Piaggio Medley Special Edition 150: high wheels to escape traffic at speed [ROAD TEST]

Piaggio Medley Special Edition 150 – Two years ago Piaggio dealt yet another important blow in the daily challenge between high-wheel scooters by launching the Piaggio Medley on the market. After discovering it in preview (here is the link to the article) and in version 125 (here is our proof), let's now get on the saddle of a 150 in the set-up special Edition, the top level version of the now famous Medley, the easy scooter, which stands between Liberty and Beverly. This is a particularly rich setup with lots of technology. The Medley, on the other hand, proves capable of combining the advantages of a lightweight high-wheeler with the comfort and equipment of a higher class scooter. The Medley Special Edition is available in two i-get 125 and 150 cc engines, both with electronic injection, liquid cooled and with 4-valve distribution. Among the goodies we cannot fail to mention the start & stop system, ABS, LED headlights and a superior category load capacity.

Aesthetics and finishes:

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It debuted at Eicma and the Special Edition is strictly Matt Titanium Grey

The version available to us is called Medley Special Edition 150 and joins Medley and Medley S. With the two displacements, from 2018 there are therefore 6 combinations available. We got to know the “Special Edition” at the last edition of Eicma. It is an aesthetic customization, with many details that justify the reputation of being "special", starting from the blue mustache that embellishes the elegant Matt Titanium Gray livery or the many carbon look details. The blue details can also be seen on the stitching on the saddle and on the bold glossy black painted wheel rims. At first glance, the Medley Special Edition is appreciated for its sleek and slender lines, as well as a look that attracts the eye of enthusiasts thanks to the two lateral elements, as well as the large central headlight set in the small fairing, which underlines the The sporty soul of this high wheels. However, such lightness does not mean having to give up comfort, on the contrary. The underseat compartment has a capacity of 30 liters and can hold two helmets (preferably Piaggio Style), while in the front there are several compartments that can accommodate all those objects you need to have on hand. The feet are comfortably placed on a platform equipped with a non-slip mat, with the legs protected from excess air and turbulence.

Engine and performance:

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Quick and with the right power

The Piaggio Medley marked the debut in the Italian brand's range of the new family of engines called i-get, available in 125 and 150 cc displacements, with electronic injection, four-valve distribution and liquid cooling. But not only. In fact, the new Start & Stop system patented by Piaggio and called RISS (Regulator Inverter Start & Stop System) also made its debut, which involves the elimination of the classic starter motor, replaced by a "direct mount" brushless motor, i.e. installed directly on the crankshaft. The system (which can be deactivated with a button) allows the engine to automatically turn off (3 to 7 seconds after stopping) whether or not the engine has reached the correct operating temperature. A push of the gas and the engine starts again, with a truly imperceptible delay (quantifiable in a few tenths of a second). In addition to this, the starting system without gears and the classic motor guarantees perfect and silent starts, even when the vehicle is cold. The 125 version has a power of around 12 horsepower, delivered at 8.250 rpm, while the 150 reaches 15 horsepower at 7.750 rpm, enough to be exploited to the fullest when used in the city and to guarantee a fair amount of reach even in an extra-urban context or on the highway. All ideal terrain for the Medley Special Edition 150, which at the traffic lights does not fear comparisons even with scooters with larger displacements and power and, even when you have to open the throttle, it commands respect. Above all for the qualities of its chassis, closely related to that of its older brother Beverly.

Ride and handling:

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Extremely sporty frame, one of the best high wheels on the market

If up to now we have talked about aesthetics, look and the technique of the modern i-get engine, the time has come to turn on the vehicle under test and analyze the substance. Let's say right away that any exam is more than passed. The "low single cradle" frame made of steel tubes, with tubular and sheet steel reinforcements, immediately gives a feeling of great general robustness, maintaining a low and comfortable step-through, but above all of great agility and stability. The braking system consists of two 260 and 240 mm disc units with double-piston floating calipers, equipped as standard with an ABS anti-lock system. Each wheel is equipped with a sensor and a tone wheel for rev detection which instantly measures its speed and deceleration compared to that of the vehicle. The sensors communicate with a two-channel hydraulic control unit which activates the ABS system if one of the two wheels decelerates abruptly with respect to the vehicle, preventing locking and guaranteeing stability and efficient braking even on surfaces with a low friction coefficient. At the front there is a fork with 33 mm diameter legs, while at the rear there is a pair of double-acting shock absorbers and coil springs with adjustable preload in 5 positions, perfect with the large rims (16" at the front and 14" at the rear) made of aluminum alloy with an elegant six-split spoke design. The tires are 100/80 at the front and 110/80 at the rear. The weight is 132 kg dry. This construction care has allowed us to have an agile vehicle among the cars in the queue, but surprisingly stable in the ring road bends. The Medley immediately guarantees the correct riding position, while as you take its measurements you begin to ride it in a more sporty way, precisely because of its unexpected chassis qualities. We are driving a scooter with a medium-small displacement and some may smile, but the feeling is that, in the right hands, with this scooter you can keep up with a motorbike, for example on a mountain road. Finally, as regards aerodynamic protection, even without a windscreen the air reaching the torso is never excessive (at least in the city) and the arms do not get tired, not even after yet another slalom. For those who want to make purely extra-urban use, it is recommended to adopt one of the optional windshields.

Price and consumption:

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Parking and with a competitive price, even for the top of the range

The price, ex-dealership, of the Medley Special Edition 150 is 3.640 euros (obviously including VAT), identical to that of the "S", while you save 150 by choosing the "basic" 150. For those who opt for the 125, which we remind you can also drive with only a B licence, it starts from 200 euros less, with an entry price of 3.290. It offers, as standard, a complete set of everything you could ask for from a scooter, but it is possible to further embellish it with a rich series of accessories, ranging from the mechanical saddle-handlebar anti-theft system, to the innovative electronic, self-powered and characterized by the lowest energy absorption on the market, which adds the deterrent of the immobilizer and a powerful siren against any attempt at tampering. On Medley it is possible to simultaneously install the bike finder (to quickly find your vehicle in the most crowded areas and control the saddle opening from the remote control), the Piaggio Sound System (system for sound reproduction of information, travel directions or music, through the use of the vehicle body as a speaker) and the Piaggio Multimedia Platform, the exclusive Piaggio multimedia platform, which allows you to connect your smartphone to the Medley via Bluetooth, thus obtaining a further and exceptionally rich series of information on the route taken and on the operating status of the vehicle, as well as a convenient geolocalization system, which facilitates finding the scooter in the most chaotic areas of the city. The company declares in the WMTC cycle, 45,9 km/l for the Medley 150 and 55 grams of CO2 for each km traveled (47,5 km/l for the Medley 125). In our test we never saw the figure drop below 30 km/l, even when driving at the limit of the engine's capabilities, while with more careful use it is easy to go towards 40 with a liter of fuel, really not bad!

PROS AND CONS
We like it:
Top handling and driving with high wheels, attention to detail, starting at traffic lights
We do not like it:
Slightly stiff rear suspension response

Make and model MY2018: the Motorionline Report Card

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Tester clothing:
Gloves: Tucano Urbano Aero Touch
Jacket: Tucano Urbano Task
Trousers: Tucano Urbano Genova Gag
Shoes: Xpd X-ZERO H2OUT
Helmet: LS2 Twister OF573