The concept of a crossover is popular with Pinoy car buyers. They love it for its versatility—the flexible utility as an urban mobility vehicle that can occasionally be driven on rougher terrain, maybe even off-road. On two wheels, the hype surrounding adventure motorcycles and scooters is intense. Smaller-displacement crossovers however are rare, and the Skydrive Crossover is a unique offering from Suzuki.
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Styling
The peculiar combination of a low seat height and higher ground clearance at 150mm is shared with the Skydrive Sport model. The Skydrive Crossover has the same sized tires, front and rear, but what’s different is the blocky tread pattern. Ironically the later model has the sportier, red-colored suspension springs and front brake caliper. The wide, low floorboard gives taller riders a roomy upright sitting position plus it has a lot of space for gulay. The naked handlebar can be adjusted to make it easier to reach, or to give long-limbed riders extra room to move. I had to adjust the handlebar angle a few degrees forward as well as the brake levers’ orientations to be able to grab them in a more ergonomic manner.
Since it’s crossing over from a scooter to an *ahem* dirt bike, the rear parts resemble a regular step-through scooter. The single-swingarm and CVT components reveal there’s a scooter frame underneath the plastic fairings. The front fender is shaped and mounted high like that of a dirt bike and the upswept handlebar encourages an elbow out and forward posture.
The saddle
The seats are narrow and firmly padded like a dirt bike, which many will find uncomfortable, especially on a prolonged ride. I sat on it straight for an hour in traffic and an additional hour on gridlock-free tarmac and damp soil. I found it to be more than adequate, not tiresome at all. When ridden in the muck, however, it makes shifting your buttocks easier. Madaling kumembot. Should you take on a pillion, he’d sit high and may be cramped if he has long legs.
Engine performance
The 113cc air-cooled, single-cylinder fuel-injected engine was surprisingly torquey. It can be started with an electric motor or kick-started effortlessly. Two valves do the job of pumping air in and out. Adding a third or a fourth valve might make it livelier but more complicated to fix and maintain. Who needs that when you’re out in the woods and far from a dealership or even a talyer? As it is, it’s simple and frugal with fuel. I’m estimating around 50 kilometers of holiday traffic per liter.
Ride and handling
It’s a lightweight scoot at 94kg, and with the perky engine it’s nimble filtering to the front of intersections. The low 740mm seat makes one feel like walking instead of straddling the saddle. It’s not top-heavy even with the tank located under the seat filled to the brim with 3.5 liters of gasoline. The spring rates are suited for roads riddled with holes, I reckon the forks and shocks are slightly overdamped for my weight.
I took it to a flat dirt track and tried going over small logs. The suspension needed more travel but if ridden correctly, it should cross such obstacles with confidence. Just maybe not so when with a passenger or if loaded with cargo. With a single rider and no baggage, it soaked up uneven, moist ground with ample traction provided by the block-treaded tires made by Japanese manufacturer IRC. I have to say, if Suzuki meant for it to be ridden in both dirt and tarmac, they chose the proper tires. It only has decent grip on asphalt, and may get caked up with mud, but it’ll do fine on any terrain.
The slender handlebar rattles a lot, and with the thin, hard rubber grips you’ll need thicker gloves if you want protection from vibrations. Brakes are adequate and simple without anti-lock systems. Exactly what you want when riding on slippery gravel.
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Extra features
There’s a speed sensor on the rear wheel that sends a signal to the full digital LCD multi-information cluster. It makes speed and odometer/trip-meter readings accurate, regardless of wheel and tire size should you upsize or downsize from the narrow 14-inch dual-sports. The display, back-lit in red, is easy to read in direct sunlight and bright but not blinding at night. With the weather-proof buttons on either side of the dash gauge, you can view other helpful information like battery voltage, time of day, and trip meter. I found the digital fuel gauge unreliable, not unlike other digital gauges from other makes and models. The underseat compartment may fit a small lunch box and packable rain gear.
Verdict
The Suzuki Skydrive Crossover fills a niche. It’s meant for someone on the lookout for an automatic transmission scooter that will dutifully go over rough turf. Something that can transport bulky or heavy loads that are borderline illegal to carry on congested city streets. Former Top Gear Philippines editor-in-chief Paulo Subido even commented sagaciously when he said this should be the default choice for delivery riders.
SPECS: Suzuki Skydrive Crossover 2022
Price: P71,900
Engine: 113cc air-cooled, single-cylinder SOHC
Transmission: continuously variable
Power: 8.98hp @ 8,000rpm
Torque: 8.7Nm @ 9,000rpm
Seat height: 740mm (30 inches)
Score: 16/20
