The final time I talked a few Kymco scooter was when the Taiwanese producer got here up with a maxi-scooter, journey bike CV-R5 crossover concept. It was all the things most folk would need from a scooter, besides it was solely an idea.
The Kymco AK 550i Premium may now be as wild a scooter as that, but it surely’s production-ready and, extra importantly, now out there in the USA. However maybe much more importantly, it’s primarily based on a dependable platform that has continually confirmed its credentials for the final eight years.
First launched in 2017, the Kymco AK 550i vary has come far. What was, in essence, daring proof of what the corporate was able to by way of expertise and design then has now come of age as a correct maxi scooter that boasts the flexibility to go long-distance touring… one thing scooter fanatics haven’t actually been uncovered to within the USA.
Kymco
That’s as a result of the likes of the Yamaha TMAX, which is extensively thought to be among the finest maxi scooters on the earth, have by no means made their method Stateside. However don’t simply consider Kymco as simply one other Asian bikemaker. BMW has employed Kymco’s engines up to now, with Kawasaki even having collaborated on small-displacement fashions.
And this one appears prefer it may simply change the sport for scooters within the US. A big half is the 550cc twin-cylinder, four-stroke engine, which delivers roughly 51 horsepower and 38.4 lb.ft (52 Nm) of torque. That’s greater than sufficient for fast metropolis jaunts and small-to-medium freeway runs. All that with a 100 mph (160 km/h) prime pace.
That’s extra energy than the Royal Enfield 650cc platform generates (47 hp) with comparable torque figures, for reference. Meaning the Kymco AK 550i Premium is extra highly effective than the likes of the Royal Enfield Interceptor, Meteor 650, and even the newly-released Classic 650.
The engine and gearbox have been positioned as far ahead as possible to take care of a balanced weight distribution. The AK 550i sits on an aluminum body and rear swingarm made of sunshine alloy, which makes for an general dry weight of 492 lb (223 kg).
Kymco
Now I do know it’s not the lightest scooter on the market, however do not forget it’s a maxi. Which means max area, max tools, and max consolation. Options like cruise management, electronically adjustable windshield, and two energy modes are all there on the scoot.
You even get traction management and digital throttle management, which preserve all the things exact and predictable. Kymco’s AIBS (Superior Clever Brake System) can be on provide, which was developed along with Bosch. It successfully makes the AK 550i Premium the primary cornering ABS scooter.
As for the cockpit, you get a spherical central show that shows navigation, climate, or different data which you could choose in your smartphone. You’ll be able to even sign incoming quick messages on request, however solely when the scooter is stationary. Toggle switches to regulate the infotainment display screen are on the correct facet of the handlebars.
Facilities like heated grips, a tire stress monitoring system, and keyless entry are all commonplace. You get two glove compartments with a USB charging possibility, easy-to-use buttons for opening the gas filler flap and the front-hinged bench seat, and an adjustable backrest for the rider.
Kymco
Kymco says the AK 550i Premium delivers a gas financial system of 51.1 mpg (4.6 l/100 km). Count on the three.9-gal (14.5-liter) tank to ship a spread of 155-186 miles (250-300 km).
It is priced at $12,199 in the USA. Now, positive, it’s dear for what’s, in essence, a scooter. However when was the final time you might go touring on a 500cc scooter that was equally zippy to go round within the city? For the US market, the AK550i Premium basically steps into a giant void that’s in any other case crammed by the TMAX elsewhere.
However right here’s the factor: scooters within the US are sometimes categorized for metropolis runabouts however not far more. Nevertheless, the arrival of scooters like these may alter that opinion. And Kymco is likely to be the perfect firm to perform that.
Kymco
It may not have grabbed headlines like its Asian counterparts, like BYD or CFMoto, however there’s no denying that the model has been a serious power within the scooter world for many years. Heck, it has established a repute for producing reliable, well-designed, and brilliantly refined scooters. And which may simply be what the AK 550i Premium is all about, too.
Supply: Kymco
