Depends on what you want. If you're not going to do an engine swap... Kymco spade or the lifan for sure.

However, if you're going to swap the engine and stuff... the zs190 is tried and proven. Don't know if that engine will swap into the spade or the lifan.

Also... no idea if the spade or lifan has bore kits and engine swaps available... but if they do... that would kill off some of the zs190 crowd with the grom clones.

I like the Spade, even tho it is not the look i personally prefer . The big thing we will have to wait and see about is if the aftermarket embraces it. There is just such a huge

aftermarket parts base for Grom & clones out there that it will be tough to compete against that, as well as a lot of the popularity of the Grom and clones is all the stunting being done with and on them ,it's almost cult status like the Harley Dynas got to be due to the stunt crews using them.

All that said i hope they do well, as growing the "mini" market in the end is really what it's about, as well as the "China Bikes" community.

The KYMCO Spade out classes most of the bikes in the playbike category. The vertical 150cc, efi, counter-balanced engine with a 5-speed transmission is a game changer in this category. It’s much faster than the GROM and the Z125 Pro. It takes a lot of money to equal this bike. By the time you buy, let’s just say a SSR Razkull 125 and add an zs190 engine, you have more into it than a Spade costs. You make your choice and you pay for what you want. I just wanted to buy once.

The aftermarket for this bike will explode. MNNTHBX has plans for at least a 200cc engine kit. My Spade has been modified, it has an exhaust, a tuner, and a modified airbox. The weight has been dropped a good bit as well. This thing is seriously fast. Stock the Spade will dust a stock GROM that only has a 60mph top speed. Stock my Spade went 68mph. It should do well over 75 at this point. Maybe more. I haven’t tested the top speed yet. I’ll be trying to get to 80mph.

The Spade is a really great bike. Yes, the vertical engine is better.

SamM

Love my Spade! First mod: Whitewalls!

Engine Kit? There are 223cc versions of that engine that will literally bolt right in that make 17-19hp that cost as much as just the 4 valve head and big bore kit for the Grom.

If I didn't look like King Kong on a tricycle, I would rock a Spade or a KP Mini with said engine swap.

I’m not interested in an engine swap. A 200cc cylinder and piston will work just fine for me. My Spade is fine as is, right now. It’s 14 or 15hp with the exhaust and tuner. Dropping the weight of the passenger pegs, centerstand, factory exhaust, fenders, tail light, turn signals, footpegs, steel handlebars, factory battery and much more has really improved it much more than anything else.

Probably the #1 feature on the Spade is the counter-balanced engine. Can’t say it enough. This bike is smooth.

SamM

Still working on the Spade. My latest mods are mostly taking weight off the bike. The tires were also swapped for a better set. I will probably remove the fenders by the time it’s all done. Currently, the bike is hanging around in my basement.

SamM

Here are a couple pictures of the rear disc brake conversion on my new 2018 KYMCO Spade. To answer the question of, why? Because I can. This modification is pretty straightforward and has been done before. These are just teaser pictures. I still need to purchase several more parts to finish this up. A few things need to be modified to accomplish the swap and it’s not really reversible. So, be forwarned if you decide to jump into it. I’ll have more information as I post up progress of the finished work. Sorry for the dark pictures.

SamM

This bike is being built as a Brat Tracker. The rear portion of the frame has been cut and I’m waiting on a new steel seat hoop to arrive. This modification to the frame is not structural but steel inserts will be used for strength. The steel hoop will be welded into the frame at the shock brackets and will be plug welded. I’ve decided to make my own BratStyle seat for the Spade. The brown recovered stock seat has been sold. Many of the original parts from this bike will be sold on eBay. Weight reduction has been a major priority with this build. The fenders, sideovers, airbox and battery tray have all been removed. The headlight, tail light and turnsignals are all being changed again too. This is going to be one cool little bike, when finished.

The picture shows the lower modified frame rail and the upper stock frame rail. The seat hoop will now be flat and just a couple inches lower than stock. The Bates mini tail light will still be used but the rear fender has been deleted. I might use mini turnsignals in back but the main signals will be on the ends of the handlebars.

SamM

Thats a build I would love to see from start to finish.

I am slowly putting things onto my spade as well.

I just read through this whole thread and watched some youtube videos on the Spade, man I really want one of these! If you seen what I did with my Hellcat you know I'm not a big fan of plastic fairings or the whole street fighter look, thats one of the reason I find the Spade so appealing. I was considering buying the new Honda Monkey 125, but the Spade offers more for less money. It appears the quality is there too. I see me owning one of these in the near future.


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Here’s my 2 cents! The KYMCO Spade is a great bike. There is no doubt about that. It has some really nice features. The 150cc, counter-balanced, 4-valve head, efi engine is at the top of the list. The bike is fast but a little more performance would be very nice to have. I love mine but a few changes needed to be done, to make it better for me. Making it lighter ups the performance and the disc brake will transform the Spade. I do not regret buying the bike one bit. With that said, if the Monkey 125 had been available at the time, I would have purchased it instead of the Spade. The main reason would be the new CBR300 bolt in engine conversion kit from Chimera Engineering. As a throwback to the original Monkey the styling is spot on. The Spade is better than the Monkey with the 125cc engine but the Monkey with the CBR engine would be awesome.

There is a 202.7cc kit from Taiwan that could possibly work in the Spade engine. I’m looking at this for my bike. We really need an importer like MNNTHBX to step up, do the work and make this kit available. I don’t want to guinea pig my bike. Only time will tell how this all works out. We’ll for sure see more available for the Spade but it is doubtful that we will ever see the level of performance that a CBR300 engine swapped Monkey would deliver. These playbikes are a lot of fun to ride and a very interesting segment of the motorcycling business. In the future, I’m sure we will see more interesting small bikes hit the market. The aftermarket is realizing what these bikes are and what the potential market for parts really is. The word that best describes it is HUGE!

Spend your money wisely. Right now, I might have even gone with the SSR Razkull 125, a Chimera bolt in kit, a Zongshen 190cc engine swap and sat back and waited a couple years to see what was next to hit the market. That might be a good move!

SamM

My KYMCO Spade is coming along very nicely. Checkout the pictures for a few hints at what is happening with this project. The rear disc brake conversion is turning out great. The bike is very easy to modify and I’m happy with the way this is turning out.

SamM

Here’s a little more information about the conversion. As I mentioned, I’ll be using Grom wheels and brakes. However, the Spade will also get a set of 2018 Honda Grom inverted forks and clamps. The original steering stem has been cut from the Grom lower clamp. Next, the Spade stem will be cut from its lower clamp. Once a spacer has been fabbed the Spade stem will be welded into the Grom clamp. A spacer will also be required for the upper Grom clamp. Voila, an invertered fork conversion. I’ll be fabricating the spacers myself. The Spade is also getting Brembo brakes, Braking wave rotors, Renthal fatbars and some other cool parts.

This is a very ambitious project but I do see the end. Everything is working out very well and I’m very happy with the progress.

SamM

A few days ago, I ordered a new Klutch mini lathe. I’ve needed a lathe for a long time. This will make fabricating spacers and small parts much easier. The rear Grom Brembo caliper mount will need cut down to fit the Spade swingarm. The lathe will make doing this a simple process.

Today, I cut the Spade steering stem from its lower clamp. There is no going back now. I’ve already started cutting material for the new clamp spacers. The Brembo brake calipers and Braking wave rotors have arrived.

I’ll post progress pictures in a few days.

SamM