Ah, adventure scooters. These are all the rage in several motorcycle markets, including here in Malaysia. We are happy to report that we are in the thick of this revolution, having sampled almost every one of them, including this new contender, the SYM ADXTG 400.

Adventure scooters provide an extra dimension to automatic scooters. Scooters, in the traditional sense are daily runabouts, great for the daily grind from your home to the office and back, while offering more convenience than the kapcai. However, the scooter essentially has remained unchanged since the first one post-WWII, hence they were starting to taste “vanilla.”

The advent of the adventure scooter has certainly changed this aspect and suddenly, it is the most popular variant in many countries around the world. It does not look like passing fad, as the sales of this type of scooters has been steady for many years already and does not seem to be slowing down. The makers promise some off-roading capabilities, but 99.9% of them will not see dirt, apart from road shoulders. However, adventure scooters look more interesting than their urban counterparts.

What is the SYM ADXTG 400?

The SYM ADXTG 400 is a midrange adventure scooter. Yes, midrange as the biggest scooters are typically in the 500cc range. Sangyang Motor a.k.a. SYM calls it “the real off-road scooter,” hence the tall front riding position.

Features include:

• 399cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, SOHC, 4-valve engine with Hyper VVS, which produces 34.5 HP (27.5 kW) at 7,000 RPM, and 37.0 Nm at 5,500 RPM.
• The Hyper VVS (variable valve system) provides optimum torque at both low and higher RPMs.

• The engine features twin counterbalancers on the bottom of both sides of the cylinder block to rid of engine vibrations.
• A new frame developed from the MAXSYM TL touring scooter, which allows for large luggage space in addition to a great handling motorcycle.

• 41mm upside-down forks up front with a centrally-mounted monoshock at the rear.
• The monoshock acts through a linkage and is mated to a beautifully polished aluminium swingarm.

• A single 275mm disc is up front, gripped by a radially-mounted four-piston caliper, while the rear is a 233mm disc.
• TCS and ABS by Bosch are standard, and the TCS and rear ABS function can be deactivated for off-road use.

• The front wheel is 15-inches, while the rear is 14-inches. They are beautifully cast and uses thin wall construction to save weight.
• Other features include a bright and sharp colour LCD panel, which is just as good as a TFT display.

• Reversible handlebar clamp, allowing you to set your preferred reach.
• Smart key system.

• 32-litre underseat storage space, which can fit an XXL-sized full-face helmet.
• The seat’s lock is at the front, and the seat flips up toward the back to allow for better access.

• Adjustable windscreen, adjustable over 92mm in two positions.
• Handguards and under engine bash plate.

Design and styling

There is a saying in the automotive world that “something that looks good, goes good.” Well, the SYM ADXTG 400 certainly looks good. Who would buy and ride an ugly motorcycle, right?

SYM says that they took inspiration from sabertooth tiger’s fangs when they designed the front end, and this can be seen on the two daytime running light strips that run down the front of the fairing. From the side, the panels evoke the body shape of cheetah while running at speed.

However, in layman terms, the bike looks great without being fussy. If the Honda ADV350 is the embodiment of simplicity, and the Zontes 368G is the personification of a futuristic robot design, the ADXTG sits smack in the middle. Besides that, the ADXTG has its own, distinctive design language, so we do not want to hear the word “copycat”!

Riding the SYM ADXTG 400

Approaching the bike, it looked kinda big but climbing on was easy, as the sides of the rider’s seat tapered inwards by a lot. On most scooters of this size, you can have a hard time putting a foot down, never mind both as the rider’s seat is very wide. However, this was the first time that we felt that the seat is closer to its 790mm specification.

Reach to the handlebar was perfect, putting us immediately at ease. A glance at the test rider and we found out why: He was about the same height as this writer.

To start the bike, you need to switch the ignition on by pressing the main button, pull in the rear brake lever (as like all automatic scooters), and jab the engine start button.

The engine came to life with a vroom but it was noticeably smooth without that high frequency vibe of single-bangers. Twist the throttle and the ADXTG rode off smoothly without trying to overwhelm your senses.

The SYM test area was separated into two: One for straight-line testing and another for manoeuvrability. We decided to do the former first.

Straight-line testing

We took the bike to the end of the 200m-long straight and gunned the throttle all the way to the stop. Of course, the ADXTG took off but it did not exhibit a big kick. Instead it blasted down the straight quickly but smoothly without the engine yelling for help.

We turned around and did another run, but this time for a rolling position instead of from idle. Again, the engine revved up smoothly as the speed increased. We saw nearly 130 km/h at the end of the straight.

What we gathered here was that the engine has plenty of go, but did it in a smooth, smooth manner, instead of hammering on the speed in a jiffy. It is so for better control when riding off-road, since SYM calls the ADXTG 400 “The real adventure scooter.”

The takeaways from this session confirmed:

1. The dual counterbalancers worked really well in stamping out that irritating and buzzy vibration associated with single-cylinder motorcycles. This writer’s finger joints and arm sockets are prone to hurting now that arthritis is setting in (no, not a joke) so a smooth engine is much-welcomed.
2. The smooth powerband says that the ADXTG is not a sports scooter, but something that is easy to live with day-after-day for many years to come.
3. There is no doubt that the Hyper VVS contributes to the smooth powerband, although there’s a slightly perceptible ‘bump’ in engine torque when the revs reach a higher RPM.
4. During the acceleration testing, we threw out the anchor with just 30m to a berm that separated us from the Taiwanese countryside. Thank goodness the brakes are powerful which needed two-fingered pull on both brake levers.

Manoeuvrability testing

One aspect that is always overlooked by many motorcycle buyers in Malaysia is a bike’s handling and agility. Never mind whether a bike can turn and brake, it is always “What’s the top speed?” Sad…

As we mentioned earlier, the second area of the SYM testing grounds is for testing a bike’s handling, which included a virtual roundabout.

The asphalt in this area is not exactly smooth and it was dusty with patches of dirt and loose tar-covered gravel. We are not complaining because it replicates real-life situations.

The takeaways from this session confirmed:

1. The SYM ADXTG 400 turned in well during the initial tip in.
2. However, there was a noticeable pushback from the handlebar at very low speed. It was the signal that you can ride the bike faster, which we did.
3. The bike felt better the faster we went around and around.
4. The tyres did not slip one bit.
5. Much of the bike’s weight is biased to the back, however, it would change if we turned the handlebar mount around.

Conclusion

Truth is, we kept wishing we could go out of the factory grounds for a full road test, but perhaps it was not an easy thing to do in Taiwan. We really hope that MForce Bike Holdings will extend a unit for more comprehensive tests (and prettier pictures) to us once it is launched in Malaysia some time in May 2025.

Still, the SYM ADXTG 400 showed itself as a very good bike with very good quality despite the short tests. Mind you, SYM tests their prototypes for at least two years before they are launched hence they are already refined when they hit the market. You cannot go wrong with an SYM scooter.