The SYM Symphony is a high-wheel scooter from the Taiwanese manufacturer Sanyang Motor, designed specifically for Europe and on the market since the end of 2008. Its 16-inch wheels at both ends, flat floor and compact dimensions put it in direct competition with the Piaggio Liberty, Honda SH and Kymco People S.
SYM Symphony at a glance
| Maker | SYM (Sanyang Motor), Taiwan |
|---|---|
| Class | high-wheel scooter |
| Production | since 2008 |
| First series | 2008–2019, renamed Symphony S in 2010 |
| Second series | from 2020 |
| Engines | 50, 125, 150 and 200 cc, four-stroke, air-cooled except the 2017 125 |
| Wheels | 16 inches front and rear |
| Brakes | front disc, rear drum; rear disc standard on 125 and 150 from 2010 |
| Built at | SYM Xiashing Motorcycle plant, Xiamen, China |
| Versions | base, S, SR, ST, Cargo |
| Related | Peugeot Tweet, derived from the Symphony |
There is no English Wikipedia article on the Symphony; the page is based on the Italian article on the model and on the English article on the manufacturer.
History of the SYM Symphony
Sanyang Motor was founded in Taipei in 1954 as a maker of bicycle lighting sets and only began assembling motorcycles in 1961, under a technical agreement with Honda. The Symphony is one of the scooters with which the company addressed the European market on its own account after that partnership ended in 2002, when Honda and Sanyang went their separate ways.
First series (2008–2019)
The Symphony was shown to the world at EICMA in November 2008, and production started in the same month at the SYM Xiashing Motorcycle plant in Xiamen, China. European sales began in January 2009. The first range had 50 and 125 cc air-cooled engines, a front disc brake and a rear drum, 16-inch wheels at both ends, a flat floor and compact overall dimensions; a rear disc was optional on the 125. In September 2009 a 150 joined the range, with a 151 cc air-cooled four-stroke making 10.5 hp at 7,500 rpm and a wider rear tyre.
In spring 2010 the European base model was given a light restyle and renamed Symphony S. The 125 and 150 then received rear disc brakes as standard, a second rear shock absorber and a more modern instrument panel. At the Cologne show in October 2014 the range was updated again with a new front grille with vertical slats, and the 50 cc version was re-homologated to Euro 3.
Second series (from 2020)
The second series was presented at EICMA in November 2019 and went on sale the following year. The basic frame stayed the same, but the bodywork was new, with an LED headlight on the handlebar and two small teardrop lights on the front shield, a new seat and a new tail light. The range became 50, 125 and 200, all single-cam four-strokes and Euro 5: the 50 makes 2.3 kW at 8,000 rpm and 3.1 Nm at 6,000 rpm, the 125 makes 8.4 kW at 8,500 rpm and 10.3 Nm at 6,500 rpm, and the 200 has an actual displacement of 170 cc with 9.48 kW at 8,000 rpm and 12.75 Nm at 6,500 rpm.
Symphony ST
The ST is the richest version, with a more sportily cut front shield. It was presented at EICMA 2014 and sold from 2015 with 50, 125 and 200 cc air-cooled engines, replacing the SR in Italy and sitting beside the base S. It has a wider floor, its own handlebar, softer suspension, a better-padded seat and 18 kg more weight, with a USB socket in the under-seat compartment; the 200 has ABS as standard and the 125 combined braking. At the end of 2017 a liquid-cooled 125 was added with ABS, a digital dashboard and a 14-inch rear wheel instead of 16 inches. The second ST series was presented at EICMA 2020 and sold from 2021 with new looks and a new steel-tube frame, a 30 mm telescopic fork and a pair of preload-adjustable rear shocks.
Symphony SR and Cargo
The SR was presented at the Motodays show in Rome in 2010 as the sporting version, with the headlight moved onto the front shield, indicators on the handlebar, darkened alloy wheels and a 226 mm front disc; it was sold in Italy from 2010 to 2015 and continued elsewhere. The Cargo is the commercial version, with a rear or front rack and reinforced suspension, keeping the 2008 bodywork while its engines were updated to the emission rules of the day. An agreement with Peugeot Motorcycles also produced the Peugeot Tweet, derived from the Symphony but with its own front shield.
Design and features
- 16-inch wheels: high wheels at both ends, the layout European buyers expect from a Liberty or SH rival.
- Flat floor and compact size: the Symphony was drawn for city use rather than for touring.
- Wide engine range: 50, 125, 150 and 200 cc over the years, from moped level to a 170 cc actual 200.
- Family of versions: the sporty SR, the better-equipped ST and the commercial Cargo share the basic design.
- Related Peugeot: the Peugeot Tweet is a Symphony underneath its own front shield.
SYM Symphony versions
- Symphony / Symphony S (2008–2019): the original first series, restyled and renamed in 2010.
- Symphony SR (2010–2015 in Italy): sporting trim with shield-mounted headlight.
- Symphony ST (2015–2020, second series from 2021): the most generously equipped air-cooled version, later with a liquid-cooled 125.
- Symphony Cargo: commercial version with racks and reinforced suspension.
- Symphony second series (from 2020): new bodywork and Euro 5 50, 125 and 200 engines.
The Symphony shares the European high-wheel market with the larger Citycom, and the smaller Jet covers the sporty 50 cc end of the range. More SYM scooters are in the SYM collection.
Sources
- SYM Symphony, Italian Wikipedia: series, engines, versions, dates
- Sanyang Motor, English Wikipedia: company history, model list
