Kymco AK550 Premium - Road trip - Day 1

It's road trip time! Taking the Kymco AK550 Premium on a "short" 900km road trip in 1.5 days from Bucharest Romania to Sofia Bulgaria and back because why not?
Thanks to @KYMCOROMANIA for providing the 2024 Kymco AK550 Premium for review, If you want to contact them for enquiries you can contact them at the following addresses:
NIBA Servicom 2000 S.R.L.
Web: www.kymco.ro/
Mail: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Motomus: www.motomus.ro/
Sym Romania: sym-romania.ro/
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Take care and ride safe!

[@alexxdiaconu]

Very enjoyable video, as always, Alex! Keep this up!!😊

[@RideWithAlex]

Thank you 😁

[@malltraeth100]

Excellent video, Alex, your grasp of the English language is exemplary

[@RideWithAlex]

Thank you! 😁

[@ygeia_trws]

Love how the channel grows steadily in it's home country! Hopefully in the near future we have our chance from Greece (Mr. SYM maybe) to show support as well...

[@RideWithAlex]

Do you mean Mr Gorgolis as "Mr Sym?"

[@Ridth-one]

Greetings from borneo malaysia, have been following this channel for few weeks now & binge watch the older videos.

[@RideWithAlex]

Thank you, more crazy adventures to come :D

[@iacobrazvan7012]

Frumoasa calatoria! Si eu detin un Honda Silverwing 600 ABS din 2007 si cam tot cam asa e consumul . Insa franele si suspensia fata sunt din secolul trecut comparativ cu AK 550 Premium. Ride safe!

[@instaaionut]

Chiar aveam nevoie de un clip lung la care sa ma uit azi!

[@The_Arby]

Nice one Alex 🙂

[@RideWithAlex]

Thank you! 😁

[@TheDervMan]

FYI the audio is really good on this video 🙂

[@RideWithAlex]

Thank you :D

[@bobitamomita7317]

Faci ce trebuie. Imi place sa te urmăresc. Poate mai usor prin localități. Bafta!

[@RideWithAlex]

🤫🤫🤫

[@vladimirgrba]

Great video, every time you make it interesting, please note that at 32:15 when you entering a tunel dashboard doesn't blink.

[@RideWithAlex]

Also at night the camera changes shutter speed and the dash stops flickering :)

[@bobitamomita7317]

Buna treaba cu Lukoil 😂. Keep it that way

[@gergobozsik1614]

Hello Alex! Finally a touring video, thumbs up!😊 You had quite a luck with the weather. Curious to see what was wrong with the heated grips. Be bad, cheers!😊

[@RideWithAlex]

It's still a mistery but tomorrow the second video of the trip drops another one hour ordeal of a video. 😁

[@gergobozsik1614]

@@RideWithAlex I just can't wait!😁 If you could choose from this and the 350E. Hands on heart, from a realistic point of view without the price tag...which one would you choose for yourself?

[@RideWithAlex]

@@gergobozsik1614 it's clearly better then the 350E but it's like 15-20% better for double the price it's hard to take price out of the equation but if I would take price out st the moment it's the best scooter I have ever ridden, but keep in mind I have never ridden the Yamaha T-max, hopefully this year I'll get a chance to ride it, I don't know if I can get it for a week but we'll see.

[@gergobozsik1614]

Thx for the answer!

[@Sweeedy1]

I hope you don’t feel that you HAVE TO speak all the time, it’s just as enjoyable when it’s quite, just the engine and the ambient sound. Just enjoying the trip.

[@HuzJorDedi]

Nice ride i really enjoyedthe video..I hope you are going make a long ride videos with Fred 😊

[@RideWithAlex]

For sure, I bought him for long distances not for the city 😁

[@michaelslater8667]

my heated grips work fine on my AK.. ive had no issues with them.

[@user-dq3il7tj1n]

Los puños dejaron de funcionar por la humedad probablemente. Usa dentro WD40 que actúa contra la humedad y no afecta a los contactos eléctricos. Se arregla.

[@JoshConnectMedia]

The fact is , you keep doing what you love doing .. the numbers will come naturally... Good luck. How do you compare the AK550 with the SYM 508 TL?

[@RideWithAlex]

I go into more details about comparing the AK to the TL in my review video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fp6ynp15p5J0hZo

[@MisterSuki]

Maybe a 15L dry bag on the seat or rear rack?

[@MisterSuki]

Some heated elements do have an auto shutoff at a certain temp. I don't know about the Kymco.

[@Stefan_trekkie]

Veliko Turnovo /Great Turnovo/ Has old city part of the hills.. With castles walls and everything from the middle ages. It was the capital of Bulgaria back then.

[@RideWithAlex]

Nice, I didn't know that. 😁

[@ivanmaric4752]

When you conect your phone with scooter...is it possible to manage cell phone on the handlebars remote control bottoms??

[@RideWithAlex]

Didn't try it :(

[@bobitamomita7317]

Si un,, opa-sa" e foarte bun la vremea lui😂

[@rogerdassel8548]

Hi Alex, i love your Videos 😁👍 But i have a question over the Smartphone holder! What Typ of holder do you use on the AK?

[@RideWithAlex]

On the AK550 I used the quad lock brake/clutch reservoir holder with the vibration damper.

[@rogerdassel8548]

Thanks for the fast answer👍

[@Deliormanli83]

To turn on/off heated grips, you hold the button for 3 secs - sure you hold it enough?

[@RideWithAlex]

held it for 3-5-10----- 2 minutes :)). They came back to life on the second day, it was magic.

[@TheDervMan]

I really wish my X-ADV had cruise control. If the AK was cheaper I would have got one purely down to it having cruise. I guess Honda don't want to take sales away from their Touring bikes by fitting cruise to their smaller bikes. That's so true about finding time for yourself. Which Navigation app are you using?

[@RideWithAlex]

I used IGO Navigation. Honda doesn't want to fit cruise control even on the transalp. And that has a throttle by wire system so cruise control for that it's just a set of buttons and software.

[@TheDervMan]

@@RideWithAlex same with the current X-ADV model, it's ride by wire but still no cruise control. Thanks Honda 🤣

[@andrewbozhozr]

Just wait... Voge, Zontes and the rest of the Chinese are coming, and melting their ego...

[@RideWithAlex]

@@andrewbozhozr I have no doubt thinks will evolve and the Chinese are going to come out with some mind blowing scoots and small engined bikes

[@copu7850]

Așteptam un clip din asta lung 🎉. Ce aplicație e aia de pe telefon? Ride safe. Mă pregătesc de video 2. 😂

[@RideWithAlex]

Igo Navigation.

[@phildaniels1214]

I'm interested to see if you get the heated grips sorted out...

[@RideWithAlex]

Tomorrow the second video drops!

[@mbloy613]

Could you show us how you fitted and mounted the quad lock on the bike?

[@RideWithAlex]

It's the quad lock brake rezervoir mount, it's specially made to be mounted there.

[@mbloy613]

@@RideWithAlex Thank you, I’ll try that on my scooter.

[@anastasme]

How does kymco behave for you on a high speed, particularly when it is wet? Asking because mine feels very unstable, particularly on a wet service and I cannot figure out the reason (changed tyres to Michelin already but tiny difference).

[@RideWithAlex]

It didn't feel unstable to me :/

[@anastasme]

​@@RideWithAlex thx - in video u say yourself that rear wheel at one point of time on the wet felt slippery - I feel it all the time when it rains on a highway - I guess will have to keep looking for the cause. Otherwise I am starting to think of selling since there is no way I would tour with that behaviour of the bike.

[@RideWithAlex]

@@anastasme all bikes move arround a bit underneath you. If you bought it second hand I would suggest changing all the bushings for the rear swing arm and suspension, they can start having play and give you the sensation the tyre is slipping when in reality the body of the scooter is moving left to right and the wheel is perfectly still.

[@anastasme]

@@RideWithAlex I bought it new and have been having it for a year (6k km) That is why I didn't seriously consider 'bushings' as a potential cause because the bike was new. My guess was the cover I am using which serves a bit like a sail and thus impacts the stability or straightforward the wrong balancing of the bike cause it is and feels heavy. I have had many motorbikes and Honda forza 300 scooter and none of them had such issues so kinda know something is not ok.

[@RideWithAlex]

@@anastasme if you have experience with scooters then it's probably something, I didn't feel any more instability then any other big maxiscooter. Of course all move a bit underneath you and for someone with no experience might feel a bit unstable. But if you have experience and say yours is worse then any you have ridden the yeah, it's a particular problem to your scooter, I had it up to 185 km/h and it feels better at that speed then my BMW R1100GS

[@AegisofChampions]

Bro, I am catching your breath

[@neiciuca]

Alex, what pants is the other Alex wearing?

[@RideWithAlex]

I think they are some Macna touring pants.

[@alexkolushev514]

Will you say Donnye good by?

[@RideWithAlex]

Never, Donnie is getting ready for his 2025 adventure, my most ambitios undertaking ever.

[@alexkolushev514]

@@RideWithAlex very interesting to see big scooter vs light scooter from you

[@YesItsMe04]

Is 5'4 height super tiptoe sir??

[@RideWithAlex]

You have to try it for yourself but I think you would tip toe.

[@mariossp6137]

Hello Alex! did u buy it?

[@RideWithAlex]

No, I don't have that kind of money, this was part of my 1 week test.

[@mariossp6137]

Me neither but its awesome! Please we want more with FRED ZONTES like this one !drive safe 🙏

[@ImadAUSTIN]

hello alex, i hope you're doing fine, can i have the name off maps app ?

[@RideWithAlex]

Igo Navigation

[@kosten]

Did not catch what’s wrong with Lukoil

[@RideWithAlex]

Personal preference.

[@vrejoiu]

gata te-ai dat cu kymco acum cand ma convinsesei sa iau un zontes 350e

[@RideWithAlex]

M-am dat cu kymco o săptămână, nu e ca si cand l-am cumpărat, nu am 11k asa una doua 😂

[@vrejoiu]

@@RideWithAlex dupa ce imi achita firma de leasing 350e-ul ne vedem la schimbu de 5000

[@RideWithAlex]

@@vrejoiu al meu E are deja 2000 km :))

[@willidevegt8831]

at min 21:03 the road signs show 50 and you go 108 more than double the speed limit 58km/h to fast in my county the police will ask you to surrender your drivers license for everything over 50km/h to fast

[@RideWithAlex]

Same here 🤫

[@klip4226]

What u use for app navigation ?

[@RideWithAlex]

Igo Navigation

[@strezification]

Did you just really skipped Lukoil just because it is Russian?

[@RideWithAlex]

I've been skipping lukoil for the past 10 years :)