Alas, The Bell Tolls for Fly Scooters - and the Fly Scout

I've been meaning to post this sad news for over a month now, but just couldn't bring myself to do it.  Look at this bike - it's the Scout, by Fly Scooters. Like the SYM Symba, it's a pretty good copy of the Honda Super Cub we all know and love. It's made in China by DYK, and Fly put so, so much into it in terms of refinements and quality improvements. Industry people who tested and evaluated it gave it the thumbs-up (even though it's not quite the equal in quality to the Symba). It's just a crying shame that barely six months after they got it all DOT and EPA approved and added it to their USA product line, Fly had to close down due to the economic downturn that has been the ruin of so many powersports dealers and distributors since 2009. That leaves the SYM Symba the only "Cub-type" for sale in the USA for the foreseeable future - which isn't a bad thing, because the Symba is an excellent ride. It's just not quite as retro as the Scout (particularly in the handlebar area) - and for classic Cub lovers, it was good to have the choice.  SYM's exclusive USA distributor for the past three years, Carter Brothers, has been in limbo since last July when somebody torched (yes, the fire was ruled a case of arson - no arrests yet) their warehouse and turned approximately 3,000 SYM scooters into charred remains. Earlier this year it was announced that SYM was not renewing their contract with Carter Brothers, and distribution of SYM scooters (and the Symba) is being transferred to Lance Powersports. So, it seems the Symba has just barely survived into 2011 and (hopefully) beyond.


The Fly Scout should become something of a collector's item.