If I told you that Europe's largest motorcycle manufacturer offered me a ride on its biggest-displacement
model, you probably wouldn't expect to see me roll up on a scooter.
And
if I told you the ride took me 120 miles from Long Beach, California, to Santa Barbara, through the gauntlet of Los Angeles'
heaviest traffic, and then along some backroads just for fun, you might think I'd be crazy to ride a scooter.
But
the new Piaggio X9 Evolution 500 handled all that--and looked really cool in the process.
Piaggio
is indeed the largest manufacturer of two-wheeled vehicles in Europe. The 120-year-old company
built everything from ship fittings to aeronautical equipment before World War II, when the factory was destroyed. Company
leader Enrico Piaggio guessed correctly that postwar Italy (and the rest
of Europe) would need cheap transportation. Thus was born the Vespa.
While
small scooters, including Vespas, still sell by the thousands, the newest trend is toward larger machines that combine the
no-need-to-shift convenience of scooters and the power to run with highway traffic on U.S. roads. Aprilia, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha are also selling scooters ranging
from 400cc to 600cc in the United States.
The
X9's power was much better than I expected. Piaggio says the 460cc, four-valve single makes 39 horsepower, and although the
bike was a little sluggish on takeoff, I could easily pull away from a stop faster than the cars around me.
At
times I was frustrated because I couldn't downshift for more power, but overall, not having to shift was kind of nice.
Piaggio
didn't hold back on its press-intro ride, taking a group of us out on the infamous 405 freeway in Los Angeles, where the X9 cruised comfortably at the elevated prevailing speeds. But the
scooter's huge advantage showed when an accident brought traffic to a halt for a 10-mile stretch of freeway.
In
California, where lane-sharing is legal, that meant we could
glide between the rows of stopped cars on the well-balanced, agile scooters. And I didn't end up with a sore hand from feathering
the clutch for miles.
The
riding position is very comfortable, and the windscreen provides good protection. Being able to move my feet around and shift
my seating position reduced fatigue.
When
we stopped along the way, I was able to fit my helmet, jacket, water bottle and purse in the underseat storage area. Plus,
the X9 has a lunchbox-sized storage compartment on the frame and a small storage space on the dash.
An
optional 11.9-liter top case provides even more carrying capacity. With that, the X9 becomes a vehicle you can really use
for riding to work and stopping on the way home to buy groceries for dinner.
When
we reached Santa Barbara, we ventured onto some twisty backroads.
And I discovered that this scooter really scoots! The handling was stable, the brakes were strong and the sporty tires provided
excellent grip.
Unfortunately,
the centerstand limited cornering clearance. I'd like to be able to lean a little more.
In
addition to introducing the X9, Piaggio organized a panel discussion about how to popularize scooters in the United States. The pitch is that scooters make the perfect
commuter vehicle: cheaper to operate and insure than a car, more convenient for multi-stop trips than public transportation.
And more fun.
The
savings in commuting time is a big selling point in California, where scooters are popular
in cities such as San Francisco. But it's a harder sell in
the rest of the country.
Still,
U.S. scooter sales hit 84,000 in 2003,
up 20 percent from 2002 and growing. Even in the land of tanker-sized cruisers, more and more people, especially in urban
areas, are learning the joys of scootering. And bikes like the X9 are making scooters more practical than ever.
—Sarah
Schilke
X-9
Specs
Engine:
Liquid-cooled
four-valve
460cc
single
Carburetion:
Fuel
injection
Drivetrain:
Automatic
clutch
Continuously
variable transmission
Brakes:
Partially
linked
Dual
260mm discs front
Single
240mm disc rear
Tires:
120/70-14
front
150/70-14
rear
Seat
height:
30.7
inches
Price:
$5,999
