We haven’t reviewed many scooters but we purchased this earlier in the year for the fleet and it deserves a review. More and more people are now going into the mid-range scooter market for commuting and I can see why. You get so much for your money and they are a real pleasure to ride. You could also take this away for a tour abroad if you were inclined and it will perform just great. With a top speed of nearly 100mph, it’s more power than you will need for a relaxed trip away.
They also look pretty cool as Yamaha have given them sharp lines and they have a real quality feel about them. They sound ok as well with the standard exhaust but ours came with an Akrapovic exhaust and it sounds really good. The dash is a good size and very clear and easy to read.
They have a keyless starting system and loads of storage compartments, two at the front (one locked with a 12v power source) and a massive 45-litre (2 helmet) storage area under seat. The seat is very comfortable and the screen is well positioned and the fairing is very affective in poor weather.
The brakes work well, a little soft as you power up but still more than adequate and the ABS is quick to kick in. It comes with traction control which I thought strange for a 300 automatic but to be fair, it kicked in a couple of times on the wet surfaces and worked on the wet leafy roads in the valley. I’ve seen negative comments about the suspension on a couple of forums but personally I’ve never had an issue and can’t fault it.
They look larger than they actually feel as they are surprisingly light and easy to manoeuvre with the weight down low and they are fairly narrow to feed through traffic. It seems to run on air and it just keeps going and going between fills. It’s advertised as about 80mpg so should give you about 260 miles to the tank which isn’t far off what we’ve found.
Power wise, this little bike is quick off the line and pulls well mid-range. Its smooth with very little vibration. It handles well and far exceeded my expectation. This is a perfect bike for so many variations. It’s a great commuter but also a great bike for someone looking for more than that without wanting to get a heavy or a geared bike.
Whilst we have this on our fleet and we have covered most riding conditions, I thought it only fair that I head off on our set route to see how it compares to others that have been through the same conditions. It was superb, handled well and gave me a childish grin here and there as it powered effortlessly through some of the tighter bends. It certainly has more power than you would expect and a very comfortable ride.
