Anyone Have The New Sym Evo? A Review Please?

[wana]

for 209,000 i would probably get something like a 2nd hand 650 fully loaded ,

i like the concept of the super-scooters but not sure id drop that much cash on

a bike that doesnt already have extensive dealer support in place .......yet

I would like to test drive the 400i though !

[nikster]

I would like to test drive the 400i though

Saw one on the streets of Chiang Mai yesterday, looks pretty nice, somewhere between a PCX and a T-Max. If I was into maxi scooters it's definitely interesting. 200k+ is too much though IMO...

[wana]

I would like to test drive the 400i though

Saw one on the streets of Chiang Mai yesterday, looks pretty nice, somewhere between a PCX and a T-Max. If I was into maxi scooters it's definitely interesting. 200k+ is too much though IMO...

209,000thb for an unknown quality chinese taiwanese scooter

theres an er6n's for 160k+ which are a bit more "tried and tested " at least as far as thai mechanics go and dealerships and spare parts

Not saying the sym isnt a good bike or well made because it probably is ,but are thai mechancis ready for it yet ?

Edited July 2, 2012 by wana

[wantan]

209,000thb for an unknown quality chinese taiwanese scooter

theres an er6n's for 160k+ which are a bit more "tried and tested " at least as far as thai mechanics go and dealerships and spare parts

Not saying the sym isnt a good bike or well made because it probably is ,but are thai mechancis ready for it yet ?

Its unfair/useless to compare the price of a new bike with the price for used bikes. 209,000 is much money, yes. But its not the fault of the MAXSYM that there aren't any used ones on the market now.

You should compare it with the other options for new bikes in Thailand. And in this it fits good. But the MAXSYM has to proof its reliability and quality. Some spare parts are not cheap, as you can see in the parts catalog for the MAXSYM. So the quality has to be good and long lasting. For me this is more important than the quality of thai mechanics.

Edited July 2, 2012 by wantan

[Richard-BKK]

I would like to test drive the 400i though

Saw one on the streets of Chiang Mai yesterday, looks pretty nice, somewhere between a PCX and a T-Max. If I was into maxi scooters it's definitely interesting. 200k+ is too much though IMO...

209,000thb for an unknown quality chinese taiwanese scooter

theres an er6n's for 160k+ which are a bit more "tried and tested " at least as far as thai mechanics go and dealerships and spare parts

Not saying the sym isnt a good bike or well made because it probably is ,but are thai mechancis ready for it yet ?

Another thing that is unfair, you compare the price of a automatic scooter with a transmission motorcycle... As example the Yamaha T-Max (500cc) scooter costs 515,000 THB, the Yamaha FZ8 costs 480,000 THB. So, automatic scooters are "mostly" more expensive than motorcycles...

[wana]

I would like to test drive the 400i though

Saw one on the streets of Chiang Mai yesterday, looks pretty nice, somewhere between a PCX and a T-Max. If I was into maxi scooters it's definitely interesting. 200k+ is too much though IMO...

209,000thb for an unknown quality chinese taiwanese scooter

theres an er6n's for 160k+ which are a bit more "tried and tested " at least as far as thai mechanics go and dealerships and spare parts

Not saying the sym isnt a good bike or well made because it probably is ,but are thai mechancis ready for it yet ?

Another thing that is unfair, you compare the price of a automatic scooter with a transmission motorcycle... As example the Yamaha T-Max (500cc) scooter costs 515,000 THB, the Yamaha FZ8 costs 480,000 THB. So, automatic scooters are "mostly" more expensive than motorcycles...

Im not trying to be "unfair "

technically the honda nc700 is a scooter styled like a motorcyle for 420k but its got double the power and more importantly

its a honda which makes worlds of differnce here

just saying for 209,000 you could get a few months old bike with a more proven track record but i would like to see a sym

network in place and i hope they succeed in thailand as well as KTM and all the others who are trying to get into the thai market

I just dont want to be their guinea pig

[wantan]

209,000thb for an unknown quality chinese taiwanese scooter

theres an er6n's for 160k+ which are a bit more "tried and tested " at least as far as thai mechanics go and dealerships and spare parts

Not saying the sym isnt a good bike or well made because it probably is ,but are thai mechancis ready for it yet ?

Another thing that is unfair, you compare the price of a automatic scooter with a transmission motorcycle... As example the Yamaha T-Max (500cc) scooter costs 515,000 THB, the Yamaha FZ8 costs 480,000 THB. So, automatic scooters are "mostly" more expensive than motorcycles...

Im not trying to be "unfair "

technically the honda nc700 is a scooter styled like a motorcyle for 420k but its got double the power and more importantly

its a honda which makes worlds of differnce here

just saying for 209,000 you could get a few months old bike with a more proven track record but i would like to see a sym

network in place and i hope they succeed in thailand as well as KTM and all the others who are trying to get into the thai market

I just dont want to be their guinea pig

The MAXSYM is a Maxi Scooter. And fore these type of scooters there is not much you can choose from in Thailand at the moment, even if you call the Honda NC700 a scooter. In other countries with a better brand choice the SYM maxi scooters can compete against their rivals. But we will see. Many people all over the world like the MAXSYM and buy it so we should get some quality statements. Just a matter of time

Why so negative? I really hope we get more such interesting things to choose from. The motorcycle market in Thailand is really boring at the moment.

[phl]

209,000thb for an unknown quality chinese taiwanese scooter

theres an er6n's for 160k+ which are a bit more "tried and tested " at least as far as thai mechanics go and dealerships and spare parts

Not saying the sym isnt a good bike or well made because it probably is ,but are thai mechancis ready for it yet ?

Another thing that is unfair, you compare the price of a automatic scooter with a transmission motorcycle... As example the Yamaha T-Max (500cc) scooter costs 515,000 THB, the Yamaha FZ8 costs 480,000 THB. So, automatic scooters are "mostly" more expensive than motorcycles...

Im not trying to be "unfair "

technically the honda nc700 is a scooter styled like a motorcyle for 420k but its got double the power and more importantly

its a honda which makes worlds of differnce here

just saying for 209,000 you could get a few months old bike with a more proven track record but i would like to see a sym

network in place and i hope they succeed in thailand as well as KTM and all the others who are trying to get into the thai market

I just dont want to be their guinea pig

The MAXSYM is a Maxi Scooter. And fore these type of scooters there is not much you can choose from in Thailand at the moment, even if you call the Honda NC700 a scooter. In other countries with a better brand choice the SYM maxi scooters can compete against their rivals. But we will see. Many people all over the world like the MAXSYM and buy it so we should get some quality statements. Just a matter of time

Why so negative? I really hope we get more such interesting things to choose from. The motorcycle market in Thailand is really boring at the moment.

Thats very true. For some crazy reason then the new company comes to Thailand, they never try to establish their own network, they never do hard advertising or marketing.

For some crazy reason, they always go through some agent in BKK and just leave it at that.

IF SYM is serious about Thai market and i hope they are and believe they should be, they should set up their own dealers, network and most of all advertising and marketing.

Jonway is another big name from China, they did a launch, had 1 shop on Sukhumvit road, did not promote or advertise and then just disappeared

No doubt, Thai market is hard to crack, because of some blind belief in Honda and Yamaha,but then again, those 2 spend billions on advertising and marketing, you are bound to see some kind of advert for either on almost every corner..

[phl]

Was having a chat with a mate of mine who owns bike repair shop(pretty big one and also imports and sells accessories)

According to him SYM is a great bike mechanically, however after a year or so the plastic goes all bad (changes color) etc and bike looks like "crap"

People who have one for a while now, can you comment please?

[eezergood]

Sat on one of these last week in Phuket & the thing felt super comfy & super balanced, but not available for test ride yet

[phl]

Sat on one of these last week in Phuket & the thing felt super comfy & super balanced, but not available for test ride yet

I do not think anyone ever allows test drives on bikes in Thailand

[macknife]

Sat on one of these last week in Phuket & the thing felt super comfy & super balanced, but not available for test ride yet

I do not think anyone ever allows test drives on bikes in Thailand

Kawasaki do, or at least used to last year when I had a test drive on a ER6N

[eezergood]

Sat on one of these last week in Phuket & the thing felt super comfy & super balanced, but not available for test ride yet

I do not think anyone ever allows test drives on bikes in Thailand

KTM in Phuket did & Ducati Pattaya told me they would, once they had a bike to test

[guzzi850m2]

Sat on one of these last week in Phuket & the thing felt super comfy & super balanced, but not available for test ride yet

I do not think anyone ever allows test drives on bikes in Thailand

Kawasaki do, or at least used to last year when I had a test drive on a ER6N

Yes but Kawa have the dealer network and the er6n is made here, Sym only sells a scooter here and there but when the 249cc model comes out that might change.

Until then its like comparing an elefant with a mouse.

[Richard-BKK]

Actual Sym Thailand did, in the past and probably will do again, road shows throughout Thailand. And at this road shows people interested in one of the Sym scooters could do a test ride (and get a free T-Shirt).

And this roadshows do not only come to the biggest towns... (this pictures where taken from Udon Thani)

Edited July 17, 2012 by Richard-BKK

[Richard-BKK]

Also Sym Thailand sells a good amount of maxi-scooters in Thailand, actual they are market leader (not so hard without competition at the same price level)... still they sell more big scooters than most would expect, and the biggest buyers are Thai...

But also a good amount of foreigners buy a Sym maxi-scooter....

[phl]

Also Sym Thailand sells a good amount of maxi-scooters in Thailand, actual they are market leader (not so hard without competition at the same price level)... still they sell more big scooters than most would expect, and the biggest buyers are Thai...

But also a good amount of foreigners buy a Sym maxi-scooter....

When was this pic taken? I am literally 10 meters away from this shop and never seen such a line up

Do you by any chance have any feedback on how the bikes are after 1 or so year? As i mentioned a mate of mine who runs a bike shop says that after 1 year all the plastic goes really bad(though i do not believe everything he says)

and any inside info on when the 249 cc will hit the stores?

Cheers

[BirdsandBooze]

I was in Ubon last week and went and had a look in the SYM showroom. The maxi scooters felt very comfortable and relaxed and the fit and finish was excellent. They look like good value.

[Richard-BKK]

Also Sym Thailand sells a good amount of maxi-scooters in Thailand, actual they are market leader (not so hard without competition at the same price level)... still they sell more big scooters than most would expect, and the biggest buyers are Thai...

But also a good amount of foreigners buy a Sym maxi-scooter....

When was this pic taken? I am literally 10 meters away from this shop and never seen such a line up

Do you by any chance have any feedback on how the bikes are after 1 or so year? As i mentioned a mate of mine who runs a bike shop says that after 1 year all the plastic goes really bad(though i do not believe everything he says)

and any inside info on when the 249 cc will hit the stores?

Cheers

The picture was taken at 26 may 2012, you can see that in the right bottom corner...

For the color fading, Sym uses the same paint as Honda, Hyundai and many other car manufacturers. And I can guarantee that the Sym GTS 300i Evo or Maxsym 400i will not fade in color any quicker than the average car from the manufacturers I mentioned.

I have a friend how has a Sym GTS 300i Evo, one of the first, and while it's white color so hard to tell you if the color is faded... It looks still brand new.

For the 249cc model, I hear a lot of rumors and Sym Thailand says they're checking it... But I have the idea that they will not come to Thailand before 2013... (of course I can be wrong).

[phl]

Also Sym Thailand sells a good amount of maxi-scooters in Thailand, actual they are market leader (not so hard without competition at the same price level)... still they sell more big scooters than most would expect, and the biggest buyers are Thai...

But also a good amount of foreigners buy a Sym maxi-scooter....

When was this pic taken? I am literally 10 meters away from this shop and never seen such a line up

Do you by any chance have any feedback on how the bikes are after 1 or so year? As i mentioned a mate of mine who runs a bike shop says that after 1 year all the plastic goes really bad(though i do not believe everything he says)

and any inside info on when the 249 cc will hit the stores?

Cheers

The picture was taken at 26 may 2012, you can see that in the right bottom corner...

For the color fading, Sym uses the same paint as Honda, Hyundai and many other car manufacturers. And I can guarantee that the Sym GTS 300i Evo or Maxsym 400i will not fade in color any quicker than the average car from the manufacturers I mentioned.

I have a friend how has a Sym GTS 300i Evo, one of the first, and while it's white color so hard to tell you if the color is faded... It looks still brand new.

For the 249cc model, I hear a lot of rumors and Sym Thailand says they're checking it... But I have the idea that they will not come to Thailand before 2013... (of course I can be wrong).

Thanks Richard, no idea how i could have missed that line up

I did not mean the paint, he was talking about the plastic, though as i mentioned i do not believe everything he says

[guzzi850m2]

I seen some Chinese (I think) scooters here in Patts where the rearlights/speedo plastic glass are badly faded, its looks very bad. I can't imagine that Sym would use crap plastic like that.

Its like it can't take the strong sun we got here.

[loserlazer]

i think

Also Sym Thailand sells a good amount of maxi-scooters in Thailand, actual they are market leader (not so hard without competition at the same price level)... still they sell more big scooters than most would expect, and the biggest buyers are Thai...

But also a good amount of foreigners buy a Sym maxi-scooter....

When was this pic taken? I am literally 10 meters away from this shop and never seen such a line up

Do you by any chance have any feedback on how the bikes are after 1 or so year? As i mentioned a mate of mine who runs a bike shop says that after 1 year all the plastic goes really bad(though i do not believe everything he says)

and any inside info on when the 249 cc will hit the stores?

Cheers

i think your friend is mentioning about the plastic parts in the dashboard like the covers of cubby holes not the fairing.

Dashboard plastics fade quickly under the sun and rain if it is not good quality.

[Richard-BKK]

The body, fairing, plastics etc are all covered by a 3-year warranty ...

[phl]

i think

Also Sym Thailand sells a good amount of maxi-scooters in Thailand, actual they are market leader (not so hard without competition at the same price level)... still they sell more big scooters than most would expect, and the biggest buyers are Thai...

But also a good amount of foreigners buy a Sym maxi-scooter....

When was this pic taken? I am literally 10 meters away from this shop and never seen such a line up

Do you by any chance have any feedback on how the bikes are after 1 or so year? As i mentioned a mate of mine who runs a bike shop says that after 1 year all the plastic goes really bad(though i do not believe everything he says)

and any inside info on when the 249 cc will hit the stores?

Cheers

i think your friend is mentioning about the plastic parts in the dashboard like the covers of cubby holes not the fairing.

Dashboard plastics fade quickly under the sun and rain if it is not good quality.

i think so too.

his point was that if its a local bike its cheap and easy to change, but for SYM it may be costly and some wait is required.

[phl]

The body, fairing, plastics etc are all covered by a 3-year warranty ...

Oh really? thats assuring and actually very unusual, as most manufactures only cover the engine parts under warranty not the body itself

[loserlazer]

The body, fairing, plastics etc are all covered by a 3-year warranty ...

Oh really? thats assuring and actually very unusual, as most manufactures only cover the engine parts under warranty not the body itself

it is safe to claim 3 years warranty for more sales as i am sure it is cheap for them to change the fairing, plastics etc if needed

it is a classic claim for brands like SYM which needs to get a market share. Like Hyundai giving 8 years of warranty to steal some market share from well known brands but it does not mean the product has 8 years of longevity or it is reliable.

Edited July 17, 2012 by loserlazer

[Richard-BKK]

The body, fairing, plastics etc are all covered by a 3-year warranty ...

Oh really? thats assuring and actually very unusual, as most manufactures only cover the engine parts under warranty not the body itself

it is safe to claim 3 years warranty for more sales as i am sure it is cheap for them to change the fairing, plastics etc if needed

it is a classic claim for brands like SYM which needs to get a market share. Like Hyundai giving 8 years of warranty to steal some market share from well known brands but it does not mean the product has 8 years of longevity or it is reliable.

Hyundai is one of the major stock holders and Technical development partners in Sym. So probably not a coincident, still the end-user who buys a vehicle with this warranty has all the benefits...

[loserlazer]

The body, fairing, plastics etc are all covered by a 3-year warranty ...

Oh really? thats assuring and actually very unusual, as most manufactures only cover the engine parts under warranty not the body itself

it is safe to claim 3 years warranty for more sales as i am sure it is cheap for them to change the fairing, plastics etc if needed

it is a classic claim for brands like SYM which needs to get a market share. Like Hyundai giving 8 years of warranty to steal some market share from well known brands but it does not mean the product has 8 years of longevity or it is reliable.

Hyundai is one of the major stock holders and Technical development partners in Sym. So probably not a coincident, still the end-user who buys a vehicle with this warranty has all the benefits...

hahaha, what a coincidence?

But, that is right, a warranty is a warranty at the end if it is all about money but what about the time you spent at the mechanic shop? For me time is the most precious measurement in this world.

Still, SYM mostly produces enough quality bikes so i do not think so there will be lot's of problems with this bike and i like it as well. If i have another 200,000 thb something to spare, i can satisfy my maxi scooter dreams with SYM 400 which is a good blend of value and performance it looks like of course.

[Richard-BKK]

Sym knows what they do, they have build a strong international group of companies that is a clear ticket to international success.

We can expect Sym to soon (one, two maybe three years) to move into the big bike market, as the desperate for money Hyosung (S&T Motors Korea) was helped by Mahindra & Mahindra (Indian multinational automaker with strong investment links to Sym) and Sym Taiwan from going under. From now all scooters sold under the Hyosung brand will be Sym scooters and likely more integration will happen...

Edited July 17, 2012 by Richard-BKK

[wantan]

The body, fairing, plastics etc are all covered by a 3-year warranty ...

Oh really? thats assuring and actually very unusual, as most manufactures only cover the engine parts under warranty not the body itself

I was told by this dealership that the three years warranty is only for the engine. The rest has no warranty (is this possible, or maybe the rest has only 6 months?). I am .... a bit confused

I read a report from one owner in Europe that the unpainted plastics (cover handle bar, panels front storage, ...) of the GTS will fade colour if staying for long time in the sun. This particular owner let his SYM stay outside th whole year (snow, sunlight). I think its normal and nothing to worry about. And this (unpainted) plastic parts are not very expensive i guess. But afaik this is normal and happens to every scooter sooner or later (Honda, Yamaha, ...).