PIAGGIO MOTORCYCLES
$8899/8699
Engine type: sohc Single
Displacement: 493/399cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission: automatic
Final drive: gear
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 61.0 in.
Seat height: 31.0 in.
Fuel capacity: 3.2 gal.
Claimed dry weight: 538 lb.
With a four-headlight array, tube-steel bumper and mesh inserts showing off its leaning, parallelogram front suspension, the MP3 500 is more urban-assault vehicle than urbane commuter. Even the colors-Demon Black and Passion Red-make a statement. A 493cc, four-valve engine pumps out a claimed 40 hp with 31 ft.-lb. of torque, good enough to jet away from traffic all the way to a top speed just one tick short of 90 mph. For 2009, wheel diameters have been bumped up from 12 inches to 14. Also available: The smaller-engined and more conservatively styled MP3 400.
$6299
Engine type: sohc Single
Displacement: 460cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission: automatic
Final drive: gear
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 61.0 in.
Seat height: 30.5 In.
Fuel capacity: 3.5 gal.
Claimed dry weight: 416 lb.
Powered by a surprisingly punchy 460cc, fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine, the BV500 is a different kind of ride, more of a hybrid cross between scooter and motorcycle combining the former’s case of use and versatility with some of the latter’s attributes. For instance, while the BV500 retains a traditional step-through design, underseat storage and automatic transmission, its bodywork is abbreviated and its front wheel measures 16 inches, providing more gyro stability than the usual 10- to 14-inch scooter wheels. A new windscreen grants the BV a “Tourer” moniker.
$7199
Engine type: sohc Single
Displacement: 244cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission: automatic
Final drive: gear
Front brake: dual disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 58.6 in.
Seat height: 30.7 In.
Fuel capacity: 3.2 gal.
Claimed dry weight: 450 lb.
Nothing all that new in the scooter world since automatic transmissions, right? Not so, says Piaggio, which introduced its innovative three-wheel MP3 in 2007. Like the larger 500 and 400 models, the MP3 250 uses two tilting, independently articulated wheels up front and a traditional 250-class scooter powertrain out back. Besides being a breeze to park (just pull up, no sidestand required), the tri-wheel design enhances road-gripping stability in wet-weather riding and over tricky surfaces like gravel, sandy asphalt and cobblestone streets. Top speed is a claimed 77 mph.
$4899
Engine type: sohc Single
Displacement: 244cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission: automatic
Final drive: gear
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: disc
Wheelbase: 57.9 in.
Seat height: 30.9 in.
Fuel capacity: 2.6 gal.
Claimed dry weight: 328 lb.
Continuing with the moto-scoot hybrid theme is the BV Tourer 250, which adds a handlebar-mounted windscreen to the BV’s abbreviated silhouette, allowing it to be even more commuter-friendly. An optional topbox and small sidecases make it more so. It’s got un-scooter-like 16-inch wheels front and rear, and twin shocks out back, a good deal if your city’s crumbling infrastructure includes pesky potholes and whose doesn’t? Piaggio likes to have fun with acronyms, so the 250 uses a QUASAR motor, for “QUArter-liter Smooth Augmented Range.” No, we don’t know what that means, either…
$2899/1899
Engine type: sohc Single
Displacement: 150/50cc
Carburetion: EFI
Transmission: automatic
Final drive: gear
Front brake: disc
Rear brake: drum
Wheelbase: 52.4 in.
Seat height: 30.9 in.
Fuel capacity: 1.9 gal.
Claimed dry weight: 247/220 lb.
Sometimes you just need quality-built, basic transportation at a bargain price. Piaggio-maker of Vespa scooters for more than 60 years gets back to its roots with the Fly 150. It shares its peppy, user-friendly 150cc powerplant with the company’s upscale Vespa LX, LXV and S models but is priced $1300 less than the least-pricey Vespa. There’s no skimping on features, though: The Fly gets underseat storage, comprehensive instrumentation, a front disc brake, a halogen headlamp and electronic fuel-injection. Also available: The Fly 50, with an environmentally friendly four-stroke engine.
PIAGGIO MOTORCYCLES |
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