First Aussie ride: SYM GTS300i Sport

Taiwanese scooter brand SYM has unveiled its latest scooter, the 278.3cc single-cylinder GTS300i Sport.

The
GTS300i Sport is available locally right now. Priced at a pretty competitive
$7599, it replaces the $6199 Firenze300i in SYM's local line-up, and
adds another 5.4hp as well (up to 29hp).

The bike lands at a
challenging time for the scooter sector, with the popularity of scooters
in Australia declining. In fact 2015 first half sales are down a significant
25.9 per cent compared to first half 2014 figures.
It continues
to baffle us why this should be the case, with scooters making eminent
sense when it comes to urban living. Okay, if you are a sheep farmer in
Cunnamulla, we get why there is little appeal. But, for useage in and
around major cities, there really is no more efficient means of
transport. Go to any major Asian or European city to see this borne out.

We reckon this is likely to change, with smart state
governments legislating to allow lane-splitting. You’ll be at work early
on a scooter, and parking is either free of charge or way cheaper. It
should simply be a matter of time before this sinks into the stubborn
Australian motorcycle psyche.

So, to the GTS300i. In the scheme
of things this is a (smaller) maxi-scooter, with enough poke that allows
it outside the bounds of hipster-filled inner urban going. With that in
mind, we took the opportunity to spend a week with the bike, to toss
some real world running at it. Our test saw freeway running in addition
to suburban and indeed some inner city use. In short, just about
everything the bike is likely to face when operating in its natural
habitat.

Scooters are easy climbed aboard and offer good comfort.
The 300i has a stepped seat offering oodles of room, particularly for
the passenger, whose vision is aided by the second-tier seat. If you
have ever stared at the back of a helmet for days on end, you’ll get why
this is a big plus in regard to long-distance ergonomics. We would have
liked the step in the seat to be just a touch further back, giving a
bit more room to the rider, at the expense of all that space for the
passenger. After all, it’s that front seat that is going to get the
majority of road time.

Hit the electric start button and it's
immediately obvious that the Sport is quiet and unobtrusive, which is
great for wheeling it out from under a stairwell in a block of flats.
The neighbours may not share your affection for two-wheeled transport,
and its perceived associated noise. Again, scooters make sense.

The
bike has angular and futuristic styling which is accentuated by things
such as the mirror-incorporated blinkers, and classy four-dial
instrument panel. Information offered here includes a clock-type speedo,
tacho, temperature and fuel gauges. The centre of the tacho offers a
trip computer with a comprehensive array of functions. Neatly packaged
and practical.

The GTS300i Sport comes at standard with ABS
brakes, hooked up to wave discs. Stopping is via right hand lever
operating the front brake and left lever the rear. Braking is quite
good, once you get used to where it all is. A nice dynamic is the manner in
which the bike can be ‘steadied’ at low speeds at the ’bars. A touch of
rear brake, with the slightest of throttle allows easy service station
going and low speed maneuvers. All this is aided by a nice low centre of
gravity, with the 12lt fuel tank housed in the footwell.

There’s
a huge lockable storage area located under the seat, which will allow
shopping trips and the like. There’s room for a laptop and a helmet,
which means not lugging your lid when off the bike.

A super touch
is the leg heater located on the lower headstock. Scooter configuration
allows room for the sort of ducting required for this type of thing and
it really represents a leap forward. Taswegians, take note.

The
bike offers pretty good performance, with my commute seeing 140km/h on
the freeway, and there is more than enough instant go, thanks to the CVT
(constant variable transmission) auto set-up, to get away at lights.
CVT operation is a little different when encountered for the first time,
but it really offers many advantages in regard to scooter applications.
There are no discernible ‘steps’ in power delivery, revs remain
relatively high and this all means there is power on tap regardless of
engine or road speed. Very user-friendly, and the 300’s engine is a
willing performer.

There’s a sidestand (as well as the more
traditional centrestand) on the Sport and this is smart. Scooters, for
all their maneuverability when on the move, can be a little unwieldy
when being manually pushed around. You get used to it, but pulling one
up on a centrestand, particularly on uneven ground, can be a bit of a
trap for young players. A simple flick of the sidestand avoids all this.

Other
touches see a 12-volt power outlet and USB charging port and stop/start
technology fitted. For those that my not like stop/start, and I have to
admit to being one of them, this is simply disabled at the touch of a
button. It does save fuel though and GTS300i Sport is a pretty frugal
thing to start with. SYM claims 2.8l/100km and that’s doable in the
right circumstances. Build and finish is tidy and the bike’s appearance
belies its pretty competitive price of $7599 plus on-road costs.

Motorcyclists
and scooter riders belong to different tribes, and this is especially so
in the domestic Australian market. Those lines will blur as the urban
sprawl of our cities shows little sign of diminishing, and the pure
sense of a scooter takes hold of the commuter marketplace.

The
300i also brings country running into the game, with comfortable power
and road manners for long distance use. Even two-up, there is enough go
to get you there with a good degree of sporting ability also in the mix.
Toss your clothes, toothbrush and credit card into the storage area and
head away for the weekend, or jump on and get to and from work with
ease.

It’s priced right, fills a spot in the market nicely and
does everything it says on the tin. In short, this is practicality central.

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 17.2kw at 7500rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 24.6Nm at 5500rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Automatic
Final drive: CVT

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Dry weight: 184kg
Seat height: 755mm
Wheelbase: 1495mm
Fuel capacity: 12 litres

OTHER STUFF
Price: $7599
Colours: Matte black
Bike supplied by: Select Scootas, scoota.com.au
Warranty: 48 months, unlimited kilometres