>SYM GTS Evo 300i

  Review from issue 72

A few years ago I attended the official launch of the SYM GTS Voyager in Provence and found the scooter to be well worth swinging a leg over. Fast forward to the present and SYM have updated it to bring us the GTS Evo 300i – and boy has the scoot grown up!

The new GTS Evo looks very plush and (thanks to a bit of engine work) now has 263.7cc of grunt, which produces some useful extra torque and a healthy 22.6bhp. It also comes with the added benefit of a modern fuel injection system. Those old carburettors may have been around since the internal combustion engine was invented, but fuel injection is still in its infancy.

Over the past three or four years it has come on in leaps and bounds and is becoming the norm rather than the exception – due mainly to ever tightening emission laws. As such, the Sym GTS 300 Evo’s Keihin injection system works extremely well, thanks to the extra sensors incorporated into its design with no lag, fuel glitches or lumpiness worth mentioning.

Earlier ECUs had the brains of a Sinclair ZX81 (great at the time when nothing better was available) but now rather than needing a nuclear scientist to work on them, they come with simple ‘plug and play’ diagnostics that just need a local dealer with the correct software to find any faults. A bit like Krypton tuning for the 21st century.

When you first set eyes on a SYM GTS, you’ll notice just how big it looks. It’s got the presence of a maxi scooter – but don’t let the physical size put you off. If anything, it’s an advantage, because the scooter commands respect on the road. It looks bigger than its capacity would have you believe, but carries its weight low down, which helps to keep things very stable. The seat height is low enough for the shortest of riders and although SYM don’t quote the actual height, I’d estimate that it’s no higher than 765mm and although the seat is wide, I found it very easy to put my feet flat on the floor.

I couldn’t fault the sumptuous riding position on this scooter. With my feet forward and placed in the moulded rests in the front legshields, acres of upholstery and a well padded backrest for the rider, as well as plenty of space for the pillion and a backrest and grab rail for them as well, you’ll both be quite happy to spend all day on board.

The seat can be opened by using the key (or while the key is in the ignition, it can be popped open using the handlebar mounted button). It opens on a hydraulic strut, giving it an opulent feel and the roomy space beneath is carpeted, lit and has a manual immobiliser switch too. The GTS has quite a few other storage areas, including a lockable glovebox, sunglasses storage space located in the footwell beneath a flap above the battery compartment and even a space on the right-hand side of the cockpit. With all these cubby holes, it’ll take you 10 minutes to find everything once you reach your destination!

The original GTS had a single headlight with LED running lights above it; this one has twin front lights with a pair of LED ‘eyebrows’ and they really help you to get noticed on the road – a great safety feature which stops the scoot from blending in to the traffic. The scoot also comes with fog lights and hazard warning lights – something you don’t see as standard on many scooters (or bikes for that matter). The instruments and switchgear are all laid out neatly with a speedo, tacho and central computer offering trip info, fuel, time, temp and mileage.

The GTS tips the scales at 184kg without fuel, so it doesn’t pull away quite as fast as something like a Vespa GTS 300 (which weighs 158kg), but once it gets going, it is a quick scooter. It’ll hit 85mph on the clock and feels well planted at speed. Show it a sweeping bend and the SYM will glide around it with ease, usually at full throttle. If you do decide to scrub some speed off, the linked brakes are more than up to the job and if you feel the need to grab a handful they will lock the rear wheel.

I like a scooter with a bit of grunt and this one seems to have just enough to help with those swift overtakes and to make general day-to-day riding and motorway journeys that bit more enjoyable. The extra bulk of the machine and the large front screen help to stop the worst of the wind from upsetting things, leaving the scooter feeling planted on open motorways and dual carriageways where it will happily keep up with the traffic, up to and above the legal limit.

The SYM GTS Evo 300i will appeal to the kind of rider who likes a little bit of luxury, but doesn’t want to ride a full-on maxi scoot (like the Burgman, for example). The GTS looks the part, performs well and rides well too. It comes with the added piece of mind of a three-year warranty and is backed by the huge San Yang Motor Industry. If you managed to catch a recent episode of Charley Boorman’s ‘By Any Means’ you’ll have seen just how modern and sophisticated the SYM factory is. The production lines would give any manufacturer in the world a good run for their money.

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WORDS & PHOTOS: Iggy

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