KYMCO have gained quite a stronghold on the UK scooter market in recent years thanks to their competitively priced and well-built scooters. The latest offering to land on our shores is this Super 8, an attractive 125cc with a price tag of just £1699 on the road.
One of the reasons behind KYMCO’s UK success is the experience of their importer, Shrewsbury-based MASCO. The well established firm operates from a unit located close to Ironbridge Gorge, the birthplace of Britain’s industrial revolution. From their HQ a dedicated team oversee the spares and technical backup for the UK dealers and new machines are put through their paces around the leafy lanes and open countryside of rural Shropshire.
We’re spoilt for choice these days; when it comes to scooters there are literally dozens of manufacturers producing machines from 50cc up to the latest twin cylinder 850cc superscoots. The vast majority are of excellent quality, reliable and (as all scooters should be) affordable too. Personal choice, budget and the range offered by your local scooter shop are often the biggest deciding factors when it comes to deciding what you ride.The Super 8 sits nicely on its 14in six-spoke alloy wheels, while the lustrous two-tone red and black paintwork and sporty graphics help to make this scooter stand out from the crowd. As you’d expect from a competitively priced modern scooter, the KYMCO is powered by a clean burning single cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke engine. It has an electric start and a compact but useful storage area beneath the stepped dual seat; the fuel tank is also located under there. Pillions are well catered for, with pop-out alloy foot pegs and a grab rail, so you can share your journey with a friend if the mood takes you. Other useful features include a headlight flash button, a digital clock and a fuel gauge (an important item that many modern motorbikes costing five times as much as the KYMCO don’t have).
As 125cc scooters go, the Super 8 is surprisingly lively off the mark and good fun to ride. It’ll accelerate fairly quickly and soon hit an indicated 60mph – there’s a bit more to come as well if you keep the throttle pinned. Road holding is great, the decent sized wheels help to dissipate the lumps and bumps quite well and the twin shocks work well too, you can stiffen the preload a bit as well if you’re an enthusiastic rider or want to carry a pillion. A fashionable wavy front disc provides the stopping power and although the rear drum is adequate for the job it’s not as strong as it could be.Many scooter riders only use their machines in urban areas (usually for relatively short journeys), but they’re missing out on some fantastic riding because there’s plenty of fun to be had out in the sticks. My test route near Shrewsbury took in some quaint rural villages, complete with picturesque thatched cottages and meandering streams. I also whizzed by a well preserved Roman village and found some superb twisty roads once I got off the beaten track. You don’t need superbike type power or speed to enjoy the tight bends or flowing corners, a scooter is quick enough on many A and B roads. 125cc scooters are more than up to the job of blasting around country lanes and even taking in the odd dual carriageway or motorway journey (providing you’ve got a full licence that is).
Half the fun of test riding a scooter is exploring new places and finding areas that you wouldn’t normally see. We turn up at some remote importer’s unit and head off into the unknown on an unfamiliar scooter, quite often getting hopelessly lost in the process, but it all adds to the fun. Why not take your own scooter out on a magical mystery tour instead of plodding along the same old roads on every journey? Take an unsigned road and follow your nose, rather than just sticking to what you know. Make sure you’ve got plenty of fuel in your scooter though; the orange fuel light on the KYMCO was glowing ominously for miles without even a house, never mind a petrol station in sight! Thankfully, I finally found my way back into civilisation, without having to find out how easy a Super 8 is to push to a distant garage.
For less than £1700 you’re getting a nice looking, practical scooter. If you like the style but aren’t old enough to ride a 125cc, it’s also available as a learner-legal 50 for just £1299.
One of the reasons behind KYMCO’s UK success is the experience of their importer, Shrewsbury-based MASCO. The well established firm operates from a unit located close to Ironbridge Gorge, the birthplace of Britain’s industrial revolution. From their HQ a dedicated team oversee the spares and technical backup for the UK dealers and new machines are put through their paces around the leafy lanes and open countryside of rural Shropshire.
We’re spoilt for choice these days; when it comes to scooters there are literally dozens of manufacturers producing machines from 50cc up to the latest twin cylinder 850cc superscoots. The vast majority are of excellent quality, reliable and (as all scooters should be) affordable too. Personal choice, budget and the range offered by your local scooter shop are often the biggest deciding factors when it comes to deciding what you ride.The Super 8 sits nicely on its 14in six-spoke alloy wheels, while the lustrous two-tone red and black paintwork and sporty graphics help to make this scooter stand out from the crowd. As you’d expect from a competitively priced modern scooter, the KYMCO is powered by a clean burning single cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke engine. It has an electric start and a compact but useful storage area beneath the stepped dual seat; the fuel tank is also located under there. Pillions are well catered for, with pop-out alloy foot pegs and a grab rail, so you can share your journey with a friend if the mood takes you. Other useful features include a headlight flash button, a digital clock and a fuel gauge (an important item that many modern motorbikes costing five times as much as the KYMCO don’t have).
As 125cc scooters go, the Super 8 is surprisingly lively off the mark and good fun to ride. It’ll accelerate fairly quickly and soon hit an indicated 60mph – there’s a bit more to come as well if you keep the throttle pinned. Road holding is great, the decent sized wheels help to dissipate the lumps and bumps quite well and the twin shocks work well too, you can stiffen the preload a bit as well if you’re an enthusiastic rider or want to carry a pillion. A fashionable wavy front disc provides the stopping power and although the rear drum is adequate for the job it’s not as strong as it could be.Many scooter riders only use their machines in urban areas (usually for relatively short journeys), but they’re missing out on some fantastic riding because there’s plenty of fun to be had out in the sticks. My test route near Shrewsbury took in some quaint rural villages, complete with picturesque thatched cottages and meandering streams. I also whizzed by a well preserved Roman village and found some superb twisty roads once I got off the beaten track. You don’t need superbike type power or speed to enjoy the tight bends or flowing corners, a scooter is quick enough on many A and B roads. 125cc scooters are more than up to the job of blasting around country lanes and even taking in the odd dual carriageway or motorway journey (providing you’ve got a full licence that is).
Half the fun of test riding a scooter is exploring new places and finding areas that you wouldn’t normally see. We turn up at some remote importer’s unit and head off into the unknown on an unfamiliar scooter, quite often getting hopelessly lost in the process, but it all adds to the fun. Why not take your own scooter out on a magical mystery tour instead of plodding along the same old roads on every journey? Take an unsigned road and follow your nose, rather than just sticking to what you know. Make sure you’ve got plenty of fuel in your scooter though; the orange fuel light on the KYMCO was glowing ominously for miles without even a house, never mind a petrol station in sight! Thankfully, I finally found my way back into civilisation, without having to find out how easy a Super 8 is to push to a distant garage.
For less than £1700 you’re getting a nice looking, practical scooter. If you like the style but aren’t old enough to ride a 125cc, it’s also available as a learner-legal 50 for just £1299.
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