KYMCO's Xciting 500 Scooter

The Kwang Yang Motor Company's roots in the powersports industry can be traced back to the Taiwanese company's founding in 1963. Today, it manufactures over 500,000 motor scooters, motorcycles and ATVs each year at five plants in Asia, and exports products to over 70 countries. KYMCO USA, headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina, serves over 600 U.S. dealer locations.

Long recognized as a producer of well-made commuter scooters and small motorcycles, KYMCO entered the maxi scooter market a few years ago with its "Xciting 500" model, a 498.5cc scooter with serious touring aspirations. It competes head to head with the Honda Silver Wing and Suzuki Bergman, both well-established players in the U.S. scooter market, but with a MSRP that's lower than either of them. Always curious to learn more about a model's features and performance, RoadRUNNER sent me and my wife Karen off on a KYMCO 500 for several days of two-up touring on Long Island, and on one day I put in some spirited solo riding on back roads in New York and Connecticut.

The first thing one notices after mounting this ride is the ignition switch. The motor scooter equivalent of a Swiss army knife, it performs numerous functions that require separate controls on other scooters. Twist the key to the left and the seat unlatches to reveal exceptionally roomy under-seat storage. Turn it to the right and the gas cap pops open from the dashboard, eliminating any need to dismount and raise the seat when refueling. Push the key in and turn it to the left again and the steering locks. Of course, the ignition key also is used to start the scooter – what a novel idea!...

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