First ride. Kymco AK550

Chat about all makes of Maxi scoot here!
abitmad
Posts: 220
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2012 3:16 am

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by abitmad »

Whilst I agree that more choice is good for us consumers, this may be the best scooter in the universe but for me, no extensive dealer network = no sale though I appreciate that others may not see that as so important.

I just checked their website for my nearest dealers. Of the several shown, one had gone bust and all the others except one did not on their own sites show that they dealt with this company at all. Unfortunately this is a vicious circle for the bike business because as the number of buyers and dealers shrink, the process accelerates. Reducing dealer numbers causes reducing buyers which then causes even fewer dealers and so on. It's sad, it reduces choice but it's often a fact of this business.

Clearly then it seems to be largely a dead brand in the UK. That doesn't mean at all that their bikes are not good, but it does mean that it will be a problem to buy, service and that its second value will be dick compared with the leading brands.

MrGrumpy
Benefactor
Posts: 7109
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:50 pm
Current Ride: T-max mk6
Location: Teesside UK

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by MrGrumpy »

SkuTorr wrote:Not so much of a copy as an emulation. Went with the same frame design, better front end dampening design, much larger and better brakes front and rear, much more advanced dash design that will allow upgrades, better rear shock location, better drive belt than that carbon fiber thing the Tmax went to to save OUNCES, a BRILLIANT exhaust that went through over 100 design iterations to get it just right, so you don't need to buy an Akra, has an even BETTER adjustable backrest while Tmax ditched theirs, much easier and cheaper maintenance with adjustable rocker arms on the cams, 50% longer warranty, fully-loaded is still £920 LESS than the standard stripper Tmax and £2,200 LESS than the Tmax DX. 8-)
Bit of a fan??? I think your copy vs emulation point is a bit moot! You can't distinguish them side on....To an extent Kymco have taken bits they make for BMW and shoved them into a Tmax lookalike body.
Is the rear shock location better? As far as I can see its fairly high on left side, whilst its central on the latest Tmax, and I'd have thought it was better in the middle. We'll see about the drive belt - the kymco one looks just like one on the mk4/5 Tmax , which wasn't much cop. The vanishing adjustable backrest on the Tmax is a bit of a mystery! Yamaha may do funny things to save weight, but it does make a difference - the Tmax is 20kg lighter. And, according to tests I've read, despite its significant extra power, the Kymco accelerates no faster than the Tmax and uses more fuel - and with only a 12.5ltr tank, that's bad news.

Which Tmax model is the most appropriate to compare it with isn't straightforward - the Kymco has two riding modes and the smart phone compatibility thingy which the DX model has, but the DX has the nice electric screen and heated seats. Whether you consider such things worth the money is something that each buyer has to decide for themselves.

all-four-inches
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 12:59 am
Current Ride: 2013 T-Max 530 BlackMax

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by all-four-inches »

abitmad wrote:Whilst I agree that more choice is good for us consumers, this may be the best scooter in the universe but for me, no extensive dealer network = no sale though I appreciate that others may not see that as so important.

I just checked their website for my nearest dealers. Of the several shown, one had gone bust and all the others except one did not on their own sites show that they dealt with this company at all. Unfortunately this is a vicious circle for the bike business because as the number of buyers and dealers shrink, the process accelerates. Reducing dealer numbers causes reducing buyers which then causes even fewer dealers and so on. It's sad, it reduces choice but it's often a fact of this business.

Clearly then it seems to be largely a dead brand in the UK. That doesn't mean at all that their bikes are not good, but it does mean that it will be a problem to buy, service and that its second value will be dick compared with the leading brands.
i think the service issue isnt so much of a problem, any decent garage can service pretty much any bike, if they cant just because it is not a popular brand/model then i suggest you need to find a new garage! at the end of the day its just metal and liquids, their properties dont change from bike to bike. But i agree second hand values, outside of the big brands, will always suffer, its the price you pay to get it for less brand new in the first place.

Poor buying options is indeed a big sticking point and likely to be its largest hurdle.

MrGrumpy
Benefactor
Posts: 7109
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:50 pm
Current Ride: T-max mk6
Location: Teesside UK

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by MrGrumpy »

all-four-inches wrote: i think the service issue isnt so much of a problem, any decent garage can service pretty much any bike, if they cant just because it is not a popular brand/model then i suggest you need to find a new garage! .
Interestingly, my local official Kymco dealer outsources anything too complicated to the local workshop I normally
use!

User avatar
StephenC
Benefactor
Posts: 2600
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:24 am
Current Ride: Kymco DT X360
Location: Essex

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by StephenC »

MrGrumpy wrote:
all-four-inches wrote: i think the service issue isnt so much of a problem, any decent garage can service pretty much any bike, if they cant just because it is not a popular brand/model then i suggest you need to find a new garage! .
Interestingly, my local official Kymco dealer outsources anything too complicated to the local workshop I normally
use!
Sounds sensible!
Expert in Close Quarters Combat Filtering
Can is not the same as Should

all-four-inches
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 12:59 am
Current Ride: 2013 T-Max 530 BlackMax

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by all-four-inches »

MrGrumpy wrote:
all-four-inches wrote: i think the service issue isnt so much of a problem, any decent garage can service pretty much any bike, if they cant just because it is not a popular brand/model then i suggest you need to find a new garage! .
Interestingly, my local official Kymco dealer outsources anything too complicated to the local workshop I normally
use!
yeah my local is far better than any "official" or "licensed" place. Its a small family run shop that looks like shit but the peeps that run it know everything there is to know about anything. Wouldnt trust any other garage.

abitmad
Posts: 220
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2012 3:16 am

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by abitmad »

The possible problem with not using an official dealer for servicing or fixing faults within the warranty period is that you may invalidate any warranty claims.

User avatar
smeghead
Benefactor
Posts: 2153
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2012 2:58 am
Current Ride: GTS 300 Touring
Location: Doncaster

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by smeghead »

I used to think that you could get stuff serviced anywhere that competent persons were employed but after a conversation with my son in law I think the best option is to go back to the manufacturers licenced dealers. I have a Vauxhall car, he works for a Vauxhall main dealer, he's been there over 20 years since he was 16. He really has no reason to lie or bullshit me, he's family. He says that when my car goes in for servicing obviously it's done to spec using Vauxhall parts, that goes without saying but there's a bit more. He says when it's hooked up to the computer Vauxhall will automatically download any updates that keep the car running properly and to any specification that may have altered. This keeps it up to date so to speak, it could impact the life of the vehicle as they alter stuff around the emissions and such, this alters how the DPF works and stuff like that. Obviously we don't have Turbo Diesel scooters but modern bikes are more and more dependant upon electronic wizardry. I know when I take the Vespa into Ron Daleys the technician always says he's checked for any updates that may have needed doing. Ask yourself this question, if you were given the choice of two identical vehicles to buy and one was fully serviced by the manufacturers network and one was serviced by Jack the Lad which one would you buy?

User avatar
StephenC
Benefactor
Posts: 2600
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:24 am
Current Ride: Kymco DT X360
Location: Essex

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by StephenC »

Quite agree but it's a different matter if the dealer hands difficult work over to someone else. You still have an arrangement with the dealer and they are the ones who sign off that the work has been done to (Yamaha) standards.
Expert in Close Quarters Combat Filtering
Can is not the same as Should

MrGrumpy
Benefactor
Posts: 7109
Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:50 pm
Current Ride: T-max mk6
Location: Teesside UK

Re: First ride. Kymco AK550

Post by MrGrumpy »

smeghead wrote: He says that when my car goes in for servicing obviously it's done to spec using Vauxhall parts, that goes without saying
Yes, though in the case of Tmax oil filters, it seems Yamaha official parts are crapper than aftermarket ones!!! :lol:

Post Reply