2018 Bikesales Bike of the Year: Kymco AK 550

Did you hear the one about the Kymco AK 550 maxi scooter and the Panigale V4 S? We didn’t either until the 2018 Bike of the Year ride in Tasmania, as the $37K Italian superbike was going toe to toe with the Taiwanese terrier on a maze of wet, tight roads around Queenstown.

Now that you’ve stopped giggling, consider this: with such a low centre of gravity, the AK 550 is lighter and easier to manage than the specs would suggest, which means the maxi-scooter corners – and punches out of them – with more dexterity and balance than most people would give it credit for. That Queenstown slosh was a case-in-point – and the Kymco also gets by nicely on dry roads too, thank you very much...

Of course, for the majority of scooter riders, claiming sportsbike ‘scalps’ couldn’t be further from their thought processes, as comfort, convenience and practicality take precedence. However, maxi scooters add a freewheeling nature and even more versatility into the mix, as we’ve been reminded of time and time again over the years with machines from the likes of Suzuki, Yamaha and BMW.

They can hang tough with motorcycles, and that’s why the AK 550 – as the scooter winner in our 2018 Bikesales Bike of the Year awards – made the journey on the Spirit of Tasmania to Devonport. And our assertions proved to be right: the $11,990 plus on roads AK 550 wasn’t out of its depth.

Scooters pull together a straightforward recipe, and the AK 550 is no different – although it sports some hi-tech auxilliary features such as Bluetooth connectivity, a USB charger, LED lighting, heated hand grips, tyre pressure monitoring and a complementary smartphone app.

The urge is provided from a 550cc parallel-twin engine with a claimed output of 53.4hp (39.3kW) and 55.6Nm, and the dry weight is 226kg. There are two riding modes, normal and eco, although you’d be hard pressed to find a difference between them.

The transmission is typical scooter CVT fare, and it has radial-mount Brembo front brakes. The Kymco tracks on 15-inch Metzeler rubber, and the suspension package includes a 41mm upside-down fork.

The Kymco has a key fob – a massive one at that – which can be tucked away in your pocket or in one of the two available glove boxes.

We knew what the AK 550 was capable of after taking it for a spin alongside the Suzuki Burgman 400 earlier this year. On that occasion, the Kymco’s acceleration and top-end muscle over the single-cylinder Suzuki was expected, but it was also more sure-footed than its competitor.

The AK 550 has an ideal blend of stability and agility – even at high speeds. It just handles beautifully, to the extent that a lot of us were trail-braking into turns, exerting maximum force on the chassis and suspension. Even though that front tyre is miles away from the handlebars, the AK 550 just feels planted.

And speaking of distance, those mirrors – hanging off massive storks – are positioned a long way from the rider, but offer excellent vision.

I digress – back to the AK’s handling prowess. It just soaked up the BOTY pressure without skipping a beat, and that ability to maintain a higher corner speed than what you’d expect also places less stress on the engine and CVT transmission. It’s an impressive cocktail, even on less than ideal surfaces – although I must admit we didn’t see a lot of those in Tasmania. Generally, the roads were in excellent condition.

The AK 550 recorded average fuel consumption of 6.3lt/100km. It certainly consumed a little more in the Apple Isle than the last time we rode it, but we did stretch its legs for a lot longer. The fuel capacity is 15 litres, and all that weight is carried down low.

A handful of front and rear brake stops the AK 550 in a rapid and balanced manner. Both the brake levers are span adjustable, too, and there’s Bosch ABS.

There is plenty of room for riders of most shapes and sizes on the Kymco, as well as a decent amount of weather protection – which came in handy as the heavens opened on day two.

Riders can place their feet either in the floorboards or in a forward position, depending on your mood, comfort levels and body size. Both the rider and pillion seats are ultra-expansive, and there’s a grab rail for the pillion.

The seat’s width nullifies that low 785mm seat height to some degree, as the rider’s legs are quite splayed. I’m 172cm tall and found myself struggling to find terra firma on a few occasions.

The AK’s seat is hinged from the rear, so if you try and open it the wrong way – like yours truly – you won’t get too far…. Once the seat’s opened you’ll find plenty of storage space and an interior light.

If you’re feeling homesick, you can take advantage of the machine’s Bluetooth connectivity and the free ‘Noodoe’ smartphone app.

This means that – with the AK 550 at a standstill – riders can cycle through their smartphone notifications, while on the move it's possible to cycle through up to six of your favourite photos, which are displayed on the centre oval TFT display of the AK's impressive instruments. If photos aren’t your caper, you can chose to display an analogue-style clock or a digital speedo, the latter with a (small) clock.

The ability to network and integrate are the big take-outs from the Noodoe app, and this will undoubtedly advance in years to come with features like real-time traffic updates.

The most inexpensive machine on the BOTY ride delivered exceptional bang for the bucks. Maxi scooters certainly don’t have universal appeal – they are a hard sell in Australia – but when you take a balanced look at what the AK 550 offers there’s plenty there to get enthused.

And the price is right on the Kymco, from a company whose bread-and-butter is making scooters across a number of guises – even electric.

RELATED LINKS
• 2018 Bike of the Year: Intro
• BMW S 1000 XR HP
• BMW K 1600 Grand America
• Ducati Panigale V4 S
• Harley-Davidson Fat Bob 114
• Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports
• Kawasaki Z900RS Cafe
• KTM 1290 Super Duke GT
• Kymco AK 550
• Yamaha MT-09SP
• Getting there: Spirit of Tasmania
• The Motley Crew
• Fiat Ducato
• The top three
• BOTY in summary
• BOTY overall winner

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, eight-valve parallel twin
Capacity: 550cc
Engine management: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 52.7hp (39.3kW) at 7500rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 55.6Nm at 5500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: CVT
Clutch: Wet, automatic

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Aluminium
Front suspension: 41mm upside-down fork
Front brake: Twin 270mm discs with Brembo radial mounted four-piston calipers, Bosch ABS
Rear brake: Single 260mm disc with single-piston caliper, Bosch ABS
Wheels: Cast aluminium
Tyres: Metzeler Feelfree – 120/70-15 front, 160/60-15 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed dry weight: 226kg
Seat height: 785mm
Wheelbase: 1580mm
Fuel capacity: 15 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $11,990 plus on-road costs
Colour: Grey
Test bike supplied Mojo Motorycles
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres