Founded in 1954, Sanyang Industry Co. is a Taiwanese manufacturer selling motorcycles, scooters and ATVs under the name of Sym. Scooters from this part of the world enjoy an excellent reputation mainly because of such brands as Sym. Interestingly, Sanyang Industry also builds automobiles for... Hyundai! Therefore, it comes as no surprise that value and quality are in the mix.

The Sym RV 250 is very user-friendly.

During my time with the Sym RV 250, I rode on Highway 20 and Highway 30 in Quebec so as to find out how this full-size scooter would behave on this type of road. Amazingly, I had no difficulty reaching 110 km/h and, even at that speed, no vibrations were felt. Moreover, the engine seemed to have enough left in the tank to get close to 140 km/h. The fact of the matter is, the Sym RV 250 feels pretty much at ease at highway speeds, giving the impression that it could maintain such velocity indefinitely.

Having said that, I'd like to put a warning on the windscreen, which could have been about 10-centimeter taller to reduce pressure on the rider's face. Taiwanese companies need to remember that North American scooter owners are generally a bit taller.

Exemplary balance
Compared to rival scooters, the Sym RV 250 is roughly 22-kilogram heavier. You feel near-perfect balance from the moment you sit on it. The center of gravity is low and the machine feels much lighter than what its 173 kilograms suggest. The RV 250 is extremely easy to maneuver and, with 13-inch aluminum wheels, low-speed balance is commendable. Despite its significant weight, this scooter also proves faster than most 250-cc models while still averaging 4 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. Thanks to the continuously variable transmission, accelerations are not only progressive but also quite surprising for such a massive scooter.

A SYMphony of technologies...
My first experience with this little marvel made me realize how cute and comfortable it is and how its technological advancements compare favorably to any competitor's. First, the Sym RV 250 is motivated by a liquid-cooled, 249-cc, 4-valve, 4-stroke, single-cylinder engine producing 21.5 horsepower. What's remarkable about this unit is the Sym-exclusive ceramic cylinder liner. It might sound trivial, but it effectively increases engine durability to higher levels than the competition.

I found interesting the ability to hide the ignition switch once the handlebar is locked.