Last January I ran into my friend Frank Vrettas. Little did I know, Frank was a former Factory ATV racer. Little did Frank know, I was seeking someone to test the Kayo 150 Storm, and he was the ideal candidate. A week later I delivered the Kayo to Frank’s house in Ocotillo California. Having never set foot in Ocotillo, I was in awe when driving past miles and miles of open space! This is truly an off-road vehicle paradise. 

 

Frank was extremely skeptical and didn’t have high expectations for an Asian made ATV, but I persuaded him to take the unit and ride it. Frank’s initial impression was positive, he thought it was a clean looking, well thought out machine. I fired it up and after a few laps around the house, he returned with a grin on his face. He agreed to ride it for a few weeks. I asked him not to pamper the ATV and ride it hard so we can see how well it holds up.

 

(In Franks words:)

The following morning I took the Kayo out on the first of many desert trail rides. Cold or hot, no matter the condition, the Kayo always started right up and was extremely reliable. For a 150cc, the Kayo produces great power yet is super easy to ride. Before long my wife and my grandkids were riding the Kayo and they were very comfortable on it. The automatic clutch makes it easy to ride, and it will start in any gear. The reverse gear was a welcome surprise and very handy. 

 

As the President of Calvmx, I promote vintage motocross and flat track events each month. The Kayo came with me to every event and gained lots of interest. This ATV was the perfect pit vehicle, and I was sad to see it go. Managing an event is perhaps harder on an ATV than trail riding, frequently running for hours at a time at slow speeds or parked. Never did the Kayo overheat even while idling in the California sun during the summer months. One time I parked the Kayo, left the motor running and attended to another matter. When I returned to the Kayo, over an hour later, the motor was purring like a kitten and it was still in gear! I hopped on and rode it back to my pit area without any issues.

 

What started as a few weeks of testing turned into a 10-month relationship with the Kayo. I was surprised by how well the unit was made and how reliable it was. I was sad to see her go. It was easy to ride, delivered great fuel economy, and I never had any mechanical issues. I was more aggressive on this ATV than I would have been if I owned it myself and it never missed a beat or let me down. I’m hoping Kayo will lend me another ATV for this coming year!

 

Frank Vrettas, Former Factory Baja racer for Honda Polaris and Yamaha 

Former Motocross Racer

President of Calvmx Motocross and Flat Track Club