The Kymco AK550 has been on the market since 2017 and has sold more than 20,000 units globally. And if, until now, it was distinguished by its sportier characteristics, the evolution for 2023 that was presented at the Kymco Premium Experience – held in Porto and which brought together journalists and communicators from various European countries – shows a new direction: it is aimed at the market segment it calls PREMIUM.
By revising the lines and increasing the level of equipment, the Taiwanese brand is aiming at a more demanding market segment: one that seeks reliability, perceives quality, appreciates design and is willing to pay for it. In other words, the characteristics that define a premium brand. Because it’s not enough to say you are…
In fact, in addition to the new Kymco AK550… Premium (of course), we were also presented with the innovative CV3, whose main feature is the 2-wheel front axle, but which does not detract from the Premium features mentioned above. But we’ll talk about this one next time.
The ambition mentioned in the title is not in vain. The stakes are so high that the presentation was presided over by the Chairman of Kymco himself, Mr. Chun Ping Ko, as well as various leaders from the European structure and the countries represented. The concept behind the development of this new AK550 Premium was summarized as follows: “compact as a fist, strong as a punch!”
The development of this generation began in 2021 (in parallel with the CV3). Equipped with elegant, simple lines in line with current fashion dictates, with sharp edges and a penetrating look, it has a double layer of fairings to increase aerodynamic protection. Smaller drivers have not been forgotten through improvements to the ergonomics. It is clearly less sporty, but the new equipment package makes it more adult and geared towards use that emphasizes comfort and refinement.
It was therefore necessary to see if the product lived up to expectations. The banks of the River Douro, or rather the roads that border it, were the chosen location. And with such a backdrop, we hit the road!
AN ATTENTIVE LOOK
The “face” seduces. The front is aggressive and elegant. And the pattern continues when you look at the rest of the silhouette. The angular lines of the fairing, which emphasize aerodynamic protection and continue more slenderly to the rear, work. The design is well done. If we look for the details, we can see that the build quality is there (whether it’s the look, the feel of the plastics or their assembly).
The equipment on offer doesn’t detract, on the contrary. Full LED lighting with a fine and subtle light signature, both front and rear, electrically adjustable windows with a range of 8.5 cm, a large dashboard with multiple information options and connectivity via the NOODOE app.
We’ve added heated grips with 3 levels and a new keyless system that can be activated with a simple central button. The other functions – opening the fuel tank, opening the seat, adjusting the tripods and locking the steering – are located on a panel in the front fairing, where on the right-hand side there is also a large glove compartment with a USB connection. The levers are both adjustable to 4 positions.
The two-level seat has lumbar support with 3 levels of adjustment and underneath there is space – illuminated – for a full-face helmet and there is still room for some more luggage. The passenger seat is not very wide and the handles follow the elegant line of the rear.
If you look further down, you can see the Brembo brake calipers (it shows that Kymco hasn’t messed around). Associated is the AIBS (Advanced Intelligent Braking System), a BOSCH 9.1 braking system with cornering ABS that works in conjunction with traction control.
It’s worth mentioning that the AK550 has 2 driving modes, “Power” and “Rain”, the latter of which means a reduction in available power and torque (7 hp and 5 Nm less respectively). In rain mode it is not possible to turn off the traction control, but in normal mode it is possible, with the curious fact that not only does the TCS indicator change color on the dashboard, but so do the dashboard lights.
Equipped with cruise control that operates between 45 and 130 km/h, the appeal of its travel characteristics is obvious. And with a lot of “class”, as you’d expect from a model… Premium!
ON THE ROAD
Expectations were high. That’s because of what I’ve mentioned above and also because of the emphasis placed on the session where the AK550 was presented to us. Above all, I was curious to see if the good dynamics advertised had been matched in reality – more than 230 kg for just over 50 hp left me with some doubts. In fact, the AK550 isn’t a “rocket” – the Premium target customer isn’t looking for that level of performance – but it has balanced handling and good recuperation, especially when it’s very effective at putting torque to the floor when exiting corners.
The ride we chose was fast and also allowed us to see the effectiveness of the braking system in giving us total confidence when entering corners, as well as the behavior of the very balanced frame. The suspensions offer an excellent compromise between comfort, absorption of road irregularities and the rigidity needed for good cornering behavior, not forgetting the good “tread” of the Dunlop Sportmax GPR-100.
Two notes that aren’t a fault, but rather need some getting used to: the parking brake is placed on the handlebars in a lower position, and when it’s activated we tend to… touch the horn! honk the horn! On the other hand – and this is a personal observation – the glass in the maximum position is right in the eye line. Just leave it slightly lower… As I said, these are details that the average user will easily adapt to.
CONCLUSION
The Kymco AK550 doesn’t have the agility in city traffic of lighter, smaller scooters – nor would that be the goal – but its good balance and maneuverability make it a good solution for those who want a bike of this type for everyday use and then, at the weekend or on vacation, set out to conquer the roads. And the highways don’t scare it, on the contrary, as it can maintain high speeds in comfort and safety.
The initial expectations were perfectly met. And that’s the best compliment you can give to a scooter loaded with ambition.
It has all the components that I identified at the beginning to fulfill its Premium purpose: reliability, quality and an attractive image. We can add the extensive equipment and comfort that characterize it. And all with a lot of class.
The premium customer for whom this machine is intended will be willing to pay for all these attributes. If so, the 12,000 euros or so won’t scare you off and you’ll be able to enjoy the full potential of this Kymco AK550 Premium.