Ak550 weight lies, and scooter thoughts

[HeyZeus1]

Every article I read about the AK550 says it’s heavy. It’s 495lbs wet. The Bergman 650 is 618lbs. The BMW c660 GT is 575lbs. The MP3 500 is over 600lbs. The Tmax 560 is 481 lbs. So don’t believe the lies that the AK550 is heavy. In the scooter segment it is the second lightest mega scooter! It handles better then all of them except the Tmax. I expect it is equal to the Tmax in handling. The fit and finish is equal or better then many of the scooters listed. I think motorcycle only types often review or edit the reviews about our Mega scooters.
   To my Triumph street triple it is heavy and underperforms. For all of my riding needs it performs fantastic. It has a very low center of gravity. My scooter hating motorcycle buddies don’t understand why someone would buy a scooter. They believe a motorcycle offers more bang for the buck. If your metric is just pure performance then a scooter is hard to understand. Until you ride one with an open mind. The AK is a fantastic machine and it feels like a recombinant motorcycle vs a step through scooter. Very motorcycle like but more comfortable. Anyway sorry for the long winded post.

[CROSSBOLT]

Informative, not long winded! 495 wet not too far over DT300i wet.

[Kansas kymco]

About the same weight as my 500 Xicting and it is heavy but that  is what makes the  ride so comfortable on distance rides.  For around town errands lighter weight machines are more nimble. If I'm going on a errand in town I'll take my 150cc scooter. If riding to another town for lunch I'll take a Xicting.  I think the 550 is a excellent scooter as well.

My Xicting weighs 473# my Super 8 weighs 258#

[HeyZeus1]

Apples to apples it is not heavy. Compared to my Vespa it is. Prospective

[john grinsel]

Near 500 lbs is still heavy-----I have had 2 new Honda SilverWing 600's----they were heavy/top heavy feeling and bought new TMAX, it did not feel so heavy, but still heavy.

I have not ridden the new for US Market Kymco, not probably not what I want at 81----old you have lost power----should only ride bike you can pick up alone!    Heavy=HD I have had 4 Electra Glides, including factory sidecar out new '66, now that is heavy!  I think new HD big twins and Indian Chiefs go over 800 lbs dry.   Not for me.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Anything near 500lbs is heavy. It's a quarter ton. So, whoever 'they' are - they're not lying.
And I agree with those who say that my $$ goes further into two-wheel fun if I skip the fat & pricey mega-scoots and buy a motorcycle.
However - I'm pleased that you like your scooter.

Stig

[Kansas kymco]

Stig I own several motorcycles as well of assorted brand's.  I find myself more and more taking the maxi-scooter's  on distant rides. They are extremely comfortable compared to the  bikes which are more spirited handling wise and performance wise. 

I like the marshmallow ride the upright seating position and the protection the faring and windscreen offers.  The maxi-scooters are the cruiser bikes of the scooter world.   The nimble handling of the smaller scooters is a big advantage for stop and go driving, lower speeds and work well for around town but not as comfortable on long distance rides.

My 2 cents worth. You know what everyone says about opinions, everyone has one.

[HeyZeus1]

Anything near 500lbs is heavy. It's a quarter ton. So, whoever 'they' are - they're not lying.
And I agree with those who say that my $$ goes further into two-wheel fun if I skip the fat & pricey mega-scoots and buy a motorcycle.
However - I'm pleased that you like your scooter.

Stig

Compared to the competition in its class it’s the lighter of the mega scooters. Again it is about prospective. My Huskey weighs about 350lbs. While this weighs less it is heavy for a dirt oriented machine. Is it heavy? I have owned Goldwings. Now those could be classified as heavy. What I was trying to convey is that compared to other mega scooters(maxi sounds so feminine) it is of less weight.

[wymple]

Anything near 500lbs is heavy. It's a quarter ton. So, whoever 'they' are - they're not lying.
And I agree with those who say that my $$ goes further into two-wheel fun if I skip the fat & pricey mega-scoots and buy a motorcycle.
However - I'm pleased that you like your scooter.

Stig

I have a Goldwing from 77, not sure of the weight. I have an 81 850 Suzuki 4 cylinder that is over 600 lbs. I have an 84 Moto Guzzi 1000 that is well into the upper 500lb range. I don't think any of them are more fun than my scooter, including (or especially) on the open road. The damn scooter is just more comfortable and less tiring.

[Forbes1964]

Anything near 500lbs is heavy. It's a quarter ton. So, whoever 'they' are - they're not lying.
And I agree with those who say that my $$ goes further into two-wheel fun if I skip the fat & pricey mega-scoots and buy a motorcycle.
However - I'm pleased that you like your scooter.

Stig

The motorcycle has no storage unless you add it externally = less bang for the buck. The end. [emoji28][emoji28]. But seriously, on the average maxi scooter such as the Xciting I was able to store a few items I felt like picking up on the way home. With my former Yamaha Majesty, I was able to carry enough for an overnight trip or for a decent amount of groceries. With the Xciting 250 I was able to comfortably travel in the right lane of a 4 lane US highway at the posted speed limit. With the majesty I was able to keep up with any sane (and some insane) traffic on an interstate all day long.  So if practicality is more of a priority than speed and handling, a maxi scooter is the way to go. If it’s speed and maneuverability, then a motorcycle is the way to go. I guess I’m blabbering a lot to simply say “bang for the buck” is in the eye of the beholder.


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[CROSSBOLT]

There may be a way on a motorcycle to keep your feet relatively dry if caught in a rain squall but only after spending money. Scooters have some kind of fairing built in. Now if scoot builders made panels EASILY removable we would really be in tall cotton!

[Kansas kymco]

The motorcycle has no storage unless you add it externally = less bang for the buck. The end. [emoji28][emoji28]. But seriously, on the average maxi scooter such as the Xciting I was able to store a few items I felt like picking up on the way home. With my former Yamaha Majesty, I was able to carry enough for an overnight trip or for a decent amount of groceries. With the Xciting 250 I was able to comfortably travel in the right lane of a 4 lane US highway at the posted speed limit. With the majesty I was able to keep up with any sane (and some insane) traffic on an interstate all day long.  So if practicality is more of a priority than speed and handling, a maxi scooter is the way to go. If it’s speed and maneuverability, then a motorcycle is the way to go. I guess I’m blabbering a lot to simply say “bang for the buck” is in the eye of the beholder.


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Forbes  I use my Xiciting for store runs and coffee runs twice a day in Ely. Morning to get coffee and Noon to get lunch/ dinner. It's a 14 mile round trip unless I take the senic way that adds a few miles.  I can pick up a few groceries as well and have room under the seat or between my legs on the floor. Now if it only had a coffee cup holder?  Sounds like a gimbal mount coffee holder like is used on boat's would work well and not let it spill.

Since I purchase used you can't get a bigger bang for the buck  in my opinion.

[Stig / Major Tom]

The motorcycle has no storage unless you add it externally = less bang for the buck. The end. [emoji28][emoji28]. But seriously, on the average maxi scooter such as the Xciting I was able to store a few items I felt like picking up on the way home. With my former Yamaha Majesty, I was able to carry enough for an overnight trip or for a decent amount of groceries. With the Xciting 250 I was able to comfortably travel in the right lane of a 4 lane US highway at the posted speed limit. With the majesty I was able to keep up with any sane (and some insane) traffic on an interstate all day long.  So if practicality is more of a priority than speed and handling, a maxi scooter is the way to go. If it’s speed and maneuverability, then a motorcycle is the way to go. I guess I’m blabbering a lot to simply say “bang for the buck” is in the eye of the beholder.


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Merry Christmas Forbes,
You're always causing trouble....see, because the only thing I'm hauling in my scooter at Oh'Dark:30 is a mask and a metal thermos gizmo to pour my coffee into to  keep it warm on a 23°F sidewalk, a little air pump and a patch kit - all of which I could keep in my Y-Fronts if I was on a motorcycle.!

Sure, in my scooter I'm carrying all kinds of tools (which I can never find when doing a valve check - because they're in my scooter!) , and assorted mystery stuff, some ancient Moon-Pies, bits of string, an impossible tangle of bungie cords, a couple spark plugs and a injector or two, a plastic thing so your kick stand doesn't sink into the mud, a flash light, 3 gloves (?), a bulb which may be for the tail light, a $20 bill, painter's tape, owner's manual, expired insurance card (s), half of some kind of a sandwich, used paper towels, tire air things (2 or 3), few doz. other things .....and the bigdam #3 phillips for the heat shield screws on the muffler which work loose.
But I never carry milk, bread, T-paper or groceries ----because I'm only ever going for coffee or to visit the deer -and only at 5:30AM.

I'm not the typical rider here - a nice Honda bike could make me just as happy as are my scooters....and probably for less $ OTD.

Stig





 screws on the muffler which work loose.
But I never carry milk, bread, T-paper or groceries ----because I'm only ever going for coffee or to visit the deer - abd only at 5:30AM.

[Neil955i]

Different strokes...  Just do whatever makes YOU happy 2-wheeler wise and enjoy the ride!


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