Storied British brand Phelon & Moore made its comeback in the two-wheeled scene only recently. It looks like the company isn’t resting on its laurels, coming up with an adventure-oriented scooter in a span of mere months since its revival.
The Panthette X might be weirdly named, but it’s got the likes of the Yamaha XMax and the Honda ADV350 in its sights. Proper off-road components and three different engine configurations to choose from – we might have a new ADV scoot favorite!
Let’s start with the engine options. It comes in three performance classes. The first is a 125cc configuration that produces 12 horsepower at 8,250 RPM and 8.6 lb-ft (11.7 Nm) of peak torque at 6,500 RPM. Next up is a 250cc motor that generates 22 horsepower at 8,000 RPM and 17.3 lb-ft (23.5 Nm) of torque at 5,000 RPM. The biggest motor is a 300cc that produces 23.5 hp at 8,000 RPM and 18.4 lb-ft (25 Nm) at 5,000 RPM.
Phelon & Moore
All of these are water-cooled single-cylinder mills with 4 valves and 2 overhead camshafts. But how does it pit against the likes of its competitors?
Well, the Yamaha XMax comes in two configurations. A 125cc motor that produces 12 hp and 8.2 lb-ft (11.2 Nm) of torque and a 300cc setup that generates 27.6 hp and 21.3 lb-ft (29 Nm) of torque. On the other hand, the Honda ADV350 runs on a 330cc motor that’s good for 29 hp and 23.2 lb-ft (31.5 Nm) of torque.
In the small 1500cc category, both the Panthette X and the XMax produce identical numbers. As for the 350cc category, both the XMax and ADV350 do have the edge in performance output. At least, on paper.
But here’s the thing: the Panthette X is light, like really light … 326 lb (148 kg) to be specific. That’s 77 lb (35 kg) and 84 lb (38 kg) lighter than the Yamaha Xmax 300 and the Honda ADV350, respectively. Even the 125cc version is lighter than its Yamaha counterpart, weighing 42 lb (19 kg) less than the Xmax 125. That difference in weight ought to make up for those power figures.
Phelon & Moore
Alright, so it’s a light scooter. Is that it? Well, next come the components. A steel frame sits on 41-mm upside-down (USD) front forks with 4.7 inches (120 mm) of travel. It gets an aluminum swingarm with stereo struts at the rear that offer 3.5 inches (90 mm) of travel.
When was the last time you saw USD forks on a scooter? As for the wheels, you get a 14-inch wheel at the front and a 13-inch wheel at the rear. The tires, though, are a letdown, as they don’t really look like they can take off-road riding by any stretch of the imagination.
Coming to tech and electronics, it comes equipped with ABS, a 7-inch TFT display with connectivity and mirroring function, heated grips, an adjustable windscreen, a tire pressure monitoring system, hand guards, and a protection bar.
Pricing has yet to be revealed, but I reckon it won’t come cheap. Keep in mind: in Europe, the smaller XMax comes at £5,550, while the bigger trim is priced at £6,500 (about US$6,405 and $7,571, respectively). As for the Honda ADV350, it’s priced at £5,999.
Phelon & Moore
So if you see pricing in the range of £4,000 to £6,000 for the three trims, it shouldn’t be a big surprise. For a lot of folks, paying that kind of money for a scooter might be a stretch, but here’s the thing …
The Panthette X is obviously aimed at a niche audience that desires an adventure scooter with a distinctive style, a British label, and lots of features. And that is likely to come at a cost.
As usual, I don’t expect these scoots to make their way Stateside. But it’s about darn time, don’t you think?
Source: Phelon & Moore
