As residents of a third-world nation like the Philippines, we are usually required to secure a travel visa to go touring abroad. The process of getting one is not only costly, but time consuming as well. There’s always even the possibility of having your application denied by the host country. Yet, if you only need to travel a short distance from point A to point B, Kymco Philippines has a visa that is readily available for everyone.
The Kymco Royal Visa R is the Taiwanese firm’s latest offering for budget-conscious Filipinos who need a reliable mode of transportation to combat the sometimes-dreaded daily commute. It is powered by a basic 107-cubic centimeter, air-cooled single-cylinder engine that produces 4.8 kilowatts (6.4 horsepower) at 7,000 revolutions per minute and 7.6 Newton-meters at 4,000 rpm. Power is delivered to the rear wheel via a four-speed auto-clutch transmission that can be operated by the most novice of riders. Its 95-kilogram dry weight also makes the Royal Visa R an easy bike to ride. The Royal Visa R’s price tag also makes owning one easy on the pocket as well. At P 39,500, it is the most affordable commuter under bone from a reputable brand. You also get features that are not offered by competing brands in the category such as a halogen headlight, a passing switch and a front hydraulic disc brake. One feature that I found particularly useful is the audible ticking sound of the turn indicator. To further lessen the cost, most motorcycles in this category don’t have it. Since turn indicators on motorcycles does not shut-off automatically after exiting a corner, the “ticking” reminds the rider to turn it off, so as not to confuse other road users. The Royal Visa R is also equipped with a manual choke lever to help warm-up the engine quickly during cold starting, but I rarely had to use it. All I had to do was to thumb the electric starter button and the engine fires up every time.