Kymco Grandvista 250

Summary
Overall the Grandvista 250 was a longer, lower, lighter and more comfortable scooter than the Bet & Win 250
3.8

KYMCO GRANDVISTA 250

The Grandvista 250 was introduced as a USA model for 2005, where it continued to be sold until the end of 2011. It never made it on sale in Canada, but it was offered in many other countries around the world from about 2001 on. Overseas, Kymco normally used the name “Grand Dink”, so it’s easy to see why they changed it for North America (In Asia, a “Grand Dink” is an affluent married individual with Double Income No Kids).

The Grandvista 250 was a sibling to the Bet & Win 250, in that both scooters share the same liquid cooled 249cc motor and similar styling. Where the Grandvista 250 differed is that it was oriented for touring / extended high speed riding with its windscreen, extended wheelbase, more relaxed riding position and a few other features.

Engine

Powering the Grandvista 250 was a liquid cooled, 249cc 4-stroke mill. This motor was a fairly simple yet reliable engine which used a carburetor and dual valve head design to keep costs down. The Grandvista made a peak power output of 19.5hp @ 7250 RPM and 15.3 ft/lbs torque @ 5500 RPM. This translated into a max velocity around 75-80mph, which was adequate for the open road as long the wind cooperated and the machine wasn’t loaded down with two big riders.

Fuel mileage for the Grandvista 250 is typically reported around 60mpg. That’s good enough to offer a substantial savings over buying a bigger machine. 400-600cc scooters typically post about 40-55mpg. There are newer scooters in this niche that offer more power and better milage (ie. Kymco’s Downtown and Honda’s Forza), but you won’t find any of them for nearly the same price tag. One downside to the Grandvista is that Kymco recommends valve gap adjustments every 4000 km (compared to 15,000 km for many models) but this might just be Kymco being conservative.

Design and Amenities

The Grandvista 250 had a large comfortable seat, which makes it well suited for flowing with traffic on the highway. The seat is a bit lower than the Bet & Win 250 (30.3” vs. 31”) and it gives a more laid back riding position. Both driver and passenger seats have a small integrated backrest and a more robust one was optional. Kymco also sold a ‘luxury seat’ for this scooter which is a rare but interesting sounding feature.

The Grandvista 250 also has a few nice amenities such as a 12V accessory charging socket and a cell phone holder under the seat. The large Grandvista windscreen was nicely integrated into the dash, which was one significant advantage over the Bet & Win 250. A windscreen is optional for the B & W, but it didn’t work quite as well or look as good as the Grandvista’s integrated windscreen.

Comparison

Overall the Grandvista 250 was a longer, lower, lighter and more comfortable scooter than the Bet & Win 250. This puts it in the same market as two other notable scooters, Honda’s Helix and Yamaha’s Morphous. The Grandvista doesn’t quite take long and low as far as those scooters do, but it hits the same market niche as a value oriented solo touring machine. Both the Honda Helix and Yamaha Morphous have 26-27” seat heights and very long wheelbases (~63”) which is definitely more radical than the Grandvista (30.3” and 56.4”).

The Grandvista 250 also lacks as much storage as those scooters, so if the ultimate 250cc touring machine is what you’re after then you may be happier with a Helix or Morphous. These other two scooters both had a rear trunk made possible by the long length of the scooter, which is handy for longer road trips. Still, the Grandvista is a nice all around choice and Kymco did sell a rear case (ie. external trunk) for the Grandvista as an accessory. At a good deal, the Grandvista is certainly worth looking at.

After 2011, the Grandvista 250 was replaced by Kymco’s newer Downtown scooter. The Downtown was a huge step forward in engine technology and overall design, but it also brought an MSRP increase of about $1000 more than the Grandvista. While the Grandvista was a great low cost way to get into open road scootering, the Downtown is a premium touring scooter that offers a host of refinements and additional amenities.

Pros:

  • Great value
  • Comfortable ride
  • Ample underseat storage

Cons:

  • Aging styling
    Mediocre milage

Links:

MotorscooterGuide Forums – Visit the forums on this site to chat about this scoot.
KymcoForum.com – A good place to learn more about Kymco’s

Key Specs – Grandvista 250:

  • Engine: Liquid cooled, 249cc, single cylinder, 4-stroke
  • Power 19.5hp @ 7250 RPM and 15.3 lbs-ft torque @ 5500 RPM
  • Transmission: CVT
  • Bore & Stroke: 72.7mm x 60mm
  • Fuel Delivery: Carb with Auto Choke
  • Drive: Belt
  • Wheelbase: 56.4”
  • Weight: 359 lbs
  • Starter: Electric
  • Seat height: 30.3”
  • Fuel Tank: 2.4 gallon / 9 liter
  • Brakes: 2 Piston Disc (Front), Single Piston Disc (Rear)
  • Front Suspension: Telescopic Fork
  • Rear Suspension: Dual Adjustable Shocks
  • Tires: 120/70-12 (Front), 140/70-12 (Rear)
  • Years Sold: 2005 – 2011 (USA Only)
  • MSRP: $4499 (2011)
  • Colors: Red, Blue, White