Piaggio Medley 125, the high wheel that was missing from the range [ROAD TEST]

Piaggio Medley 125 - After meeting him at the presentation a couple of months ago (here is our article), we have now been able to test for a long time a 125 example of the new arrival from the Pontedera company, which launches the challenge to the Honda SH of smaller displacement, with a really well made product. It combines the Italian design which, not due to parochialism, is a cut above that of the competition, with unexpected qualities for a scooter in terms of driving dynamics, as well as a part noteworthy technique with the new engines of the i-get family, here coupled with an innovative system Start & Stop. The largest underseat compartment in the segment and among the best cut, as well as low consumption, they complete a product in which finding a real flaw seems almost impossible. Weight and price are substantially aligned with those of the best direct competition from which, we are certain, the Medley will take a good market share.

Aesthetics and finishes:

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First-class elegance and style

When choosing a scooter, other factors may also prevail, as it is a means of transport that you use on a daily basis and which must meet many needs, but the aesthetic side is always the main thing to satisfy. Especially for us Italians, who more than others are attentive to the taste and pleasure that a refined look can give. This is why we are also the best at creating objects that have often become pieces of design history. Just to not go too far, the 70 candles have just been blown out for one of the most famous two-wheelers of all time: the Vespa. At Piaggio it certainly cannot be said that they don't know how to make scooters and the new Medley is a good confirmation of this. It is proposed as a comfortable and perfect means of getting around the city, but does not give up a very pleasant aesthetic impact. This is a completely new product, which recalls some elements from both the smaller brother, the Liberty, and the larger one, the Beverly. Overall it is pleasant and makes it clear that its lines are designed for at least two purposes: to satisfy the taste of those who look at it and to convey a sensation of very high quality. Very well looked after materials and couplings, but the lines are also soft and sinuous, with well-chosen color choices and all the elements in play that match without leaving anything to chance. A noteworthy elegance, which never borders on an excess of frills.

Frontally the chrome tie, now a classic from the Pontedera company, embellishes and lightens the look of the shield, also delimited laterally by the two elements that enclose LED daytime running lights and arrows. A union of taut and curved lines that almost makes you want to touch it with her hands, as if she were a beautiful woman. Ok, it's "just" a scooter, but such care and attention to detail deserves praise. The saddle and internal area of ​​the front are in the same colour, while the sides are hollowed out by two ribs that form a concave and a convex part. Demonstrating the attention to aesthetics, the passenger footrests are light gray and a whisker in the same color has been inserted which ends under the footboard. At the rear, under the luggage rack, which acts as a base for a possible top case and which integrates the handles for the passenger, we find a small double light, also LED. The wheels are designed with six light double spokes, while the instrumentation is classic in the analogue part, combined with a display to complete the display of data. The white indexes and hands are backlit in blue, with the pleasant effect of a change of look as the sun goes down.

In addition to the aesthetic side, as anticipated the underseat is the largest in its category with over 36 litresFurthermore, it is well cut and able to accommodate two real helmets. This is thanks to the location of the petrol tank, which is placed under the platform, with two further advantages: the lowering of the center of gravity and the possibility of refueling more comfortably. The price to be paid, however, is the shape of the platform, which is not flat, but which still offers a reasonable capacity to accommodate objects, which can be fixed with the practical retractable hook of the back shield.

Engine and performance:

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The 125 is smooth and silent, bringing Start&Stop to its debut for Piaggio

The Medley is powered by an engine that can be 125 or 150. This is a single cylinder unit 4 valves per cylinder, from the same family as the 3-valve ones intended for the Liberty. The i get they are liquid cooled and equipped with modern electronic injection. The 4 valve is also the first Euro 4 of this segment. In driving, some qualities are highly appreciated, first of all the silent running and very smooth delivery. Like all 125s it is not a thunderbolt of war and the dynamic qualities of the Medley may make one wish for greater power, but its approximately 12 horsepower are excellently "spread" by an excellent delivery curve and a very well calibrated transmission. The maximum torque of 11,5 Nm is delivered at 6.500 rpm and it is precisely in this area that the engine is made to work, up to the maximum power speed, just over 8 thousand. Perfect for the city, with a discreet panache when accelerating and shooting in traffic, it is very progressive and also has good reach. He never seems to suffer, not even by constantly keeping the accelerator open on a long straight, showing a propensity for driving on the motorway even in this engine size, in the hope that sooner or later the regulations will allow him to do so.

Up to this point we have talked about a good engine, with the plus of Euro 4, but the gem of the Medley is evident right from the start. A particular sound when starting from cold, which becomes more natural after a fraction of a second of uncertainty. The reason for this feature is theabsence of a classic starter motor, with related gears. The Medley in fact brings to the debut for Piaggio a Start & Stop system, called RISS (Regulator Inverter Start & Stop System) and based on the innovative ignition with a brushless system mounted directly on the crankshaft. The convenience is evident in city driving, where at the traffic lights the engine turns off after a few seconds, to restart very quickly, as well as instantaneously and without the vibrations or noise of a normal start-up. In addition to the benefit on consumption, it is clear that it is also an interesting solution in terms of comfort. The battery charge indicator on the display is just a detail, because the system deactivates automatically if the level drops below the threshold, without having to do so with the button on the right block.

Ride and handling:

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A surprising frame, as well as being practical, can be a lot of fun

Driving dynamics are probably not among the main advantages of scooters in this segment. The Medley, on the other hand, is appreciated and It is surprising precisely because of how much the chassis and chassis allow in terms of riding fun. We had been able to see this on the winding roads of the Argentario hinterland and we had confirmation of this in our road test. Not even medium-displacement scooters considered benchmarks can get this far. The Medley has a slightly stiff rear suspension setup (also adjustable in preload to 5 positions), which is felt on potholes, but not excessively, but on the other hand has an almost unnatural love for folds. So you find yourself scratching the stand on city roundabouts or navigating a junction at motorbike speed, without ever putting the Medley into any difficulty. Thanks to crazy stability for a 125 scooter, with a chassis that would be worthy of a much more powerful engine and which is rigid and extremely precise.

The front fork reacts less harshly than the pair of rear shock absorbers, also offering good comfort. The riding position is good, with a comfortable seat and plenty of space for the passenger too. The feet are instead bound by a platform cut into two parts by the presence of the tank. Not bad, you are still in an optimal and practical position. He inherits much of his from her younger brother handling and ease of driving, remaining very compact and with a low weight, just over 130 kg. The braking system is also commendable, thanks to a modern Bosch ABS, which acts on the pair of discs, 260 at the front, 240 at the rear. The wheels are 16" at the front, 14 at the rear, also to leave space and capacity under the saddle, with 100/80 and 110/80 tyres. In daily use there is no shortage of practice USB socket to charge your smartphone if necessary, but not even a storage compartment in front of the legs.

Price and consumption:

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Aligned with its closest rival in price, but with superior quality

The choice, price list in hand, seems obvious: go to annoy His Majesty Honda SH (at least it is according to the sales charts) offering a product that promises more at a very similar price. The new Medley in fact starts from 3.100 euros for the 125, 200 more if you choose the 150, when the Japanese opponent in the same version with ABS costs 3.180. The Italian then has a series of important cartridges in the barrel, starting from a younger project having just been born, but above all a refined design and excellent construction care, a driving dynamics unattainable by another of the same displacement, the Euro homologation 4 and a cutting-edge Start&Stop system. Also on the consumption front, with a claimed figure of 47,5 km/l in the WMTC cycle, the Medley does not disappoint. In our test we were able to see firsthand how real the data is and not just theoretical. In fact i 40 with a liter are "in his range" even with not too careful driving, while it seems almost impossible to go below 30. The i-get version with 4 valves per cylinder, compared to the 3 we tested on the Liberty, suffers less from driving at constant speed on extra-urban routes, where consumption remains very low even when the gas is always open at 100%. As for accessories, let's start first of all with the possibility of choosing the Medley S, with 150 euros more, which offers anthracite gray finishes for the rims and for some contrasting details of the fairings, including the roof rack handle. Specific colors are also dedicated to the S”, with Graphite Black, Ibis Red and Sport Blue. Then there is space to customize it according to your needs, with fairings and windshields that increase aerodynamic protection (absent for the torso in the basic configuration), matching 30 or 37 liter top cases, but there is no shortage of technological options such as PMP (Piaggio Multimedia Platform) and PSS (Piaggio Sound System).

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Elegant aesthetics, excellent design and quality, reference driving dynamics, low fuel consumption

We do not like it:
The rear suspension is a little stiff

Piaggio Medley 125: the Motorionline Report Card

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Test clothing:
Jacket: Spidi Evorider Tex
Gloves: Spidi STR-4 Coupe
Trousers: Spidi Ronin Pants
Shoe: Stylmartin Sunset
Helmet: Nolan N21 Visor