A Real Contender! Kymco AK550 Premium Tested

In recent years, Kymco’s growing range of scoots have continued to get ever closer to the ‘big name’ competition. The latest version of its sporty maxi might just be the one to make you think again… Alan Dowds runs the rule over the big scoot…

Taiwanese scooter firm Kymco is a pretty serious outfit. It started out as a primary parts supplier for Honda Japan, and is a cut above many other Far Eastern brands in terms of prestige and engineering

Now a major manufacturer, Kymco is a massive part of the scooter market in most big European countries – Spain, Italy, Germany and France – and is now pushing hard to develop its presence in the UK.

Part of that is new bikes – like the AK550 maxi-scooter. It’s a high-performance, high-tech, twin-cylinder machine, that can go toe-to-toe with the best from Japan in terms of spec and capability. And for 2023, it’s been upgraded with the new Premium spec that includes cornering ABS and traction control; new bodywork with electric windscreen; keyless ignition; ride-by-wire throttle; and cruise control.

We went to Porto in Portugal to try it out, alongside the new CV3 three-wheeled leaning trike version that uses the same engine. The AK550 Premium is quick, thanks to that twin-cylinder powerplant putting out 51bhp claimed power, and also it  weighs just 223kg dry thanks to a lightweight aluminium-framed chassis. The brakes are strong, thanks to Brembo four-piston calipers and the safety net of an advanced ABS set up, and the handling is spot-on for a sporty maxi-scooter. On the twisty roads up the Douro River valley out of Porto, there was plenty of feel from the front end, and the Dunlop GPR-100 rubber was excellent on the slightly damp asphalt. The cornering ABS saved me from a nasty interaction with a wayward HGV on one narrow section of twisty valley road, and overall the AK felt quick, grunty, smooth and capable, with plenty of ground clearance in the bends.

Later on, we took in some faster Autostrada highways, and the AK continued to impress. The electric screen zooms up and down quickly for the perfect wind protection; the eight-valve DOHC twin-cylinder motor easily gets you up to past 105mph with no fuss; and stuff like the cruise control, heated grips, extensive LCD instruments and smartphone navigation connection all make life easier on longer jaunts. If you have a 40-50 mile commute into a city, the AK550 would be a brilliant tool for the job, as well as being dead useful the rest of the time.

The AK550 Premium is a fairly, er, premium piece of kit – and it comes with a premium price tag, too. The rrp of £10,399 might seem a little stiff on the face of it, but for what you get it’s actually decent value. To put it into perspective, it is actually cheaper than a similar-spec Yamaha TMAX – and well worth a look for those folk who aren’t blinkered into thinking powered two-wheelers have to have wheels bigger than 16 inches in diameter.