Piaggio Medley 125

[NetherScot]

What is it?

The 125cc Piaggio Medley is the spit of its larger-capacity siblings, the Beverly 300 and the slightly heavier, longer Beverly (or BV) 400. It's a large wheel scooter (16' front, 15' rear) made in Vietnam by the Italian manufacturer, in the vein of earlier Aprilia Leonardo, SportCity and Scarabao scoots. 

 

Why not?

You would not want a Medley if you're small: the wide seat at 799mm might be fine, but there's much easier and comfier scoots out there. If you're a poser, you wouldn't want a Medley either. While it doesn't look bad, it's a bit too much substance over style. If you're a speed demon you might like having the full liquid cooled 15bhp in the 125cc class, but it's not hard to find something a bit faster still. The Medley is comfortable, but it isn't an armchair on wheels like some Japanese rivals. It's not expensive, but nowhere near the cheapest. It's well built, reliable and supported by a wide dealer network, though Honda and Yamaha do better still.

 

Why though?

 

If you're not yet convinced that a Piaggio Medley is pointless, there's a few more considerations. One is the loading capacity. It'll take a passenger and handle better than most 125s. It's easy to fit one full size helmet under the seat and a jet helmet or heavy locks besides. The nearly flat foot platform and a bag hook easily handle a large shopping bag. Add a top box and a weekly shop is quite feasible.

 

Another is the handling: unless you're caught in the wind with a large top box, the Medley's large wheels and ample power give confidence even on bendy NSL roads and dual carriageways. There's ample suspension (adjustable at the rear) to deal with farm tracks and urban pot holes too.

 

I've done a B-road trip using Calimoto also, across the Pennines and North Sea to Germany and back. A weekend bag or tent easily fits under the saddle. Sure, a ferry was required to make to Hook of Holland, but apart from not turning into a jet ski at opportune moments it's a fantastically useful and fun scooter for shopping trips, school drop-offs, commutes and weekends away.