Rod Chapman•5 Apr 2013

REVIEW

Aprilia SR Max 300

Name: Aprilia SR Max 300
Brand: Aprilia

Half regular scoot, half maxi scoot – does Aprilia's impressive SR Max 300 have a niche of its own? We attempt to answer that very question

Aprilia bills its stylish SR Max 300 as a 'maxi scooter' but, really, with a modest 278cc capacity I suspect that's stretching the truth. Granted, it does have maxi-scooter styling and physically it's far bigger than any low-capacity city scoot, but in my eyes it's in a different class to true maxis like Suzuki's 650 Burgman, Yamaha's recently updated TMAX 530, and certainly Aprilia's own imminent SRV 850 – especially when you take its $6990 (plus on-roads) price tag into account. So where does the SR Max 300 fit in? Let's take a closer look and find out.

If the SR Max 300 seems familiar, it's because it is – it's actually a rebadged Gilera Nexus, a model that first hit the Australian market back in 2006. Parent company Piaggio owns both the Gilera and Aprilia brands (and Vespa and Moto Guzzi, among others), and so this 'latest' Aprilia also represents a bit of 'badge engineering'. Still, that's not necessarily a bad thing because the Nexus was a <I>good<I> thing – more so in its 460cc format, rather than the 244cc format that shared the same chassis (but wasn't available in Australia).

The basic plot sees a double-cradle tubular-steel frame mated to a liquid-cooled and fuel-injected four-valve, four-stroke 278cc single-cylinder Quasar engine. This pumps out a relatively modest 16kW at 7250rpm and 23Nm at 6000rpm, the urge fed to the back hoop via a CVT automatic transmission and a direct final drive.

A non-adjustable fork is complemented by twin shocks down the back, each adjustable for preload via stepped, threaded collars. You get a single disc brake with a twin-piston caliper at either end – it's a 260mm disc with braided steel line up the front and a 240mm item with rubber line at the rear. There's no ABS option, more's the pity.

The SR Max 300 weighs in with a claimed dry weight of 161kg, so you're talking about an appreciable wet weight once you've added a rider (or two), luggage, and a full 15 litres of fuel (a very generous capacity for a scooter of any description, that's for sure). The 1515mm wheelbase will outstrip those of the majority of regular motorcycles while the scoot rolls on a 15-inch front wheel and a 14-inch rear.

The Latin marques have a certain reputation for style and the SR Max 300 doesn't disappoint. It looks gorgeous from a distance and the quality of the fit and finish only becomes more evident the closer you get. The flush-fitting bodywork wraps harmoniously around the chassis and there are numerous classy touches – the quality flip-out pillion 'pegs, the stepped seat, and the instrumentation, to name just a few.

The Bikesales Network's test scooter was fitted with a sweet Arrow exhaust – it's a full system done in steel, which looks the business and costs $649. It also had a factory top box – a steal at just $165.

Thumbing the starter saw that Arrow pipe spitting out a pleasingly throaty note. It's not enough to bother the neighbours, but it's miles better than the standard 'strangled vacuum' note with which most stock scoots are lumbered these days. Aprilia doesn't mention any performance gain so you can safely assume this pipe is all about the aesthetics.

The 815mm seat height doesn't sound insurmountable but bear in mind it's also a rather broad perch. I'm 188cm tall (6ft 2in) and I could just get my feet down flat, but for those of average height and below it will be a tippy-toe affair at the lights, which may or may not be of concern. Winding on the light throttle to the stop sees the SR Max surge forward with pleasing if not exactly ferocious pace. It'll pull ahead of the tip-tops easily enough from a red light – at least it did for this 92kg solo passenger without luggage – but the oomph levels off after 100km/h and on flat ground it tops out around 130km/h. The tacho's showing 6000rpm at 100km/h and 8000rpm at 130km/h, but it feels like it could pull the latter all day. The on-board computer had 143km/h registered as the top recorded speed, but I can only imagine that was achieved on a lengthy decent – you'd certainly have to be trying.

It's a faithful companion on the open road; the expansive screen (manually adjustable through a range of three settings) and upper headlight cowl wind deflectors provide excellent weather protection, while the seat is superb – nicely compliant and with the benefit of a decent lumbar support. At my height I found the cockpit space a bit limited: I had to place my feet flat on the floorboards the whole time because the feet-forward position offered little extra legroom, and in any case my size-nine hoofs were too big for the provided foot pads. At least the handlebar/knee clearance wasn't an issue when heading down the highway – the 'bar ends did tend to clip my knees when doing U-turns in town, not that this would be such an issue for less-lanky riders.

The scoot's luggage-carrying capacity will impress. The underseat storage bay is cavernous and will accept a full-face lid plus a heap of gear. The power socket and light are nice touches and the fuses and tool kit are all easy to get to. Want more space? At just $165 the factory topbox is well worth the money. It's lockable, includes all mounting hardware and will also fit a full-face lid.

Pillions get a good deal too, with sturdy grabrails either side of the broad pillion seat. Pillions sit a little higher than the rider so they could well get a bit of a view ahead (better than staring at the back of a helmet, but of course it all depends on the relative heights of both rider and pillion), albeit at the expense of a little less weather protection. Naturally, acceleration and fuel economy will suffer a little with an extra bod on the back.

I tackled some winding and fairly bumpy roads in the Macedon Ranges just north of Melbourne and I have to say the SR Max put on a thoroughly competent display. It tips into corners in a considered manner – it's still no sports bike – but once it's locked in it holds a line nicely and it takes a significant bump or pothole to disturb its composure. With its 14/15-inch wheel set and generally decent springs, it handles well – certainly better than the vast majority of scooters – and I had no complaints about its Michelin City Grip tyres either.

Give the lever a decent squeeze and the brakes deliver a good amount of power and reasonable feel, but I can't help but think that many potential buyers would tick an ABS option were it available.

The powerplant is at its most impressive around town, where the cut and thrust of city traffic brings its decent 0 to 60km/h acceleration to the fore. It's not the lightest scoot going but its agility belies its weight and dimensions, although those otherwise excellent mirrors do necessitate care when filtering through stopped traffic.

One major plus to the SR Max's credit is its range. Over a mix of city and country riding I recorded an average fuel economy of 19.4km/h. That's reasonable in itself (decent by motorcycle standards, if a little thirsty by general scooter standards), but with a massive (for scooters) 15lt tank that's a safe range of around 270km. I'll wager significantly more would be possible if long-haul highway miles are on the agenda.

The instrumentation sees a central analogue speedo placed between an analogue tacho to the left and an LCD digital display to the right. The latter is comprehensive indeed, the on-board trip computer allowing the rider to dial up average fuel consumption, actual fuel consumption, average trip speed, maximum recorded speed, battery voltage and range to empty. You can also cycle through a trip meter, the odometer and a clock, and there's a bar-style engine temperature gauge and a fuel gauge.

So where exactly does Aprilia's SR Max 300 fit into the increasingly diverse scooter landscape? Priced at just $6990, I'd say it's a bargain-basement 'maxi lite' scooter and it’s also a worthy learner option. It doesn't have the performance to match the true maxis, but its finish is up there with the best and, if you're not too tall, it's got the comfort to match its ability to handle just about any road-riding scenario, city or country.

Visit the Aprilia SR Max 300 in Bike Showroom

SPECS: APRILIA SR MAX 300

ENGINE

Type: Liquid-cooled, four-valve, four-stroke, single-cylinder

Capacity: 278cc

Bore x stroke: 75mm x 63mm

Compression ratio: Not given

Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

PERFORMANCE

Maximum power: 22hp (16kW) at 7250rpm

Maximum torque: 23Nm at 6000rpm

TRANSMISSION

Type: CVT automatic

Final drive: Direct

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR

Frame type: Double cradle tubular-steel trellis

Front suspension: 35mm telescopic forks, non-adjustable

Rear suspension: Twin shocks, adjustable for preload

Front brake: 260mm disc with twin-piston caliper

Rear brake: 240mm disc with twin-piston caliper

Tyres: Michelin City Grip

Tyre sizes: 120/70-15 (front) and 140/60-14

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES

Claimed dry weight: 161kg

Seat height: 815mm

Wheelbase: 1515mm

Fuel capacity: 15 litres

OTHER STUFF

Price: $6990

Colours: Black/red or white/black

Test bike supplied by: John Sample Automotive

Web: www.aprilia.com.au

Warranty: Two years, unlimited kilometres

Aprilia SR Max 300

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