PGO G-Max 200
Scooters, it would seem, come mainly in two flavours – the small but underpowered 125 and 150 cm3 urban runabouts, and the more powerful but physically larger maxi scooters.
While the little ones easily fit into the tiniest of traffic gaps, they struggle to keep up with all but the most basic econoboxes in terms of acceleration. The maxis, on the other hand, easily outrun most of the surrounding traffic, but their size and weight often count against them in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Squarely in between these two classes falls the PGO G-Max 200, as small and light as its lesser brethren but with enough power to leave the traffic behind. Its 200 cm3 engine pumps out a very credible 10.2 kW at 7 250 RPM, which allows it to comfortably maintain an indicated 115 km/h on a level road. In fact, with the benefit of a long downhill I was able to take it up to 135 km/h on the clock. The G-Max is also endowed with a sprightly pull-off – its clutch releases quicker than those found on the smaller-capacity scooters, and its acceleration means that unwary boy racers in their hot hatches will have to work unexpectedly hard not to be embarrassed by this apparently humble scooter.
This level of performance on a bike with 12-inch wheels might sound disturbing, but the truth is that the G-Max is surprisingly stable at speed. At no point – even when cruising near the national speed limit on the open road – did the suspension feel overwhelmed. However, the price for its stability is hefty: the very firm monoshock rear suspension makes for an extremely choppy ride on all but the smoothest of roads.
The G-Max is equipped with all the mod cons one would expect from a modern scooter: electric starter, side and centre stands, front and rear disk brakes and a comprehensive instrument panel (the latter consisting of an analogue rev counter, digital speedometer, odo/trip meter, fuel gauge and a easy-to-read dashboard clock). Braking is impressive, although the rear wheel has a tendency to lock up if the rear brake is used too enthusiastically. I didn’t notice undue lock-up when applying both brakes, under which condition the scooter bleeds off speed at a confidence-inspiring rate.
Ergonomics is not exactly the G-Max’s strong suit. Unlike other J-frame scooters, this one isn’t a true step-through design: following the lead of the maxi scooter manufacturers, PGO has opted to place the fuel tank on the floor between the rider’s legs. While this no doubt contributes to the scooter’s remarkable stability, it intrudes on foot space. This would probably be no problem for the dainty feet of a lady rider (and lady riders are probably the G-Max’s primary market), but my size-11 stompers only just fitted into the foot wells.
Like most scooters, the G-Max has a sizable underseat storage compartment, capable of swallowing a full-face helmet. It is equipped with a handy courtesy light, and is accessed by pushing and turning the ignition key anti-clockwise. Unlike the norm, though, the G-Max lacks a lockable storage compartment in the leg shield. Pushing and turning the ignition key to the right releases the filler cap, which is conveniently located on top of the fuel tank. This arrangement is infinitely more practical than the under-seat filler caps found on many other scooters, in that the rider can refuel without having to get off the bike.
While after-sales support of many of the Chaiwanese scooters on the market is questionable at best, the PGO range is sold and supported by Kawasaki dealers locally, which means that parts availability and service quality are unlikely to become a headache for the owner. In summary, the G-Max 200 is a very good synthesis of the benefits of both small-format and maxi scooters. Small, light, responsive and powerful, it takes the bite out of rush-hour traffic and turns urban mobility into a pleasure.
While the little ones easily fit into the tiniest of traffic gaps, they struggle to keep up with all but the most basic econoboxes in terms of acceleration. The maxis, on the other hand, easily outrun most of the surrounding traffic, but their size and weight often count against them in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Squarely in between these two classes falls the PGO G-Max 200, as small and light as its lesser brethren but with enough power to leave the traffic behind. Its 200 cm3 engine pumps out a very credible 10.2 kW at 7 250 RPM, which allows it to comfortably maintain an indicated 115 km/h on a level road. In fact, with the benefit of a long downhill I was able to take it up to 135 km/h on the clock. The G-Max is also endowed with a sprightly pull-off – its clutch releases quicker than those found on the smaller-capacity scooters, and its acceleration means that unwary boy racers in their hot hatches will have to work unexpectedly hard not to be embarrassed by this apparently humble scooter.
This level of performance on a bike with 12-inch wheels might sound disturbing, but the truth is that the G-Max is surprisingly stable at speed. At no point – even when cruising near the national speed limit on the open road – did the suspension feel overwhelmed. However, the price for its stability is hefty: the very firm monoshock rear suspension makes for an extremely choppy ride on all but the smoothest of roads.
The G-Max is equipped with all the mod cons one would expect from a modern scooter: electric starter, side and centre stands, front and rear disk brakes and a comprehensive instrument panel (the latter consisting of an analogue rev counter, digital speedometer, odo/trip meter, fuel gauge and a easy-to-read dashboard clock). Braking is impressive, although the rear wheel has a tendency to lock up if the rear brake is used too enthusiastically. I didn’t notice undue lock-up when applying both brakes, under which condition the scooter bleeds off speed at a confidence-inspiring rate.
Ergonomics is not exactly the G-Max’s strong suit. Unlike other J-frame scooters, this one isn’t a true step-through design: following the lead of the maxi scooter manufacturers, PGO has opted to place the fuel tank on the floor between the rider’s legs. While this no doubt contributes to the scooter’s remarkable stability, it intrudes on foot space. This would probably be no problem for the dainty feet of a lady rider (and lady riders are probably the G-Max’s primary market), but my size-11 stompers only just fitted into the foot wells.
Like most scooters, the G-Max has a sizable underseat storage compartment, capable of swallowing a full-face helmet. It is equipped with a handy courtesy light, and is accessed by pushing and turning the ignition key anti-clockwise. Unlike the norm, though, the G-Max lacks a lockable storage compartment in the leg shield. Pushing and turning the ignition key to the right releases the filler cap, which is conveniently located on top of the fuel tank. This arrangement is infinitely more practical than the under-seat filler caps found on many other scooters, in that the rider can refuel without having to get off the bike.
While after-sales support of many of the Chaiwanese scooters on the market is questionable at best, the PGO range is sold and supported by Kawasaki dealers locally, which means that parts availability and service quality are unlikely to become a headache for the owner. In summary, the G-Max 200 is a very good synthesis of the benefits of both small-format and maxi scooters. Small, light, responsive and powerful, it takes the bite out of rush-hour traffic and turns urban mobility into a pleasure.