2018 Kayo: Storm 150!

Train of Thought

It’s easy for us to assume that machines made in china are poor quality, in order to make them cheap. The industry tends to jump to a stereotype conclusion of “Chinese Junk” and while this stereotype tends to be true on most days, the Kayo Storm has assured us that today is not one of those days. When we first received the little quad, we immediately noticed a few things. Foremost, the suspension. Most kid sized quads come with limited front and rear suspension that usually only helps if you’re lucky. Second thing we noticed was the easy electric start. Some of the smaller quads we have tested are either have a difficult pull start, or the electric start is finicky. However, the Kayo started right up and continued to be easy start even after sitting in the cold rain for a week.

First Impressions

Our first ride on the quad didn’t come until weeks after we first got it, so with the “Chinese junk” mentality engrained 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 that this machine was 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 breaking 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 foot shifter might take some getting used to. The Storm is sized average 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.

Overall Performance

We would be lying if we said we weren’t surprised by the Storm’s performance, but 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 of $2,250. Find out more about Kayo and their full line of quads by visiting their site Ride Kayo USA