Maxi Scooters are big business in Europe but they've never really taken off in South Africa. Mat tests the new Sym Maxsym and tries to find an answer why.
There seems to be a similar motorcycling mentality in SA as it is in UK. The problem is that people in UK (and SA from what I can see) compare maxis to motorcycles and think: hmm I could have a so and so real bike for same money! Europeans (like me) ride maxis as alternative to cars, and it's cars we compare them to. Much, much cheaper than cars, way better fuel economy, still loads of practicality, no wasting precious time in traffic jams, easy to park pretty much everywhere, free parking pretty much everywhere, low insurance, low running costs etc etc the list goes on. We ride them in suits to work, in shorts to the beach, in jeans and t-shirt to the bar. They are cars to us.
I've had many bikes, including a GL1100 Gold Wing Interstate. I love my little 'automatic' PCX150 scooter for the short trips around town, weaving between cars; it gets around 2.5l/100km and even handles 100km/h (possibly even more) on the freeway. I'm seriously considering the Sym 600i for longer trips. The low center of gravity on these scooters is amazing.
No surprise they don't sell many......wrong scooters have outsold bikes for the last two years. Another point if you want a scooter you will pay the price......if you want a bike you will pay the price for a bike......it's personal choice. I have one of these scooters.......grew up with bikes, will not get rid of my scooter ever......greatest buy ever........
Mentality of a maxi scooter rider: Comfort beats speed. Everyday use beats track days. Effortless fun beats adrenaline. I don't need to impress girls. I don't need to look dangerous. I need to enjoy my ride.
I know a lot of old men, who have given up riding motorcycles, because they do not have the strength (or at least believe that they don't) to ride a modern motor cycle. it seems that the maxi scooters would have a lot to offer, as it wold deliver its power in the manner of the motorcycles of their youth, combined with a low centre of gravity, and modern breaks and handling. I think the hardest task would be convincing them to take a test ride. one American gentleman vloggs in his tmax, and is having a ball.
I think America feels the same way about Maxi Scooters. They are too expensive and not popular especially since California is the only state to allow lane splitting. It should be legal everywhere. Nice review.
In Greece Integra goes for 10400€ and Maxsym 600 for 6000€! Maxsym 400 is only 100 euroes cheaper right now, and 400€ less than Maxsym 600 normal price! Its amazing that 600 is over 25% more expensive than the 400 one at South Africa!
I have the 600 best buy ever.....will not trade it in for any bike....cruise at 130kmh....and get around 28 km litre show me any bike that will give you that. The problem with this review is that it is given by two guys that own motorcycles. Use the scooter for a couple of months then give a review......oh and another thing currently there are more Natis registrations for scooters than that of normal motorcycles. The gos that ride around on bikes are astonishing....I have embarrassed many a bike rider robot to robot....
Well scooters are way more comfortable to ride then a bike. On bikes your forward with body and legs are bent rearwards. Poor passengers sits high and uncomfortable. On Scooter its a relaxed seating position with legs forward and passenger sits comfortable. And the last 4 years have proven the presenters unfortunately wrong.
There seems to be a similar motorcycling mentality in SA as it is in UK.
The problem is that people in UK (and SA from what I can see) compare maxis to motorcycles and think: hmm I could have a so and so real bike for same money!
Europeans (like me) ride maxis as alternative to cars, and it's cars we compare them to. Much, much cheaper than cars, way better fuel economy, still loads of practicality, no wasting precious time in traffic jams, easy to park pretty much everywhere, free parking pretty much everywhere, low insurance, low running costs etc etc the list goes on. We ride them in suits to work, in shorts to the beach, in jeans and t-shirt to the bar. They are cars to us.
I've had many bikes, including a GL1100 Gold Wing Interstate. I love my little 'automatic' PCX150 scooter for the short trips around town, weaving between cars; it gets around 2.5l/100km and even handles 100km/h (possibly even more) on the freeway. I'm seriously considering the Sym 600i for longer trips. The low center of gravity on these scooters is amazing.
No surprise they don't sell many......wrong scooters have outsold bikes for the last two years. Another point if you want a scooter you will pay the price......if you want a bike you will pay the price for a bike......it's personal choice. I have one of these scooters.......grew up with bikes, will not get rid of my scooter ever......greatest buy ever........
I can see the appeal in Europe for sure, that price is a little tough though, but lots of storage and easier for non bike people to ride
Mentality of a maxi scooter rider:
Comfort beats speed. Everyday use beats track days. Effortless fun beats adrenaline.
I don't need to impress girls. I don't need to look dangerous. I need to enjoy my ride.
I know a lot of old men, who have given up riding motorcycles, because they do not have the strength (or at least believe that they don't) to ride a modern motor cycle.
it seems that the maxi scooters would have a lot to offer, as it wold deliver its power in the manner of the motorcycles of their youth, combined with a low centre of gravity, and modern breaks and handling.
I think the hardest task would be convincing them to take a test ride. one American gentleman vloggs in his tmax, and is having a ball.
I think America feels the same way about Maxi Scooters. They are too expensive and not popular especially since California is the only state to allow lane splitting. It should be legal everywhere. Nice review.
I agree I think the US is regulating Lane splitting to keep 2 wheel sales down. They don't want our city's turning into Rome where scooters dominate
Nathan Ton They prefer to keep your cities where traffic jams dominate? Counterlogical in my book.
American the home of counterlogic. We like doing things the slow and expensive way.
In Greece Integra goes for 10400€ and Maxsym 600 for 6000€! Maxsym 400 is only 100 euroes cheaper right now, and 400€ less than Maxsym 600 normal price! Its amazing that 600 is over 25% more expensive than the 400 one at South Africa!
I have the 600 best buy ever.....will not trade it in for any bike....cruise at 130kmh....and get around 28 km litre show me any bike that will give you that. The problem with this review is that it is given by two guys that own motorcycles. Use the scooter for a couple of months then give a review......oh and another thing currently there are more Natis registrations for scooters than that of normal motorcycles. The gos that ride around on bikes are astonishing....I have embarrassed many a bike rider robot to robot....
Difficult to get parts in uk I'm sure
Well scooters are way more comfortable to ride then a bike. On bikes your forward with body and legs are bent rearwards. Poor passengers sits high and uncomfortable. On Scooter its a relaxed seating position with legs forward and passenger sits comfortable. And the last 4 years have proven the presenters unfortunately wrong.
M to the A to the X...
Mines a max beast in uk 😂😂
These are not scooters, they are motorcycles.
Meant to say the egos that ride motorcyled
Only for “scooter guys”.
bikers testing scooters. mate...no wonder you can't appreciate it. comparing apples and oranges
Bergman 650 copy