Kymco’s new 700cc scooter: a technology flagship

Taiwanese manufacturer Kymco is getting ready to stamp some serious presence on the scooter market with a brand new 700cc super-scooter unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show. The Myroad 700i features plenty of neat gadgets such as inbuilt tyre pressure gauges, electronically adjustable suspension, keyless ignition, ABS and an alarm, as well as a 170kmh+ top speed to make it the up-and-coming company’s technology flagship for 2008.

Already established in Europe, America, and Africa as well as Asia and Oceania (sometimes branded as Bug scooters), Kymco looks set to mount a challenge for a serious slice of the scooter market as it pours resources into quality programmes and hi-tech componentry.

The Myroad 700i, which we’ve just clapped our eyes on at the Tokyo Motor Show, will be the company’s flagship for this year, with an impressive feature list surrounding the liquid-cooled 699cc 4-stroke parallel twin engine, which is good for around 45Kw (~55hp) at 7250rpm.

ABS governs the disc braking system, and the rider can control the suspension on the go by selecting soft, medium or hard through a switch on the dash that electronically adjusts the damping to allow for different riding conditions.

A keyless ignition system (similar to that used on the 2007 Kawasaki 1400cc GTR tourer) comprises an electronically coded tag that sits in the rider’s pocket. If the tag is within 1.5 metres of the bike, it’ll start simply by pressing the ignition button.

Overall, it should be a serious competitor to Honda’s successful Silver Wing and Suzuki’s Burgmann 650. We look forward to seeing more from this company in the near future.