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2010 KYMCO Quannon 150 First Look

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

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The new KYMCO Quannon 150 is an all-new $3449 option for entry-level riders.

KYMCO, the good folks from Taiwan, have stepped up to challenge Kawasaki’s entry-level sportbike dominance with the introduction of the Quannon 150. KYMCO chose the recent IMS show in Long Beach to launch its all-new sportbike model.

Powered by an air-cooled 149.3cc Single, the Quannon will debut in the US as a 2010 model. Sporting a 62 x 49.5mm bore and stroke, the air-cooled mill produces a claimed 14 horsepower. While the hp isn’t overwhelming, the beginner bike should enjoy phenomenal fuel efficiency (70-75 mpg claimed) with the four-valve engine and five-speed transmission. Combined with the 3.6-gallon tank, a rider can expect a range of over 250 miles on the little commuter/beginner motorcycle.

A steel frame chassis is mated to a telescopic front fork and a rear monoshock (no indication of adjustability on KYMCO press material). Stopping the 299-lb (claimed) bike comes via single discs, front and rear. The Quannon’s 17-inch wheels should help the little bike handle like a bigger machine, similar to the Ninja 250 it will always be compared with (which increased its wheel size to 17-inch with its 2008 redesign). Seat height is 31.5 inches (an inch taller than the Ninja).

KYMCO Quannon 150 Photo Gallery

The Kawasaki Ninja 250R has long been the unchallenged newbie-friendly sportbike, but the Quannon at $3449 actually bests its rival in MSRP, with a $550 price break (the Ninja saw a $500 price bump this year). And the little Quannon comes with a standard two-year warranty – as well as an optional four-year extended warranty available at the KYMCO dealer.

Available in red and blue, the Quannon 150 maintains a true sportbike look and isn’t half bad in the styling department. As for the Quannon’s future success, there figures to be plenty of entry-level riders to go around (the Quannon would do well just poaching sales off dealer’s standing Ninja 250 waiting lists). Either way, another option is a good thing for the entry-level market.

KYMCO Quannon 150 Specifications
Engine: Air-cooled 4-valve Single
Displacement: 149.3cc
Power Claims: 14 HP
Bore/Stroke: 62 x 49.5mm
Cooling: Forced air
Ignition: Electric
Transmission: Five-speed
Chassis: Steel frame
Front Suspension: Telescopic forks
Rear Suspension: Mono shock
Front Brake: Single disc
Rear Brake: Single disc
Front Wheel/Tire: 110/80-17
Rear Wheel/Tire: 140/70-17
Dimensions (LxWxH): 81”x28.5”x46.2”
Seat Height: 31.5 in.

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Sportbike First Look Archive

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Comments

gabry - kymco quannon October 27, 2009 09:29 AM
ottima moto la consiglio a tutti soprattuto a chi vuole imparare ad andare in moto

Julai - My Venox 250 September 12, 2009 08:25 PM
My venox 250 rocks ass. For most riding I do 65 tops, but that's not often because I live near mostly backroads where sustained high speeds are unsafe because of wildlife. But, say what you will about it's 250 engine only after you try this bike. I have taken it from 0-60 in 300 ft. Wherever I go people love this bike, seasoned riders as well as people looking for their first bike. Oh, also, the thing handles like a dream. It's gotten me out of some tight scrapes. By the way, I'm not sure why people online balk at the engine size. My first bike was a 125 and I had that at 85 easy. This twin v is not only efficient, it purrs. When It's warmed up I set the idle way low and get some outstanding performance from it. I'm In love with this bike and recommend it to anybody who loves bikes that feel nice to ride. We have two. The only thing I had to adjust to meet my liking was the shocks and the three throttle settings.

Jason C. - MSRP? September 4, 2009 03:45 AM
I thought the MSRP is $2,999? sounds like a perfect beginner bike for the wifey ;-)

Todd Jacobi - Kymco - Some models are good, some are bad. August 21, 2009 11:10 AM
Kymco does make good bikes....Just not the Kymco People S200. That bike is a slow turd. They've had a problem for 2 years regarding the stator plate and charging system. The bike's stator plates eventually go out, leaving the the rider stranded with a dead battery. Most of the other Taiwanese made Kymco's are good quality, though. Stay away from the Chinese built Kymco's like the Agility 125, Super 8 and the Sento. They're junk.

Aaron who has ridden... - - feelings July 20, 2009 01:53 AM
I live in Taiwan and the Quannon has been out for a while here. I've test ridden one and I will be honest. The handling is terrible, the power non-existant (it made my friend's old Yamah FZR150 feel muscular) and the brakes were not confidence inspiring. It's a good base, and ok for someone to learn the basics on - but for anything more than that, it's in serious need of some upgrades.

Christian - Kymco products... July 2, 2009 02:27 PM
I own a 2006 venox 250 I bought last may (2008). It survived a full year of Massachusetts weather, barely any hint of rust (and I park it on the street covered)with one of the worst winters in 10 years. I put 5000 miles on it, pretty much ride 3-5 times a week commute to work and such. NOT ONE PROBLEM WITH THE BIKE. I am 34 years old with no ties to a particular brand, this bike fit my budget, my commute needs(avg 48 city 60+ highway)and yes it gets to 60 in 2nd gear 85ish in 3rd gear.WTF...it is a fun bike, if all people are going to do is badmouth instead of ride I feel sorry for you, can't people say "Nice ride, great day for one isn"t it?" instead of "What a poser bike." If you are the latter...stay the F**K off my wheel and find someone else to be a bore with...

NATHAN - 45000 MILES IS NOT RELIABLE? June 17, 2009 08:20 AM
I KNOW SEVERAL GUYS WHO HAVE XCITING 250S THAT SRIVE THEM EVERY DAY, ONE OR TWO WHO HAVE 40,000 PLUS MILES YES I SAID FOURTY THOUSAND PLUS! IF THAT DOSENT SPELL RELIABLE THEN I CHALLANGE YOU TO FIND ANNY HONDA, KAWASAKI OR HD WITH 10,000 MILES ON ORIGINAL PARTS

Tony - Pricing... May 21, 2009 01:17 PM
I am confused the KYMCO website shows a msrp of $ 2,999. Who is right ?

Jonbon - $3500!?!? May 21, 2009 08:18 AM
GET A REALLY NICE USED BIKE FOR 3500 DOLLARS AND HAVE A ENGINEERED BIKE THAT WILL HAVE SOME RESALE VALUE AND REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE!

D> Animal - Ask everyone in Moab about the Kymco UTV May 21, 2009 08:16 AM
Last week was a large UTV (Rhino, RZR, Ranger etc.) rally in Moab, UT and the press was there and doing a comparison write-up on the units and guess where the Kymco placed....not listed! Every time they took it out a tie rod broke, ignition broke, axle problems EVERY TIME! They could not write anything up and nobody else broke a thing besides an occasional item after rolling upside down. Nobody should think that Kymco is synonymous with quality!

Definitely not Canadian - Help, I'm surrounded by ignorant people! April 15, 2009 01:15 PM
KYMCO has been in business since 1963; they have built many, many parts and smaller bikes for Honda throughout the years... this is why you are seeing "Honda" here... they sell some ATV's to Arctic Cat and Kawasaki... they are very comparable to Honda quality... hell if they make parts and such for Honda this definitely is NOT junk... NO COMPARISON to Hyosung... --- KYMCO is the real deal, check out one of their scooters, motorcycles, or ATVs sometime. Parts availability is excellent, fit and finish is great, warranties are outstanding, you can't get much better... just goes to show you that if people don't recognize the name they are INSTANTLY skeptical and JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS. I have driven many of their products and I would put them up against any other make. In fact the rep was here the other week and KYMCO has been hired by BMW to build a ~400c engine for BMW...so if BMW and HONDA want their products, engineering and skills, what does that tell you? Give the damn product a chance at least before you go badmouthing it... and if you want some overpriced, underengineered junk, just go to your local HD dealer.

Feroze -ER-6n Biker- - A reliable bike?? April 15, 2009 03:46 AM
I saw one at the dealer the other day, and the cheap plastic fairing colour has worn out... I repeat, worn out! That's the exterior. What about the interior. Is the bike really THAT reliable....??? p/s : I agree with Mike.....

Fledermaus - Kymco quality April 12, 2009 05:51 PM
Slava, whatever it is--paint, glue, your dog's rear end--stop sniffing it! FYI, Kymco isn't Korean; it's Taiwanese, and Taiwanese mfrs. (Kymco, SYM, et al.) build excellent quality machines. I'm sure the author wasn't suggesting the little Kymco would rival the Ninja 250 in performance. What I think he meant was, the Ninja 250 won't have the entry-level sportbike class all to itself anymore. Buyers will now have a choice.

Rick - Real Motorcycles..? April 12, 2009 08:14 AM
I love how some folks are posting these "that's not a real motorcycle" comments! So, tough guys, what exactly _is_ a real motorcycle? Does it have to be a certain size, a certain weight, a certain brand? I read recently about a couple of Danish guys who rode two 100cc Honda Cubs from Fairbanks, Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Now that's some -real- motorcycling...

Slava - wow April 11, 2009 09:35 AM
KYMCO and hyosung are a piece of S***, I used the hyosung 250 for msf, the frame is crap (looks like bed rails that have been bolted together, not welded lol) The engine is crap, my friend has the 08 kawi 250 and im telling you much better. The korean crap rusts also, big ugly 1000cc tank that isnt comfortable.......I can go on on. Just get yourself a gsxr 600 and stop being cheap

Marvin---Here in the US - Do you know really KYMCO QC? February 19, 2009 09:43 AM
Does anybody really know the KYMCO QC? They got the PO from BMW MOTORCYCLE !!! Yes, the BMW motorcycle ask KYMCO to build the dual purpose motorcycle together. And also the KYMCO develop the first electric scooter in Taiwan. By the way, $3449 is really expensive for 125CC bike. $1,999 is the reasonable price.

Dan - the short guy who rides with PTT - POS February 15, 2009 02:42 PM
The Ninja 250 probably has twice the hp of this thing, and that is just enough to make it a real motorcycle. I ride my 04 Ninja 250 on the freeway a couple days a week, and with a 1 tooth larger front sprocket it will keep up with traffic in the fast lane... but at close to 10k rpm! The Kymco just doesn't have enough motor to make it a real motorcycle. If it was $2k instead of $3500 it might sell, but the new Ninja 250 is worth the extra grand (after dealer mark up).

Skeesm - True Rival? Sorry no. February 12, 2009 07:35 AM
Appreciate the brief Bart, but you're barking up the wrong tree. The Hyosung GT250R is actually a much closer match and worthy rival to the Ninja 250. Why haven't you guys taken a look at that? Since, under current WERA E Superstock rules it would be legal, I'd like to see a review of it as well.

Nio - rival to Ninja 250!!! January 8, 2009 12:24 AM
I don't think so; coz in India the Jap Yamaha's R15 produces 16.8 bhp with a liquid cooled engine and 6-speed gearbox & its far cheaper too, at a pricetag of $2025. Even R15 can't match the performance of a Nnja 250 then how is this bike going to compete with the little ninja

James who knows a Canadian - Bigger KYMCO January 7, 2009 10:46 AM
KYMCO does make a 250cc cruiser. Looks beefier than the actual displacement.

Dan the Married-to-a-Canadian - KYMCO Quality January 7, 2009 10:42 AM
KYMCO products are top notch. Their scooter offerings from 50cc all the way up to 500cc are of equal quality of the Japanese and European models and in many cases they surpass them. The fit and finish is superb and the reliability is outstanding.

Shawn the Canadian - KYMCO Quannon 150 December 30, 2008 12:27 PM
Actually, KYMCO is a world class company - and quality is not an issue. I owned one overseas and was actually quite impressed with it. Exemplary engineering is displayed on their base products. I hope they enter the market with a more substantial 250 and 500 (which will still avoid the harsh displacement taxes in many countries).

Mike the Non-Canadian - Taiwanese QC is World Renowned! December 29, 2008 11:36 AM
Or I could just light a pile of about $3500 on fire. It would probably take longer to burn than that bike will last.

Dan the Canadian.... - Copying....... December 24, 2008 08:04 AM
Doesn`t it look like a Honda CBR 125 .......

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