Sym Joymax Z 300 2019: a new alternative for moving around lively [ROAD TEST]

The scooters of 300 cm3 they have become, with the passage of time, the absolute masters of the "urban jungle" and the new Sym Joymax Z 300 presents itself as an excellent alternative to the proposals of the most famous manufacturers in the sector.

Practical, fashionable and also aggressive in design, this new one 300 it has all it takes to act as a "low cost" alternative to the most popular ones Yamaha XMAX 300 e honda forza 300.
The name Sym is the acronym of Sanyang Motor, the largest Taiwanese company producing scooters, motorcycles and quads, present in Italy twigs 16 June 2005.
Even though it is not yet very popular, the Taiwanese company is slowly carving out a decent share of the market thanks to good construction quality, technological innovation and truly competitive prices.
The quality/price ratio is the real ace in the hole of the Joymax Z 300 given that it has all the best features of a product in this segment (design, comfort and performance) but is offered on the market at a decidedly more affordable price.
Furthermore, in the 2014, Sanyang Italy has launched, as a world exclusive, the "4 Year Warranty/100.000 km + 4 Year Roadside Assistance" program, a sign of the absolute reliability that Sym products are able to offer.

Equipment and design

Sharp lines, sporty design, compact dimensions and boldness: these are the characteristics of the new one Joymax Z 300.
The very aggressive front light cluster boasts position lights LED , which are very reminiscent of those used on the group's cars Volkswagen, while the main ones are halogen and offer a truly powerful light beam.
The windscreen has a very simple cut but offers good protection from the air, even at high speeds, furthermore it is possible to vary its position by acting on the fixing screws with the vehicle stationary.
The instrumentation is complete, clear and easily readable but forget about the latest generation digital displays full of information. On the Joymax Z 300 there is a very "basic" group made up of two analogue circular instruments placed on the sides (odometer and rev counter) and a central digital screen containing fuel level, liquid temperature, total and partial kilometres.
The handlebar controls are of good quality and all the buttons are ergonomic, optimally positioned and easily accessible.
In the right glove compartment of the front shield there is a very convenient USB socket as standard which can be used to charge your smartphone, which is now a fundamental element of our daily life.
A noteworthy detail, particularly ingenious and convenient, is the multifunction key block for starting the scooter.
Through a single lock, equipped with a guillotine safety lock, you can control various things such as starting the vehicle, opening the large compartment under the saddle, operating the steering lock and unlocking the refueling door.
The tank, positioned in the tunnel between the pilot's legs, allows for rapid refueling on the one hand, but also takes up useful space to rest the feet on the other.
The great comfort and practicality of Joymax Z 300 it can be found in the comfortable saddle and in the immense compartment under the saddle which, in addition to being robust and well structured, allows you to contain a full-face helmet, a jet helmet and possibly also a chain and a rain kit. Really amazing!

Engine and chassis

After spending some time testing and optimizing its engines, Sym has further raised the bar by increasing performance without compromising its reliability.
The unit installed on the Joymax Z 300 it is a single cylinder 278.3 cc with 4 valves per cylinder, liquid cooling and electronic injection, capable of delivering a maximum power of 27.3 cv a 8.000 rpm and well 27.3 Nm of torque a 6.750 rpm.
Thanks to these performances, in line with others 300 of Italian and Japanese production, this one Sym it does not suffer from inferiority complexes, on the contrary, it is able to offer brilliant performances and satisfaction even far from the classic urban context.
The cycling department uses traditional and proven solutions, such as the single-spar steel frame, to offer safety and control in all situations, even the most hostile.
The suspension department uses a fixed calibration telescopic fork at the front and a double shock absorber with adjustable spring preload at the rear. The braking system, equipped with Bosch-ABS, is composed of a single disc at the front 260 mm in diameter, while at the rear one of 240 mm, both with daisy profile.
The large capacity of the tank (12 liters) combined with the excellent efficiency of the engine allow long journeys before filling up.
The original equipment tyres, mounted on aluminum rims, are i Maxxis MA PRO in the measures of 120/70-14 e 140/60-13, for front and rear respectively.

Guide

In the saddle you immediately feel at ease, everything is where it should be, and the feeling of control of the vehicle is excellent.
The triangulation of the saddle-footpegs-handlebars is aimed at comfort but requires a somewhat collected position (I am tall 1,83). The wrists are not loaded and the legs, although drawing a slightly narrow angle, allow you to ride for a long time without getting too tired.
The real magic happens once you start the engine and go!
We are immediately impressed by the incredible agility of the Joymax Z 300 in changes of direction and by the progression of the engine.
In city traffic the Sym "runs" gracefully and almost jauntily; the “urban jungle” is his bread and it shows!
Breaking free from the queued cars and making your way through the narrow streets of the center of Milan is a pleasure and is the most natural and easy thing to do, stress is transformed into a memory.
The thrust of the engine is truly exemplary, always "ready" at every rotation of the throttle control, aggressive in revving and characterized by excellent acceleration. All perfect? Almost, because such engaging behavior is partly penalized by a slight on/off effect and evident vibrations at low revs (they disappear at high revs). They are probably an inconvenience partly attributable to the fact that the sample we tested was in full running-in, we collected it with only 1 km under its belt, and therefore with the passage of time these effects could decrease in intensity.
The suspensions always guarantee excellent control of the vehicle but struggle to digest potholes, rails and cobblestones, resulting in a somewhat stiff and dry response. Nothing tragic but if you find yourself facing obstacles like this you need to pay attention and reduce your speed.
Braking is powerful and very adaptable and is assisted by an excellent Bosch ABS which intervenes only when strictly necessary, resulting in impeccable operation and minimal invasiveness.
In everyday use the Sym it has always performed well and even with the addition of a passenger, thanks to the engine torque, it does not suffer from the increase in load, always being easily manageable and "quick" in changes of direction.
In fact, it's really hard to believe that it weighs 184 kg dry because, in terms of driving dynamics, you have the impression of driving a 125 cc "vitaminized".
Moving away from the city along ring roads and state roads all the good characteristics of the Joymax Z 300 found in the urban context are confirmed, indeed, the sporting soul of the sport is highlighted above all Sym.
On winding roads it displays surprising handling with an almost sporty turn-in and very smooth and progressive suspension behaviour.
The aerodynamic protection always remains good even if the shoulders and feet, if placed in the front part of the shield, remain partially exposed to the air.
If the problem is negligible for the shoulders, the same is not the case for the feet. Due to the voluminous central tunnel, the available footrests are narrow and force the shoes to half protrude from the hull, remaining exposed to the action of the wind.
At more "cheerful" paces the Joymax Z 300 it always remains manageable but presents a few too many sways at speeds above 120 km/h. It suffers greatly from air movements, especially those generated by heavy vehicles.
In these situations you can see the limits of the aerodynamics which tends to make Sym move too much compared to the best competitors and forces you to close the throttle slightly to find the best set-up.
The performances are of a good level given that the engine hardly moves away from the maximum torque regime and is capable of exceeding the Joymax Z 300 i 140 km/h indicated by the instrument.
The average consumption was a pleasant surprise, in fact during our entire test period, not being light on gas, it always remained around 25 km / liter, a remarkable result!
The original equipment tires have always been up to the task, providing plenty of grip, an excellent driving feeling and a quick warm up time: fully promoted.

Price

Il Sym Joymax Z 300 It is available on promotion in dealerships in the colours White, Light Gray Matt e Black matt a 3.900 € rather than 4.500; what more do you want?
In short, the new Joymax Z 300 It turns out to be a truly versatile vehicle, fun to drive and suitable for general use 360%.
It has many advantages and few defects, some of which are negligible, which make it a good choice for a user who wants a powerful, reliable scooter, with low running costs and a more humane selling price.

Pro

Performance, driveability, consumption, quality/price ratio.

Cons

Vibrations at low speeds, on/off effect of the throttle control, limited front space of the footrests

Photo: Alessandro Ranzenigo