10 worth of gas in Los Angeles.
- The Honda ADV160 is freeway legal, but only barely. Although I was able to wind it up to 70 mph, you really don’t want to take it on a road with a speed limit over 55 mph. That makes it adequate for urban freeways—where you may be lane splitting through slower traffic—and suburban highways. While it’s acceptable for short freeway runs, if you plan longer high-speed rides, you’ll want to get a scooter with more power and larger wheels. The 14-/13-inch wheelset is more about urban agility than freeway stability.
- The windscreen is two-position adjustable—no tools required. Just pull out the two knobs on the sides of the windshield and you can slide it up and toward you, or out and away. The lower position helps direct airflow to the rider, which is helpful in the summertime. If you’re wicking it up down the boulevard or a backroads highway, or it’s chilly, the higher position channels the windblast over your helmet.
- Curb your off-road enthusiasm with the ADV160. With the IRC Trail Winner GP-212 tires and the tapered motorcycle-style handlebar looking the part, you might think it’s time for an adventure ride. Well, maybe not. The small wheels and light-duty suspension limit you to well-groomed off-pavement experiences. The suspension is quickly overwhelmed by bumps, and the lack of a fuel tank to grip between your knees limits your confidence. The rougher the road and the faster you go, the less you will like the ADV160 off the pavement. On some of the smooth urban dirt roads I frequent in Los Angeles, it’s fine—just stay away from bumps, rocks, and anything that compromises its 6.5 inches of ground clearance.
- In addition to the sidestand, the ADV160 features a user-friendly centerstand. As one who hasn’t mastered the technique required to lift a bike onto its centerstand, I was pleasantly surprised to find I could maneuver the ADV160 on and off its perch. I credit the low center of gravity and 294-pound curb weight.
- The 2026 Honda ADV160 is an excellent ride for those who want a scooter that’s practical and like the idea of adventures. Its solid build, efficient engine, and comfortable design make it ideal for city streets, short freeway excursions, and friendly off-road paths while offering outstanding fuel economy, storage, and ABS-aided braking. While it’s not even close to being an adventure bike, the ADV160 does have a bit more unpaved credibility than its pure-street peers, and at $4499, it’s just $200 more than its closely related pure-street, lower-slung PCX sibling.
Photography by Don Williams
RIDING STYLE
2026 Honda ADV160 Specs
ENGINE
- Type: Single-cylinder, canted forward 80 degrees
- Displacement: 157cc
- Bore x stroke: 60 x 55mm
- Compression ratio: 12:1
- Fueling: EFI w/ 28mm throttle body
- Valvetrain: SOHC; 4-valve
- Cooling: Liquid
- Clutch: Dry, automatic centrifugal-type
- Transmission: Fully automatic belt/pulley CVT
- Final drive: Belt
CHASSIS
- Front suspension; travel: Showa 31mm fork; 5.1 inches
- Rear suspension: Showa piggyback-reservoir shocks; 4.1 inches
- Tires: IRC Trail Winner GP-212
- Front tire: 110/80-14
- Rear tire: 130/70-13
- Front brake 240mm disc
- Rear brake: 130mm mechanical drum
- Parking brake: Rear brake w/ lever locking mechanism
- ABS: Standard (front wheel only)
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 52.1 inches
- Rake: 26.5 degrees
- Trail: 3.4 inches
- Ground clearance: 6.5 inches
- Seat height: 30.1 inches
- Fuel Capacity: 2.1 gallons
- Curb weight: 294 pounds
- Color: Pearl Smoky Gray
2026 Honda ADV160 Price: $4499 MSRP
2026 Honda ADV160 Review Photo Gallery
