At a time when most scooter manufacturers are busy upping their mid capacity machines to 300cc or above it comes as a surprise to get a new 250cc machine. The Daelim S3 Advance may be sticking with the quarter litre size but it boasts a class leading 24bhp engine and some fancy electronic gadgetry. Thankfully it doesn’t come with a class leading price tag to go with it.
Smart key
The Daelim looks quite tasty, it’s angular and stylish and comes in a choice of silver, black or white. It’s large front fairing and screen offer good protection from the elements and makes for a quieter ride, which is just as well because the weather was pretty dire whilst I had it! One fairly unique selling point for the scooter is the ‘Smart key’ ignition, it’s a proximity sensor like you’d find on some new cars. Basically it means you don’t need to insert an ignition key to start the S3, simply have the key in your pocket, turn the blue plastic backlit dial and press the starter. You can also open the fuel cap and put the steering lock on in the same way. There’s a separate button to open the large seat, storage space beneath it is a bit disappointing but it’s still useful and there are a couple of other small storage areas behind the legshields (which incidentally are finished in a nice brushed steel effect rather than the usual cheap black plastic), one of which is lockable and contains a handy 12v socket so you can charge a phone or power a sat nav.
The riding position on the scooter is comfortable enough with a large stepped dual seat and feet forward design for the rider. Passengers will appreciate the fold out pegs and backrest but taller ones may get buffeted a bit at speed because they sit higher than the rider. Talking of speed, Daelim claim a class-leading engine and they’re not far off the mark with a claimed 24.6bhp from the fuel injected, four valve, double overhead camshaft lump. Get it away from the line and the power is fairly progressive and there’s enough of it on tap for stress free overtaking. The scooter will sit comfortably at the national speed limit and can do just over 80mph if the need arises, which is perfectly acceptable for a 250-class scooter. During a fast 150 mile round trip on the motorway the S3 achieved 62mpg, a figure that could easily be improved if you’re not in quite so much of a hurry! The linked brakes are pretty good too, simply use the left hand lever to put the front and rear disk brakes on simultaneously, or use the right hand lever on it’s own to operate the front brake. Telescopic forks and twin adjustable rear shocks take care of the suspension and a set of Schwalbe Raceman tyres are fitted as standard, they’re a grippy tyre and wear quite well.
Being seen on the road is quite important on any scooter and with many cars now sporting daytime headlights (which kind of defeats the object of bikes having mandatory running lights) it’s good to have a scooter with twin blue tinged LED ‘halo’ lights, which come on automatically with the ignition and get you noticed. The lights certainly help you to stand out. The S3’s instrument cluster has all the info to hand; a tacho, speedo, temp gauge, plus a digital screen for the time, trip, odometer and fuel gauge.
The Daelim S3 offers good value for money; it’s priced well, looks the part and is quicker than other scooters in the class. It’s available from your local Daelim dealer now so go and have a look for yourself.
Daelim S3 Advance 250: Tech specs
- Engine: 247cc, 4-valve, 4-stroke, DOHC, fuel injected, liquid cooled
- Power: 24.6bhp
- Brakes: Front and rear discs (linked)
- Wheels: Front, 120/70-14, rear 140/60-13
- Seat Height: 745mm
- Weight: 167kg
- Tank Capacity: 11.5 litres (1.9 litre reserve)
- Warranty: Two years
- Price: £3299
- Contact: www.daelim.co.uk