Where is the AK550

[Grumpy old man]

What is going on in the scooter world?  I just got teed by a cager and need to replace my 2015 T Max, and have always thought that the AK550 was a better scooter however there is a glitch  It has to do with Kymco USA the won't bring in anything larger than a 300
So I took a look at Suzuki and the Bergman 650 is not in the USA this year either.
How about the Honda Silverwing? nope they only have the 289 Forza.
Yamaha?  Nothing over 299cc  What is going on I love my maxi scooter's and I love scooting but am seriously considering a cheaper motorcycle.   

[Stig / Major Tom]

Language is not what we were looking for here.
 One time edit by moderator.
Stig

[KymcoRockr]

Kymco USA won't bring in anything that won't sell.
The market for big scooters is fairly small in the US.  BMW is taking a lot of the market, and now that they are moving down to 400ccs, it's going to be interesting to see what the Japanese do.

[Viper254]

We have had the AK550 in the EU for a year or so now. It's a great shame that you don't have the option for it over there.

[Stig / Major Tom]

We have had the AK550 in the EU for a year or so now. It's a great shame that you don't have the option for it over there.

Not surprising. ...the billious Burgman 650 has an avid follwing among the geriatric set, and the Honda Silverwing has fans....but big scooters are hard for American dealers to move off the lot. Scooter purchases are just very rare in most of this country.
Big sellers here are p-up trucks (favorite truck accessory 'round here are a nice set of hanging rubber testicles. So, you get the idea of our culture level.)
Stig

[beermak]

You can have it in argentina at a bargin for 17500usd. Initially sold for 22000 but at 25000 the bmw they had no chance


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[gregspeople250]

I am another TMAX rider that would love to have the AK550 option available to me.
I'm going to keep riding my 2009 TMAX until Kymco brings the AK550 or Yamaha brings back the TMAX WITH ABS. If they simply bring the TMAX with non-ABS, I won't opt for the TMAX.
Kymco: Please bring the AK550!

[Viper254]

Not surprising. ...the billious Burgman 650 has an avid follwing among the geriatric set, and the Honda Silverwing has fans....but big scooters are hard for American dealers to move off the lot. Scooter purchases are just very rare in most of this country.
Big sellers here are p-up trucks (favorite truck accessory 'round here are a nice set of hanging rubber testicles. So, you get the idea of our culture level.)
Stig

But you get pick up trucks - we don't get many of them! So you win some, you lose some, I suppose.

[john grinsel]

US does not get big scooters because they do not sell or are too expensive----My 2019 X-Town 300I is/has fine performance when ridden as scooter----I speak from over 400,000 miles of rubber band drive scooters, 10 new ones, including TMAX.

Is big heavy scooter even fun to ride?   Want/need performance get a motorcycle, hopefully one with centerstand.

[Stig / Major Tom]

But you get pick up trucks - we don't get many of them! So you win some, you lose some, I suppose.

I used to make fun of truck owners. Then I sold my Jetta, and set about bus and scooter work commuting through Ohio winters.
My mother in law found out. She said, "Don, sell that boy your truck! You hardly use it."
He offered it for $10K, then $5K -with easy payments. I honestly was not try for a better deal. I just didn't see any need for it.
Then my wife handed me an envelope. "It's the title to Dad's truck."
Crap, now I'm a p-up owner. It's probably a Chevy...but I've only had it for 2 yrs.
Teenage daughter loves driving us around in it.
She's always laughing for some reason.
Stig

[Grumpy old man]

My Bad for the language, pain killer's are my excuse with left leg, and right arm broken it will be a few weeks before I am riding again and I'm starting to crawl the wall's  I need to get some wind therapy...  The real reason behind the post was Why did all of the manufactures stop selling Maxi Scooters?  Kymco made some horrible marketing mistakes with the 700 If they had allowed it to sell in the USA the first year it was out it would have done well, the story I heard was that they purposely kept it out of the market to prevent competition with the Kymco powered BMW.  I don't know how much truth there is to that but the other part of the story is that by the time it arrived it was dated The design was old no LED lighting and cramped without the luggage for a touring class scooter.  It was pretty pathetic.  There is a sweet spot for large scooters and I really believe that the AK 550 would be a winner.   

[Stig / Major Tom]

The AK550 could very well be a great scooter. ...but the issue is whether enough Americans would buy them. We as a country do not buy many scooters of any size.
Also, the price of that scooter would be in the range of a great many motorcycles - which American riders already prefer over scooters.
I'm going to a blessing of the bikes today at my mega dealer. I expect to be on the only scooter again, for the 4th year.
Are your broken limbs from a riding accident?

Stig

[Grumpy old man]

Yep on the 19th of April I got into an accident with a SUV turning left in front of me in spite of a semi parked on the right lane of the highway creating a major blind spot for everyone, I have a broken left leg and broken right arm which is a real pain trying to get around.

 The 2015 T max with 31,000 miles on it was probably totaled and now I am realizing that there are no new substitutes available for sale in the USA.  I wouldn't mind a 300 but I just don't fit them I would need highway pegs handlebar riser's and a larger windscreen just to start I like to distance ride and have earned a saddle sore with the T Max several times.
  I have always admired the AK 550 and have been very happy with our Kymco's I still have an 06 Grand vista that I will probably get running and use until I find something more highway suitable as I commute 62 miles a day to work.  wish me luck with the outcome I did hire a motorcycle accident lawyer to advise and represent me. now it's just a waiting and healing game.   Shalom.

[Viper254]

Best of luck with the healing. Sorry to hear about your prang!

[Stig / Major Tom]

Yep on the 19th of April I got into an accident with a SUV turning left in front of me in spite of a semi parked on the right lane of the highway creating a major blind spot for everyone, I have a broken left leg and broken right arm which is a real pain trying to get around.

 The 2015 T max with 31,000 miles on it was probably totaled and now I am realizing that there are no new substitutes available for sale in the USA.  I wouldn't mind a 300 but I just don't fit them I would need highway pegs handlebar riser's and a larger windscreen just to start I like to distance ride and have earned a saddle sore with the T Max several times.
  I have always admired the AK 550 and have been very happy with our Kymco's I still have an 06 Grand vista that I will probably get running and use until I find something more highway suitable as I commute 62 miles a day to work.  wish me luck with the outcome I did hire a motorcycle accident lawyer to advise and represent me. now it's just a waiting and healing game.   Shalom.

Usually there is something we can learn from one of these crashes.
Would you care to offer a thought on what the rest of us might take away here?
Stig