Kymco Visar 2021 — Specifications

When Kymco decides to turn the page on the CK1, the Taiwanese manufacturer doesn't settle for a simple facelift. The Visar arrives with a real graphic personality, something affirmed that contrasts with the usual neutrality of the segment. The upside-down fork head, the generous flanks that swallow the turn signals, the engine guard fitted as standard: it’s more in the roadster universe than in that of a basic two-wheeled vehicle. For 2,799 euros, the buyer receives a machine that embraces its look, which is not so common in this price range.

Under the 13.5-liter tank, the two-valve 124 cc single-cylinder engine runs on injection since the Euro4 upgrade. The figures on the spec sheet: 10 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 11.8 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm. The figures are what they are, that is to say correct for navigating the city with ease, but a little tight as soon as you move away from traffic lights and seek to maintain a sustained pace on the open road. The five-speed gearbox does the job, the chain transmission brings no surprises. This engine mainly has the merit of being economical, and when a full tank is enough to cover several hundred kilometers, the monthly bill remains light. Only the initial purchase stings a little, noticeably up compared to the CK1 it replaces.

The chassis doesn’t revolutionize anything: steel tubular frame, classic telescopic fork, mono-shock at the rear. The Visar weighs 136 kg fully fueled, which places it in the average of its category without ever penalizing urban maneuverability. The real technical novelty is found in the braking system, with a disc at the rear replacing the old drum, and a coupled system that simplifies the life of less experienced riders. Tires in 80/100-17 at the front and 110/80-17 at the rear complete a package with no particular ambition but without a fatal flaw.

The Visar evolves in a 125 roadster market that does not forgive pricing missteps. Faced with the Yamaha YS 125 or the Honda CBF 125, it can no longer play the card of an attractive price. Faced with 125s with a vintage style like the Mash Seventy Five or Black Seven, it doesn't have the same retro emotional charge that attracts a growing clientele. It therefore finds itself in a delicate intermediate position, neither the cheapest nor the most characteristic. What remains to it is a real stylistic consistency and a mechanical reliability that the history of Kymco tends to confirm. For a young A1 license holder who wants something presentable without paying the high price of Japanese references, the Visar constitutes a defensible choice, provided that you don't ask it to give what it cannot.