We first got to set our eyes on the Kymco Xciting S 400i at Motorcycle Live in November, at this stage although it looked fantastic it does become quite difficult to overly distinguish what makes the Xciting different from the many other maxi-scooters on the market - that to be honest look quite similar.

In June we were fortunate enough to get our hands on a few Kymco’s to test and one of those was the Xciting S 400i. 

The Xciting S 400i has a bold name, but can this maxi scooter live up to it?

Let's get into my full road test review, shall we...

At first impressions, it still looks awesome for a maxi and the blue is an absolutely stunning colour. Combined that with the shape of the bike, it really does look rather nice. I was shown around the scoot and how everything worked, which all seemed pretty straightforward. As soon as I could though I got my Oxford gear on and took it out for a spin.

So when it comes to maxi-scooters, 400cc is smack bang in the middleweight category. Go bigger and you tend to be aiming at flagship scooters that tend to get packed with tech and the price suddenly jumps, go for smaller and you’ll lack that certain bit of oomph, so overall 400cc is a great engine size maxi-scooter to tackle everything you could have in mind for it. Easy to commute and light enough to filter with ease, yet enough power for riding on the national speed limit, overtakes, and some touring if that is your cup of tea!

The 400cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, 4-valve engine in the Xciting whacks out a respectable 35.5BHP and just over 28ft-lbs of torque, which means you have plenty of power instantly available, so acceleration is decent, and overtakes are fast and easy – no concern of cringe slow overtakes here.

I instantly felt at ease and truly comfortable on the Xciting (something I am sure to mention a few times in this blog). The ride was incredibly smooth and the 400cc engine has enough power for decent overtakes. Alex, who was testing the Like 125 at the same time, was unsurprisingly left behind. Some might think a 400 is too small for touring, but with the Xciting I am not really sure that is true.

The Kymco Xciting S 400i can reach a top speed of 95mph.

For the brakes, the Xciting comes equipped with a 280mm twin disc at the front and then a 240mm single disc with Bosch ABS at the rear. It is always a nice touch to see when a maxi comes equipped with ABS, so that is most definitely a win for me. Overall, the brakes felt very responsive and sturdy indeed!

Onto suspension, at the front, you will find a telescopic fork, and then moving onto the rear, the Xciting is packed with twin shock absorbers. One thing I did like about the Xciting was the suspension setup. Now whilst the suspension doesn’t make a crater disappear, it does do a great job of absorbing most of the lumps and bumps, UK roads have to offer. It would really lend itself to being a great commuter too.

When it comes to the seat height of the Xciting S, it comes in at 805mm.

There really aren’t many scooters or motorcycles I rate at the blissful comfort level, the Xciting however, I do. It isn’t just initial comfort that clears off after a while to leave a numb bum, it for me is comfortable for longer journeys too. Your arms and legs are also good and dandy and the overall riding experience is a rather relaxed one - one that touring on would be an absolute dream!

I will be honest, I am a big fan of the riding position of this maxi-scooter. I felt nice and high up, with good visibility while my body is nice and comfortable, and nothing was strained - that is exactly the case with the Xciting, riding it is a joyful experience!

All the controls seem really great quality and the plastics feel solid, so no concerns here. The position of controls seems perfect to me and all in the right place. With that armchair-like comfort, Kymco has definitely designed this scooter with comfort in mind. You can really tell the positioning of everything has been carefully thought out to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible. 

Ever-increasingly in the Kymco range, we are also seeing the rather cool Noodoe system installed as standard and that is the case on the Xciting. The Noodoe system and dash look really good quality, and the fonts are easy to see and read on the display in all conditions from dark at night to bright sunshine, the dash also seemed really easy to see.

Now the Noodoe system itself is a rather cool piece of kit, ok it does have some novelty aspects such as the ability to have photos and customisable clock face (still pretty cool to brag about with mates), but the Noodoe system also has the great digital features we are seeing a lot with bikes nowadays, such as GPS navigation and text message display so all in all. There are some really nice features that give the Xciting a premium feel to it.

Although it’s not terribly light it isn’t over the top-heavy either - being just shy of 200kg - so when it comes to moving it about manually it isn’t that bad at all.

Out on the road steering just flows nicely, thanks to that low centre of gravity the weight seemingly disappears and leaves a really enjoyable riding experience, hello open road! The Xciting really makes you want to take the long way home every time.

When it comes to price, you’ll find the Xciting S 400i starting from £5,599.00, which when you compare it against competitors in this category is very competitive. You’d imagine with it being a Kymco scooter, that depreciation shouldn’t be too bad on a scooter of this quality if it ever came to selling it.

As you’ll probably already know, if you’ve read this far is that I found the Xciting to be extremely comfortable and not just that seat! The suspension does a great job and really provides a decent smooth ride. The engine is the perfect size for a maxi scooter and provides you with loads of confidence for higher-speed roads and overtakes, yet it's lovely and smooth for slower speeds too.

I truly loved my time on the Xciting S 400i, it ticks so many boxes for me! My only two real criticisms (and they are incredibly minor) are the standard exhausts you get (now this applies to most scooters and maxi to be honest) though not bad they are pretty drab and dull; a stainless steel exhaust would just finish it off so nicely! Secondly, again not make or break, it would have been great to have an electrically adjustable windscreen, but this is me being really picky. Neither of these detracts at all from how much I enjoyed riding the Xciting!

All in all, the Xciting has a tremendous amount to offer at a great competitive price. I loved the comfort and ride, and the spec is impressive too. Kymco has created a great mid-range maxi-scooter here - it is a scooter I’d recommend to test ride if you are interested in maxi-scooters, I think you’ll be impressed!

• Affordable 
• Suspension feels great 
• Styling is a big win for me!

• Wish they would have added a stainless steel exhaust pipe 
• Windscreen could be improved

I hope you enjoyed my full road test review of the Kymco Xciting S 400i (2019-onwards).

If you have your very own Kymco Xciting S 400i, or perhaps another maxi you need to insure - make sure to get a  scooter and moped insurance quote direct with Lexham!

Engine	400cc, single-cylinder, liquid cooled, 4 stroke
Fuel tank	12.5L
Brakes	Front: Twin 280mm discs Rear: 240mm single disc (Bosch ABS)
Suspension	Front: Telescopic forks Rear: Twin shocks absorbers (5-step adjustment)
Seat height	810mm
Weight	189kg (dry)
Price	£5,599.00