SYM Fiddle II
May 7th, 2009 - After just a few minutes on the SYM Fiddle II, I already had random strangers complimenting me on the scooter. Not only was the bike good to look at, it was fun to ride as well. And while the basket may not be very manly, it certainly increased the storage capacity of the bike. The Fiddle II is a 125cc, automatic, vintage inspired scooter from Taiwanese manufacturer SYM. It is imported into the US by Carter Bros. and was introduced in late 2008. The main competitors to the Fiddle II are Genuine's Buddy 125 and Yamaha's Vino 125. While each bike has it advantages and disadvantages, the Fiddle II holds its own against some mighty esteemed company.
The kind folks at Alcoa Good Times just outside of Knoxville, TN were kind enough to loan Scooter-News the bike for a couple of hours and during that time I got a good idea of how it stacked up against the competition. First and foremost the fit and finish of the bike seemed very good. The only flaw whatsoever was that the horn didn't work and I imagine that it was something as simple as a fuse. Regardless, I know the guys at Alcoa Good Times have already taken care of it. The Fiddle II sits on 10" wheels, has a good amount of under seat storage space, and my favorite feature: an electric seat latch release. With the key in the ignition all you have to do is push a button on the left handlebar and the seat is electronically released, exposing the under seat storage. Obviously the electric latch does present the potential to be more troublesome than a manual latch as it ages, but for the time being, I really like it.
When I first pulled the bike off of its center stand, it immediately felt light. Another bonus of the 10" wheels that I failed to mention is that the seat height is a good bit lower than a bike with 12" wheels. This is most definitely a benefit for ladies and fellas like myself who have a shorter inseam. The 10" wheels also mean that the Fiddle II is fast to turn in, but not a stable as some of its larger wheeled brethren. The engine seemed peppy for 125ccs and I was able to get the bike to hit a top speed of an indicated 70MPH in a tuck downhill. In the real world, the Fiddle II is capable of 55MPH while sitting up, although to avoid stringing the engine out I wouldn't want to commute for more than a few miles on a 55MPH road. 45MPH roads are where this bike really shines.
The Fiddle handles the corners wonderfully, the brakes have a nice combination of both feel and stopping power, and personally I think that SYM did a nice job with the styling. The under seat storage of the bike was good and had much more room than SYM's HD200. Another cool noteworthy feature (well accessory actually) is the new chrome system that SYM is debuting for the Fiddle. If you ever want the Quadrophenia look for your scoot, the Fiddle's chrome system is a good start as it basically wrap the scooter in chromed tubular piping. Not only does it look cool, but it should add a good bit of insurance if you ever happen to drop your bike. Altogether the design of the bike seems to be well thought out and you could even say it rivals Japanese scooter designs. .
SYM has built a bike that somehow manages to feel well put together, is fun to ride, and is unintemidating for both new and experienced scooters, all for the very low price point of $2,599. As I said in the video review, the Fiddle II compares very well against both the Buddy and Vino 125s and you need to look at the very fine details to determine what model best suits you. For me personally, if I was was looking at this class of scooters I think my chioce would ultimately boil down to aesthetics, features, and accessories that go along with the bike. Every different rider is going to have different needs, and I'll leave the decision up to you. Either way I don't think you could go wrong with choosing SYM's Fiddle II.
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