Kymco Spacer ? Soopa commuta scoota (Kymco Spacer 125)

Member Name: Paul-B

Product:	Kymco Spacer 125
Date:	26/09/03 (3098 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cheap, Good level of equipment - comfy, Very economical to run

Disadvantages: Underseat storage won't take full face helmet, Rear backrest has to be removed to fit some top boxes, Lighting rather insipid

About a year ago I decided to trade in my worthy MZ 500R for a cheap n'easy commuter scooter ; although I did start at the budget end of the market, I was drawn towards Kymco's (then) flagship 125, the Spacer.
So, what do you get?
The Spacer rightfully takes its place at the luxury end of the 125cc scooter market with a host of really useful features - Automatic CV transmission, a massive illuminated under seat storage area, a built in rack, a back rests for both the rider and the pillion, a front bag hook, disk brakes front and rear, electric and kick start, side and centre stands, etc... the list goes on.
What don't you get?
The successor to the Spacer, the Miler (or Grand Dink as it is known on the continent) has, in addition to the above, a 12 volt charger socket and a digital clock as well as electrically adjustable wing mirrors ; most of the changes appear mainly stylistic.
What is it like to own?
Performance - OK, it is a 4 stroke water cooled 125cc scooter, so you won't be up there with the boy racers. Having said that the scooter does accelerate briskly and will give most 4 wheelers a run for their money up to around 30-40mph.
The disk brakes work very well, and the suspension and handling of the machine make it ideal for a nice, comfy ride into work of a morning.
You can expect a top speed of between 60-70MPH, which should prove enough for most UK roads.

Economy - You will be shocked (as I was) when you realise that your annual road tax is only £15 - I was amazed when a weeks' riding cost me a little over £5 in petrol. Silly money.
The fuel tank has a capacity of 10 litres (2.2 UK gallons), and the bike averages between 80-100MPG.
Servicing is every 2000KM, but usually involves merely changing the spark plug and oil.

Comfort - The bike has a nice, big, comfy seat with backrests for both rider and pillion ; the rider's backrest is even adjustable.
Weather protection is
not bad, but could be better - the trade off is that the bike is nice and narrow for squeezing through traffic jams.
There is a huge amount of storage space available for shopping, etc.

Moans - The under seat storage, although large, will not take my (medium sized) full face helmet due to the shape of the underside of the seat. This felony is compounded as some designs of top box, when fitted to the bike's rack, require the removal of the rear passenger backrest.
The lighting consists of two side lights and one headlight - these may be OK on well lit urban roads but are a bit feeble on unlit country lanes.
The speedometer is primarily calibrated in KMH, with small red MPH figures by the side. Sadly, at night time only the KMH figures are illuminated, meaning that judging your speed in MPH on unlit roads is a matter of maths (or sticking reflective plastic arrows to the speedo dial at the appropriate points like I did.)
Specific Problems - My bike, if left parked for a week or two, refused to start. The problem was diagnosed as being due to the fuel draining back down through the fuel pump and back into the tank, thus leaving the fuel pump literally high and dry. This can be overcome by applying a sink pump to the fuel filler pipe, thus forcing air into the fuel tank and pushing the fuel back up into the fuel pump and carburettor. Hardly ideal - I contacted Kymco who said that this could not possibly happen, even though the fault was diagnosed by a Kymco dealer. As I now use the bike on a daily basis the problem has never had a chance to manifest itself, but I am prepared in case it does.

Summary - Apart from a few niggles this bike is easy to own, easy (and cheap) to ride, and I am not surprised that it became as popular as it did on the continent (despite having a name like "Dink"!)

Summary: