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KYMCO adds larger displacement utility ATV

MXU 700, other off-road updates in 2013 lineup

As KYMCO USA advances in the off-road market, the company wants to go bigger, and it’s proving that with the latest edition to its 2013 lineup — the MXU 700.

The utility ATV is KYMCO’s first off-road vehicle to reach more than 500cc. It features a 694.6cc single liquid-cooled engine, a skin reminiscent of commercial trucks and a wider track than previous MXU models.

“We’ve been looking for a big bore, something to enter into that segment, since we’ve got the youth segment covered; we’ve got all the mid-sized bikes covered, so we really needed a large utility machine. KYMCO’s been developing the engine in the last year or so, so it’s finally coming into fruition for us,” Bruce Ramsey, vice president of sales and operations, told Powersports Business at the company’s off-road launch in Charlotte, N.C.

The MXU 700i IRS 4x4 is new to KYMCO USA’s lineup. This LE version comes equipped with alloy wheels and a 3,000-pound winch.

The green, red or black MXU 700i IRS 4×4 retails for $8,599, and the metallic silver LE version with aluminum alloy wheels and a 3,000-pound winch, has an MSRP of $9,399.

Also updated is the MXU 500 as its frame and skin were swapped to match the 700 model. The standard version is priced at $7,499, while the LE has a price tag of $8,299.

“The MXU 500 now shares the same frame as the 700, which gives it a little longer A-arms, a little wider track, more stability, a lot easier steering, and the skin on both of them is very aggressive,” Ramsey explained.

KYMCO also unveiled a $10,499 SP package for its UXV 500 side-by-side. It includes a rear cab net, a rear cargo net, two-tone red and black washable seat covers and a dual beverage holder, among other add-ons.

“We’re launching the UXV SP, which is really still at 500[cc] fuel injected, but it’s tricked out with accessories to make it more of a Baja-type bike,” Ramsey reported. “It only comes in yellow; it has a rear rack to carry a spare tire; it has a soft roof on it and a half windshield and a little bit different clutching with final gear set. And it has 14-inch aluminum wheels standard, so it’s a very aggressive-looking UXV for us.”

The UXV SP also features a light bar that KYMCO spent a year developing.

KYMCO USA added an SP pacakge to its UXV lineup, making its UTV a Baja-type of vehicle.

“Instead of standard halogens, we’re using LEDs, but they’re the only seven-watt LEDs on the market right now, and we spent a really long time trying to develop those. So it’s a really nice package that minimizes the power draw on the unit, but really produces an incredible amount of light,” Ramsey said.

KYMCO USA is hopeful that the new off-road lineup, and the returning models, such as the Maxxer sport ATV, will help spur sales and brand recognition. The company is especially relying on the MXU 700 to encourage buyers to upgrade to a larger displacement as the economy picks up.

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“The largest selling segment, of course, is that mid-sized utility, and I think even more so in the last few years. Because of the economy being soft, even though people may want the bigger machines, they’re gravitating toward a more economic buy, and so if they can get a 450, 500 for a better value or a better price, then they’ve done that,” Ramsey said. “But as the pendulum always swings back, we’ll be in that [large displacement] segment as the economy loosens up more and people are spending more money.”

See sidebar with this article: Racing off with KYMCO

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