Essay – Voge SR4 Max – to make a mark on the name

Born from a partnership with BMW, the Voge SR4 Max aims to conquer its place in the market and show why the parent company – the Loncin group – produces more than three million motorcycles annually. With a strong presence in the Asian market with various brands, the Chinese group is now trying to enter Europe convincingly and Voge comes with a lot of determination. It is inevitable to mention the BMW C400, since for some years (since 2015) Voge and the German brand have had a partnership for the production of the BMW scooter. Thus, naturally, the SR4 Max and the C400 share many components, with each brand stamping their signatures afterwards, introducing details that differentiate one motorcycle from another. As stated by Voge representatives themselves, the brand does not intend to compete with BMW, but rather to reach a broader audience and offer a quality product that has a proven base in the market. GET USED TO IT, IT’S THE EURO5This new Voge bet comes equipped with the single-cylinder engine manufactured in partnership with BMW and has 349.8 cc and 34 hp of maximum power at 7,500 rpm. The torque is 35 Nm at 6,000 rpm and although it is not a staggering number, it was a pleasant surprise in the way it is made available and revealed when we twist the throttle. The SR4 Max is very quick in acceleration and we do not need to fear getting into more complicated situations, or doubt the ability to increase the rotation of this scooter. Up to 100 km/h the response is immediate and the engine is quite full, providing power and torque in a pleasant way. But the story is a little different when we start reaching higher speeds and rotations. At around 110/120 km/h the EURO5 starts to show its effects… we feel the restrictions that this engine is subject to and we realize that the potential is there, but with the feeling that something is choking this Voge. Therefore, low and medium revs are clearly the territory of this scooter, which then struggles at higher revs. But that does not prevent it from being pleasant to drive, especially in the city. Above all, regardless of the speed, the engine did not show excessive vibrations or respond when requested. It simply made it clear that at high revs it has an added difficulty in breathing. SOLID AND COMFORTABLE

Despite being designed for daily commutes, with 34 hp we can already consider taking slightly longer trips and even a more spirited type of driving with this scooter. In this sense, Voge did not fail to pay attention to the suspensions of the SR4 Max, which proved to be very well prepared to handle the irregularities of the road surface in the city of Valencia, despite our experience being limited by the rain. Even on more open roads and at higher speeds, the SR4 Max showed no problems in absorbing the irregularities; at the front with the KYB suspension with 112 mm of travel, and at the rear with the two shock absorbers, also KYB, with 127 mm of travel, the most generous in its category. The whole set showed solidity, with the behavior of the frame being in line with the suspension and shock absorbers, and a fairly ergonomic seat (although somewhat stiff) helping. The driving position is quite natural, with the seat being a little lower, which facilitates reaching the feet to the ground and also in the positioning of the arms, so that fatigue is not felt. SPACIOUS AND TECHNOLOGICAL

Como scooter focada na mobilidade diária e conforto do utilizador, a SR4 Max oferece isso mesmo no que diz respeito ao espaço disponível debaixo do assento. Segundo a marca, conseguimos acoplar dois capacetes, um jet e um integral. Nós estávamos equipados com o Sena Outrush R – um capacete modular – e a verdade é que encaixou bem debaixo do assento da SR4 Max e ainda ficámos com bastante espaço disponível. Com isto dizer que, seja um segundo capacete ou o casaco, é possível estacionar esta scooter e não ter que carregar qualquer equipamento connosco.

Além disso, para todos os que fazem o seu dia a dia de moto, é um conforto extra ter a capacidade de carregar uma mochila ou um portátil no compartimento de arrumação da moto e não às costas. E para além do espaço, muito conveniente para o dia a dia, há adições tecnológicas que podem agradar a quem se desloca diariamente no trânsito. Falamos da câmara que a Voge equipou na dianteira da SR4 Max. Mais do que um acessório para gravar as voltinhas de fim de semana, esta câmara pode servir como um conforto extra para algum incidente que surja na vida quotidiana. Este sensor tem a capacidade de gravar vídeos em Full HD e ainda é possível fazer registos fotográficos pressionando o botão do lado direito do guiador. Quanto ao painel, esta scooter está equipada com um TFT de 7” com boa visibilidade e toda a informação necessária. A navegação dentro dos menus poderia ser mais fácil, em parte devido a termos apenas três botões para esta mesma navegação. Ainda no que diz respeito à tecnologia, temos basicamente tudo a funcionar de forma eletrónica, desde a abertura do assento, depósito de combustível e ignição sem chave. Espaço e tecnologia é de facto algo que não falta a esta SR4 Max.

COMPROMISSO

There was a huge curiosity to understand what Voge could offer with the SR4 Max, after its presentation at the 2022 Milan Motor Show. The long-standing partnership with BMW enables a great sharing of knowledge between the Chinese and German brands, and the truth is that this translated into this new Voge maxi scooter. The engine is lively and responsive in the rev ranges that matter most in everyday life. The suspensions and brakes work quite well and we also have the space and technology we expect from a scooter of this range in today’s world. And while it is true that the rain conditioned our driving experience in some aspects, it served to pay more attention to other details, such as the good protection against the elements that this SR4 Max provides. If it weren’t for EURO5, flawless would be one of the main adjectives when talking about this scooter. With EURO5, we can say that the Voge SR4 Max is an excellent compromise between all its components and shows good quality at all levels.

VOGE SR4 MAX

SINGLE-CYLINDER ENGINE, LIQUID COOLING

DISPLACEMENT 349.8 CC

POWER 34 HP @7,500 RPM

TORQUE 35 NM @6,000 RPM

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, CVT

TUBULAR STEEL FRAME

DEPOSIT 12.8 LITERS

FRONT SUSPENSION TELESCOPIC FORK 35 MM, 112 MM STROKE

REAR SUSPENSION DOUBLE DAMPER, 127 MM STROKE

FRONT BRAKE DISC 265 MM, 2 PISTON CALIPER J. JUAN

REAR BRAKE DISC 265 MM, J. JUAN CALIPER

FRONT TIRE 120/70-15

REAR TIRE 150/70-14

WHEELBASE 1,565 MM

SEAT HEIGHT 761 MM

WEIGHT 214 KG

MSRP (FROM) 6,659€