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New for 2008
KYMCO Side by Side UXV 500
KYMCO's UXV 500
The 4-stroke single cylinder with 499cc
and a CVT transmission delivers 34.7
maximum horsepower at 6500 rpm. |
In Europe the name KYMCO is well known in the
ATV and Motor Scooter business. The company,
founded in 1963, now takes its first steps in
the U.S.-ATV market. Nevertheless they are going
with the flow. Therefore, the new KYMCO side by
side UXV 500 4x4 will be, as things look now,
leaving the assembly lines in Asia in March,
2008.
By an invitation I had the chance to test
ride the preproduction model of the UXV 500 4x4
in Taiwan at KYMCO headquarters. Some weeks
later I could test drive one of the first street
legal models for Europe in Germany–on and off
road. There a film was made about the new side
by side.
Engine
KYMCO uses the same liquid-cooled engine with
some minor mounting differences in comparison to
their ATV flagship MXU 500. The 4-stroke single
cylinder with 499cc and a CVT transmission
delivers 34.7 maximum horsepower at 6500 rpm.
Maximum torque is at 5500 rpm. The
centrally-mounted engine position provides great
balance and stable driving characteristics. It
conforms to U.S. regulation EPA and the European
emission legislation. Like other models on the
market, it does not take long to gain access to
the components of the engine for maintenance.
The transmission system provides high and low
speed, neutral and reverse. The parking brake is
separate.
The high capacity steel fuel tank with 32
Liters/8.5 gallons offers the ability for
long-term use between re-fills.
A-arms are beefy yet light weight.
A look at the UXV's stabilizer
bar.
UXV 500 rear drive-train |
Chassis
Because of the cooperation with Arctic Cat on
some ATV models like the MXU 400/Arctic Cat
366cc, it seems that the chassis of the KYMCO
UXV 500 is similar to the one found at the
Prowler. It’s a robust reinforced chassis casing
and cab for driver protection and safety. In the
front you will find an integrated steel and
plastic molded bumper to help prevent chassis
impact damage. The steel rear box with plastic
cover takes a load capacity of 190 kg. It is
equipped with an easy-to-use tilt mechanism. The
towing capacity is 280 kg for the U.S. market.
Equipment
The UXV 500 is equipped with a selectable 2
WD/4 WD system that can be activated while
driving. There is also a diff-lock for the front
axle. It can be switched on and off only when
the vehicle comes to a stop. The 4-wheel
independent suspension system is designed to
enhance driving comfort. For stopping, three
hydraulic disk brakes (2Fr/1RR: 202/200) can be
operated simultaneously by a single brake pedal.
The UXV runs on tire sizes 25x8-12 in the front
and 25x10-12 in the rear.
Ergonomics
Everything feels appropriately placed and
well within reach. However, there are two things
I would like to see changed. First, the gas
pedal would be much better if it had the pattern
of the brake pedal. Under wet conditions it is
too slippery under your boots during rough
riding. And secondly, the middle console
external engine cooling vent which is located
just aft of the driver’s right elbow generates
excessive heat. Maybe it is nice to have this in
wintertime, but in summertime it will cook your
arm. Too much engine heat is coming up here if
you ride slowly or come to a halt with the UXV.
Instrumentation on the UXV 500.
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Actual Ride Time
The first thing you notice if you take a seat
in the UXV is the spacey leg room you have.
The seat itself is pretty comfy. You start the
engine by turning the key. The gear shifting is
easy and soft. But turning back and forth in the
woods with a hot engine it sometimes didn’t
shift on the first attempt properly into forward
gear.
In high it takes some time to get the 525 kg
heavy UXV to its top speed of 72 km/h /45 mph.
In the bottom and midrange the KYMCO reacts
more spontaneously to right-foot commands. Like
the Yamaha Rhino 450 the KYMCO UXV 500 is not a
rocket, but is still fun to ride.
Because the 50 inches of width and a
stabilizer on the rear axle the UXV is very
stable in curves. The low center of gravity and
the centrally mounted engine provide extra great
balance and stable driving characteristics. At
high speeds I found that the steering,
especially if you hit little bumps i.e., is too
direct. If you have to circle around trees at a
lower speed, it is easy and light to handle.
The stopping power of the three disks is a
good “average” out of high speeds, especially
with the wood load in the film. Still the three
disks are doing their job during average usage.
The disks get help from the engine braking
force. During Off-roading and going down hills
the engine braking was a helpful support.
The suspension settings for both the front
and rear shocks are on the soft side, but offer
a really smooth ride out on the trail.
Admittedly, the stock shocks work pretty well
when pushed, but their limit was definitely
reached when going faster over nasty bumps. Due
to the long wheelbase, the UXV 500 still is very
stable under these driving conditions.
The Kenda tires give the KYMCO lots of grip
under wet conditions. Even in 2 WD I was able to
go through some muddy conditions. The ground
clearance of 292 mm helps, of course. In 4 WD
and low gear the UXV is climbing lightly. During
the film session the Diff-Lock was needed when
we climbed and driven transfers. It is nice to
have in some nasty off-road conditions, too. To
use the Dif-Lock the side by side has to come to
a stop. If you don`t need it anymore, utilize
the same procedure vice-versa.
Final Thoughts
The KYMCO UXV 500 is definitely not the
sportiest UTV on the market. Still the 500 mill
provides enough power to have fun on the trail.
Ergonomics are well done. The switches,
especially for the diff-lock should have more
design. Leg room is good for giants. The chassis
is wide enough to do sharp curves. The
suspension is on the soft and comfortable side.
The production of the UXV 500 will start, as
it looks now, in March, 2008. We heard that
KYMCO engineers changed some details on the
pre-production models after our test ride to
make improvements.
UXV 500 Specifications
Ample storage in the bed for two to
three hay bails.
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Items
- Length (mm):
2890
- Width (mm):
1500
- Height (mm):
1850
- Wheelbase (mm):
1912
- FR/RR Tread (mm):
1250/1241
- Ground Clearance (mm): 292
- Saddle Height (mm): 805
- Foot Peg Height (mm): 365
- Cargo Bed Height (mm): 740
- Max Cargo Bed Load (kg): 190
- Max Weight Capacity (kg): 350
- Dry Weight FR/RR/Amount (kg):
228/297/525
Engine
- Type:
4 Stroke OHC
- Valve Train:
DOHC
- Bore Stroke (mm): 92x75
- Actual Displacement (cc): 498.5
- No. Of Cylinder:
Single
- Compression Ratio: 10.5
- Max HP/rpm:
34.7/6500
- Max. Torque (kg.m/rpm): 4.0/5500
- Starting System:
Electronic
- Cooling System:
Liquid Cooling
Drive Train
- Transmission: CVT
- Front Driving Mechanism: Differential
- Rear Driving:
Gear Box
Other
- Fuel Tank Capacity (l):
32
- Carburetor:
C.V.K.
- Ignition Type:
CDI
- Frame:
Steel tube frame
- Tires (FR/RR):
Tubeless Kenda 25x8-12/25x10-12
- Wheel Material:
Steel
- Brake System (FR/RR): Dual hydraulic Disk/ Single hydr Disk
- Diameter FR/RR (mm): 202/200
Suspension
- Front:
Dual A-Arms
- Rear:
Dual A-Arms
Steering System
- Type:
Steering Wheel
- Min. Turning Radius (mm): 4060
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