A few days ago I left the Bikesales Network offices on a bike that had an engine that was 1000cc smaller than the bike I rode in on.
I’d left home on a Moto Guzzi 1150 and I returned on a TGB X Race scooter with a cubic capacity of 150cc. Curiously, the journey took roughly the same time.
Although I’ll admit to not being an aficionado of scooters, I have ridden a few and often wondered how they’d fare in mixed traffic. The journey from my abode to the office is a very typical commute of around 25km with mixture of stop-start peak-hour traffic and a good run on a freeway.
Initially I was worried about how the 150cc four-stroke scooter would handle my 80-something-kilogram bulk; I was pleasantly surprised to find the X Race gets away well enough and accelerates to 60 or 70km/h quick enough to beat most cars off the line.
The prospect of freeway travel had me a bit nervous. It’s a different way of riding on a scooter, compared to a motorcycle. One has to be a bit more circumspect about lane changes and plan a bit further ahead for freeway exits and the like, but once used to it, the scooter will keep up with the traffic and purr along in the 90-100km/h range.
The TGB is nothing if not frugal. Its 6.8-litre tank will last you for a week of commuting if ridden conservatively (which most scooters tend to be). And then it’ll cost around $10 to fill it up – far cheaper than getting the train to work.
Stepping onto the TGB X Race, I found it started easily on the electric starter and from there it’s a simple twist of the throttle and you’re away. Riding a bike with no clutch and no gears is a bit of an oddity but in the traffic it’s quite convenient, and simplicity is the scooter’s catch-cry.
Instrumentation is restricted to the big speedo and a fuel gauge, with lights for neutral, indicators, lights etc.
It’s a cute little bike to look at with its colour-coded wheels, equally attractive in the grey-and-red combo or the silver-and-yellow colour scheme.
The suspension is coil-over rear shocks and dual hydraulic inverted dampers on the front. Wheels are 13in with 130/60 tyres front and rear. I found the suspension a little harsh, no doubt due to the small wheels and the fact that the X Race weighs in at 122kg. I did find, however, that if you hit a pothole or a lump of wood that’s fallen off a ute – as I did – the TGB will hold its line and not buck around.
Brakes are single disc on the front with a drum rear. They’re adequate without being outstanding.
The X Race is can handle two-up stints, with folding ’pegs and a big seat for the pillion. The riding position is quite comfortable and I liked the non-slip aluminium floorboard, which adds to the sporty look of the scoot. Rear vision is a bit restricted due to the narrow ’bars, but that’s an unavoidable fact for most scooters.
Overall, for the list price of just $2590, the TGB X Race 150 is a good, reliable commuter or a weekend run-around for the urban dweller. You won’t be doing long cruises on it, but it’s not designed for that. The X Race does everything you could ask of a 150cc scooter and it has the ability to carry two people (or one and a bit of shopping) smoothly and comfortably.
SPECS: TGB X RACE 150
ENGINE
Type: Horizontal four-stroke single-cylinder
Capacity: 151cc
Bore and stroke: 57.4mm x 58.4mm
Compression ratio: 10.8:1
Ignition: CDI
Claimed max power: 10.1hp (7.43kW) at 7500rpm
Claimed max torque: Not given
TRANSMISSION
Type: CVT auto
Final drive: V-Belt
RUNNING GEAR
Front suspension: Dual inverted hydraulic dampers
Rear suspension: Coil-over rear dampers
Front brake: Single hydraulic disc
Rear brake: Drum
Tyres: 130/60-13
DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Length: 1860mm
Width: 675mm
Height: 1145mm
Weight: 122kg
Fuel capacity: 6.8 litres
OTHER STUFF
Price: $2590
Colour: Red/grey or silver/yellow
Warranty: Two years part and labour