The trail bikes that become SUV scooters in 2022

Trail motorcycles are already reflected in a series of SUV-type or crossover adventure scooters that offer you the possibility of riding on dirt roads as well. Let's find out what the brands that today bet on them are like.

Trail bikes are on the rise, and their influence is also being felt in the field of scooters with an SUV philosophy. The fact of finding an increasingly large legion of adventurous scooters is not a flower of a day. As they say, "everything has been invented" and the idea of ​​converting a scooter into a vehicle capable of rolling on dirt roads comes from a long time ago.

At the time, Honda's creations drew attention with its popular Cub (which ended up becoming the unequaled Scoopy in our market at the end of the '80s) and Cub EZ90, the first with more of a service vehicle vocation and the second as a weapon of fun for the control-free beaches of the '90s, where its wide studded wheels together with a massive and futuristic aesthetic, delighted the "geeks" of the time. A fun and radically different extravagance to what was known until then.

The most affordable Italian version for all types of public came from the hand of the Piaggio Typhoon, which showed that the transalpine brand was capable of launching itself into the arena with other vehicles apart from the Vespa. It was “arriving and kissing the saint”, with legions of faithful who made use of its wide tires and daring off-road aesthetics to get around all kinds of asphalt and rural roads.

Thus they were able to succeed both in the urban area, with thousands of units sold and "parked" on the university campuses of the time, even in towns throughout Spain, where it was established as an economical and very capable vehicle to go to the farm work or cover routes between towns, either on dirt roads or rolling on asphalt in a precarious state. We enjoyed those Typhoons in versions with a 50 cc, 70 cc, 125 cc engine and even a powerful and fun 180 "two-stroke" with the Runner propeller that appeared back in 1996.

Other models that were also marketed in the long-awaited and more than prolific decade of the '90s, with greater or lesser commercial success, pointed to an alternative “non-asphaltic” use of the traditional scooter. Such were the cases of the Yamaha BW's “Big Wheels” (also under the French name MBK Booster), the Peugeot Trekker saga with an “on” and “off-road” version that shared an engine and part of the cycle, or the Derbi Paddock and Hunter who, as was the case with the lion firm, conceived two scooters with the same base and alternative uses; In the case of Derbi, the Hunter was the one that benefited from the SUV drift that is so much in vogue today.

Aprilia SR GT 125

With two planned I-GET 125/200 cc engines, Aprilia makes the leap to the adventure scooter following its own purposes under the slogan “Aprilia Urban Mobility”. Interesting is the option of having more power for those who have the A2 license, with just over 17 CV coming from the "large" single-cylinder propeller, while in the version to be driven with a car license, current regulations prevent it from exceeding the 15 CV of rigor.

In both cases we have the "Start & Stop" technology that eliminates the work of the engine in stops to resume it with the turn of the gas and restart the march, long-distance adjustable Showa suspensions, corrugated brake discs, mixed pattern tires "on-off ”, wide and high handlebar designed to obtain maximum control when driving on land, generous central bridge and an LCD display with Aprilia MIA connectivity.

Honda ADV 350

Recently appearing at the 2021 Milan Motor Show, the new Honda ADV 350 picks up the baton from its older brother, the Honda X-ADV, a true precursor to a saga that promises to be as successful as the X-ADV itself, endowed with with a twin-cylinder power plant from the NC 750 automatic.

How could it be otherwise, the Honda ADV 350 takes advantage of the bases of the extraordinary Honda Forza 350, which in itself is a guarantee in any of the valuable parameters. It makes use of its single-cylinder eSP+ with a four-valve cylinder head and minimum consumption, HSTC traction control that can be switched off for off-road driving, as well as inverted fork suspension made up of 37 mm diameter bars and a double rear shock absorber, with 125 mm and 130 mm of front and rear travel respectively, which cover the 15” front and 14” rear rims. The screen is adjustable and there is no lack of display connectivity with the smartphone, as well as the usual proximity key in Honda Premium scooters.

Honda X ADV

The Japanese brand hit the nail on the head with the risky, at the time, marketing of the Honda X-ADV, bringing to a general public the capabilities of a scooter-motorcycle hybrid as versatile and original as this "seven and a half" semi-automatic transmission double clutch. Equipped with different engine and gearbox actuation curves, you can also play at managing each of the available ratios yourself at the touch of a button.

Fun and very capable on uneven terrain, the update received last year places it in the same line as the Honda Forza 750, also a novelty last season. The spoked wheels, the reinforced long-distance Showa suspensions or the mixed design tires on 17” and 15” rims give it not only the necessary capabilities to face any type of adventure at its controls, but also an overwhelming appearance and personality. As in the case of the Forza with the same engine, the screen is also adjustable and connectivity with the mobile phone is possible, having the information in the instrumentation of the scooter.

KYMCO DT X360

The Taiwanese firm got off the hook in the adventure scooter segment with its DT X360 at the end of 2020. Announced at the time as a novelty, it was based on the KYMCO Super Dink 350 to achieve a more aggressive appearance and in line with what a motorcycle demands. scooter with off-road aspirations.

Thus we find a clearly higher and wider handlebar, soft or mixed knobby tires and reinforced suspension with a conventional fork. The "wave" type brake discs help to obtain that particular "all-road" personality, while the adjustable screen helps to make a versatile mixed use of the scooter. Other details such as the proximity key or connectivity with its digital display close an interesting product that we can enjoy this year.

SYM HUSKY ADV

The increasingly notable diversification of the range carried out by the Taiwanese firm SYM is reflected in models like this one that, at least for the moment, is not scheduled to arrive in our market, although it would not be surprising if it were to join the ranks of models available in its catalog within our country.

Presented at the 2021 Milan Motor Show, the SYM HUSKY ADV comes in its initial configuration with a 150cc single-cylinder power plant, as well as reinforced suspensions that rely on a conventional fork and two rear units, while mixed tires will provide the confidence enough rolling on dirt surfaces. Also with this in mind, a visible, wide and high handlebar has been mounted to improve ergonomics in off-road driving, while the use of a modern TFT screen or the provision of connections with a fast-charging USB port also stands out.