The new Kymco AK550 takes scootering into the space age.
The new Kymco AK550 has the curves of a super touring scooter and wouldn’t look out of place on the set of a new Batman movie. It fills the senses with more than just a nice side-on, or a tantalising tail-end view. From all angles this Taiwanese machine pours gorgeousness into your life.
The futuristic front end reminds me of an alien spacecraft from an episode of Star Trek, while for some reason the cockpit takes me back to the original Battlestar Galactica TV series. Suddenly I’m back to being a small child wanting desperately to be Starbuck, launching in his Colonial Viper to fight the might of the Cylon Empire. Without even turning on the keyless ignition system I was dreaming of blasting through the skies, let alone along B-roads and dual carriageways; as looks go, this is one mighty fine scooter.
The underseat storage space (which has a weight capacity of 10kg) takes a standard open face helmet, or a small-shell full face, plus a few extras (say a set of waterproofs). What is a nice touch is the LED light that comes on when the seat is lifted. Additional storage space is provided by two small front compartments, one of which houses a standard 12v power output to charge your phone or sat nav.
ON THE MOVE It’s a little bit of a ‘rabbit in the headlights’ scenario, looking at all the switches and buttons when first placing yourself in the captain’s chair of the AK. But what’s seemingly a baffling collection of controls soon makes complete sense. All the basics are just where they should be, and they seem reassuringly sturdy.
Denne historien er fra May 2018-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2018-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.