GIVE IT THE BEANS
New Kymco is capable of heading for the hills in comfort
The Kymco X-Town 300 takes the good-around-town scooter concept to a whole new level with an ability to leave the urban sprawl behind and head for the hills. The A2 licence-friendly scoot is an evolution of the popular Downtown but with an updated chassis and redesigned bodywork, which is slimmer and more angular. The engine meets Euro4 regs and the scooter has ABS as standard. At £4600 it is priced to compete with the Yamaha T-Max 300. We know small-capacity scooters are great for the daily commute but with this 276cc engine, can the X-Town tackle longer journeys in comfort? Around town the engine is smooth, nippy, responsive and once out on the open road the Kymco gains pace quickly and sits easily at motorway speeds. The long wheelbase makes the X-Town 300 stable and at slow speeds it’s manoeuvrable enough to weave through busy city streets. The petal discs look the part but there is one slight niggle – the stopping power of the front brake, when used in isolation without the rear, is poor. With a well-padded, sculpted seat and ample legroom it’s comfortable over distance, too. A tinted screen and large fairing offer great weather protection and the twin LED headlights are stylish and light the road well on night rides, while the X-shaped tail light is an eye-catching addition to the rear. The X-Town 300 has touches that you’d expect to find on a scooter with a much higher price tag, which include span-adjustable levers, angled tyre valves and those petal brake discs. A clear and simple LCD dash boasts analogue speedo and rev counter. A digital readout shows air and engine temperatures, along with a fuel gauge, odometer and trip. Storage space is well thought out – the roomy under-seat compartment is big enough to hold two full-face lids, has a light and there’s a glovebox complete with USB charger. Maintenance costs are low with service intervals every 6000 miles, other scooters in the class need to be serviced every 3000. It also returns a genuine 70mpg. It’s an impressive package.