The Kayo 150 quad is taking the states by Storm! It’s easy for us to assume that machines made in China are of poor quality, in order to make them inexpensive. The industry tends to believe in a stereotype of “Chinese Junk.” While this stereotype can be true of some brands and models, the Kayo Storm’s performance and finish assured us that it is not in that category. When we first received the little quad, we immediately noticed a few things. Foremost: the suspension. Most kid-sized Chinese quads come with limited front and rear suspension that isn’t sprung or damped correctly for an actual kid. Secondly, we noticed the easy and reliable electric start. Some smaller quads either have a difficult pull start, or the electric start is finicky. However, the Kayo started right up and continued to be easy-starting even after sitting for several weeks. With the “Chinese junk” mentality ingrained into our American brains, we weren’t super pumped to go test it on a cold windy day. However, our resident “kid quad” tester hopped on and had a light-switch moment: this machine is serious competition.
The Kayo Storm has a 140cc engine that is meant to help kids make the transition to a bigger quad, and it certainly has the power to do just that. It isn’t as fast and powerful as a full-sized sport quad, but it is zippy enough to make any junior rider feel like they’re running with the big dogs. We never felt like the power or engine braking was too jumpy, and even when pushing it we never felt like we were out of control.
With first through third, neutral, and reverse, the semi-automatic transmission makes it super easy to ride, and the responsive handling makes it a ton of fun. However, we did find that the vintage-style, heel-toe foot shifter might take some getting used to. The Storm is average sized for its class but weighs in with some of the lighter 90cc-class quads. Whether we were burning out a circle track or pulling wheelies up a bank, the quad felt centered and stable, which is a major factor for making your little grom feel confident as they ride.
We would be lying if we said we weren’t surprised by the Storm’s performance. It is extremely new to the US market, and we had no previous brand association to go by. Overall, we were impressed by the quality and performance of this machine. The Kayo makes for a great transition for growing riders and it comes at a very reasonable price.”
-The staff of Dirt Wheels magazine
