MCN overall verdict
There are a lot of good points about buying a maxi scooter like the
SR Max. Fuel economy is one, simplicity is the other. There aren’t many
full-licenced motorcyclists who would buy a scooter on these benefits
alone because of the image they portray of being ‘a ladies bike’. Maybe
this is why Aprilia has wound up the ‘sport-styling’ knob to full for
the SR Max and turned an ordinary scooter into a man’s scooter.
Engine capacity is actually 278cc and isn’t the
strongest four-stroke single-cylinder out there with its claimed
21.7bhp and 17ftlb of torque. Honda’s SH300i beats this with 26.82bhp
and 19.2ftlb. As a twist and go, the SR Max gets away from the lights
easily and simply. But don’t expect to get away first, though. With a
bored, piss-taking sales rep at the wheel of a diesel Ford focus, the
Ford will get the drop on the Aprilia. MCN recorded a claimed 53mpg
average after a 38-mile commute consisting of B-roads and a 15-mile
stretch of A1. Testing showed the highest speed figure achieved was
91mph. It took a while to get there after the initial zippy burst up to
57mph. Overtaking from 60mph into a head wind needs to be weighed up
very carefully before the throttle is turned in anger because it can be a
slow process.
The SR Max 300 can be easily be classed as a
man’s scooter because ladies aren’t likely to buy because the tall seat
height is exaggerated by the seat’s width and the width of the running
boards. If 5ft 8in blokes have to tip-toe at the lights, then the other
half is going to be in trouble. With 15in front and 14in rear wheel
sizes, the SR Max doesn’t suffer from wibbly-wobbly steering at speed
and over bumps. Occasionally the twin rear shocks get overwhelmed with a
series of stutter-like bumps especially with luggage or pillion
onboard. But that’s what preload adjustment is for and the shocks’
adjustment is easy to get at.
The black/red colour scheme is eye-catching and
the angular layout of the bike is eye-catching – indeed the wide,
spacious red/black vinyl seat is, erm, attention grabbing. The LCD dash
readout is controlled by two mode buttons, one bar-mounted and the other
inset in the dash. Functions like average fuel consumption, recorded
top speed, tank range etc are easy to read. There’s a vast cavity with a
12v socket under the large seat to take a full-face helmet, waterproofs
and an evening’s take-away. The central tunnel for the frame has vents
to direct warm air from the radiator onto legs and feet.
Aprilia’s engine is from the same
development/production line as the Gilera Qasar engine and we’ve no
complaints about this because it means the Aprilia is fuel frugal and
will cruise happily at motorway speed in exactly the same way. It may be
a scooter but everything looks to be built with the same care and
thought as Aprilia’s sports machines.
If scooters are your bag then the Aprilia is a
genuine contender. Its looks are part of its attraction along with
miserly fuel consumption and ease of use. The tall seat height is only a
problem if you’re short of leg length. The real problem is there are a
lot more scooters in this class to view, and some of the far eastern
models are cheaper and do the same job of simple commuting.
