Pretty fly for a 125

Feb 2 2010 Harriet Ridley

PIAGGIO'S Fly 125 has been my faithful companion this bitter winter.

It was first delivered in November with zero miles on the clock although Piaggio had been reluctant to hand it over.

The Italian manufacturer likes its test bikes to have mileage under their belt for a true representation of their performance but I twisted Piaggio's swingarm!

There's nothing like riding a brand new bike; the tight engine, the strong smell of new metal and well, plastic Plus I love nursing them through those precious first few hundred miles of bike life.

It's important to warm up a new engine before thrashing it. And when I say thrashing, ignore me. Be gentle with throttle openings and don't hold it flat out for long until it has a couple of hundred miles on the clock, which can take a while on a scooter

But not with me riding it. Despite the deep freeze that plagued my three months of Fly fun, I still managed to put almost 900 miles on the clock! That proves just how useful scooters are, whether it's for nipping to the shops, a last-minute dentist appointment or the daily commute.

The Fly's a small-wheeled budget scooter and while there's nothing fussy about its simple bodywork, it still looks good. Piaggio's design is stylish without trying too hard to be cool, and it has the sturdy build quality you'd expect from this great Italian brand. That means modern lights, a good seat cover, and a dash displaying all the essential information including petrol gauge and clock so you know how fast you need to filter to reach work on time.

The brakes are disc front with a drum rear to keep build costs low and the overall set-up works a treat. The suspension gives a plush ride and the rear shock absorber even has four preload settings so you can stiffen things up if you frequently carry pillions.

The Fly passes the legendary scooter storage capacity test too thanks to a flat floor with bag hook, lockable glove box, underseat space that takes a full-face helmet, and a 33-litre colour-matched top box fitted as standard.

So we've established that Piaggio's Fly is pretty fly. But does it fly? Well, not quite.

It's built as a reliable runaround after all, not a high-performance backside-kicker. But when it comes to rush hour, it slices through traffic much faster than a Bugatti Veyron ever would! The engine responds well off the throttle, with good acceleration despite a relatively high curb weight of 123kg, and it manages just under 70mph on the motorway.

Yes, it's predominantly a town bike but if you thought the Fly was limited to that, you'd be wrong. My commute includes a long stretch of A1, leading onto the traffic-heavy North Circular, and finally the big city streets. And it performs admirably everywhere, including holding its own among fast-flowing motorway traffic. The wraparound fairings shield from the worst of the weather and Piaggio is currently throwing in a protective screen worth £69.99 as a special offer on new Fly 125s.

So what does the Fly cost? A mere £1,899, available on a 0% finance over two years from £63.30 a month. That's less than a monthly travel card!

FAST FACTS

Piaggio Fly 125

Price: £1,899

Engine: Electric start air-cooled four-stroke single-cylinder 125cc Euro 3

Transmission: Automatic twist and go

Suspension: (F) Telescopic fork (R) Hydraulic shock absorbers with preload adjuster

Brakes: (F) 200mm disc (R) 140mm drum

Wheel size: 12' front and rear

Running weight: 123kg

Colours: Royal Blue, Excalibur Silver, Black

Website: www.uk.piaggio.com