Piaggio Liberty 150ie: First Ride

The Piaggio Liberty 150ie didn't become the No. 1 scooter in Italy for no reason. The big-wheeled scooter represents solid value for money at $3490 and after fighting my way through some nasty Melbourne commuter traffic on a Wednesday afternoon -- road works galore playing havoc -- and finding a few thrifty shortcuts along the way, I walked away quietly impressed.

The fuel-injected scooter is positioned at the budget end of the market, but it delivers a surprisingly high quality experience and this updated model has been proven as a workhorse commuter vehicle in Europe for the past 12 months.

Though we have only had a brief taste of the new Liberty 150ie, it was time enough to discover the scoot ticks a lot of boxes: big-ticket features include the larger than average alloy wheels, 15-inch rim on the front and 14-inch item on the rear, which in partnership with 32mm telescopic forks and a single coil spring shock (with damping/preload adjustment) supply the Euro-styled scoot with a buttery smooth ride, even over the rough stuff.

This supple ride quality is one of the reasons the Liberty is the weapon of choice for so many Italians, where the bone-jarring cobblestone streets need a properly tuned chassis to cope.

For the record, we had a chance to briefly ride a few other smaller wheeled scooters in the Piaggio range and the bigger-wheeled Liberty certainly felt smoother when riding over bumps, holes in the road, and all manner of poor quality surfaces. Yet at the same token it also felt more stable and better balanced when cornering. Indeed, there was none of the corner entry nervousness I encountered on some of the smaller-wheeled scooters.

The 775mm high seat is well sized and has contouring to improve the relationship with your derriere, and combined with fold-out pillion pegs it makes for comfortable two-up riding. The flat running boards make for an city-savvy upright riding position.

Some of the other features you get include a modern instrument display with analogue speedometer, odometer, digital clock and a fuel gauge. Better yet, an engine immobiliser and body-mounted security loop are also standard features.

There's lots of storage compartments on the Liberty 150ie, including the obligatory lockable underseat storage, plus a neat little glove box for smaller belongings and the omnipresent shopping bag hook that is standard on all modern Piaggio scooters.

The heart and soul of the Piaggio Liberty 150ie is the Italian company's widely used fuel injected 149cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine. This air-cooled twin-valve unit develops 11.5hp (8.6kW) at 8000rpm and a handy 11Nm of torque at 6250rpm, which gives the Liberty more character than I was anticipating.

On the road the power is transmitted via a CVT or continuously variable transmission, and like the majority of modern scooters there's no need for a clutch or gear lever -- just open the throttle and its party time.

The engine feels livelier than its 11.5hp would suggest, but that's because of the 11Nm of torque on tap, which is adequate for a vehicle weighing 112kg. The big-wheeled Italian scoot accelerates from standstill to 60km/h slightly faster than regular car traffic and in that respect you can stay ahead of the queue without breaking into a nervous sweat.

During busy peak hour traffic in Melbourne the Liberty proved itself adept at winding and weaving its way through gridlocked cars, trucks and busses, finding a path easily thanks to its narrow body.

The mirrors provide plenty of rearward information and perhaps the only thing I could have wanted for was a half screen for high speed riding Yes, high speed riding.

After doing a few circuits of the city, I peeled off onto the freeway and discovered the engine is a revvy little unit. It'll push the Liberty 150ie to about 100km/h on the freeway with the throttle wide open, but if you tuck your head low the reduction in drag will raise that top speed to 110km/h. Not bad for 11.5hp!

A catalytic convertor ensures the bike isn't belching out too many noxious fumes and from our brief test it's fair to say the Liberty is very efficient - even when ridden at full tilt on the freeway. Filling the seven-litre fuel tank can be paid for with loose change, and if your trip to work and back is only a dozen or so kilometres you wont need to fill up more than once a week.

Deceleration is handled by a twin piston caliper at the front, chomping on a single 240mm disc, while at the rear is a 110mm drum brake. For the most part the Liberty stop promptly and the front brake has decent feel, though from higher speeds you'll need to give yourself a little more room as the anchors are not sports bike sharp.

In terms of aesthetic appeal, I'm still pondering the style of the Liberty. It's not an ugly scooter but I'm not sure it's the most handsome example of two-wheeled transport either. Smaller touches like the 'Piaggio' script on the bar grips and the high quality plastics and metals in use certainly improve its allure, but visual appeal is in the eye of the beholder.

Me? I prefer the look of sportier, smaller-wheeled scoots but in hindsight I'd happily forgo a little eye candy in favour of the Liberty's top-shelf ride, handling and balance.

In terms of value for money, the Piaggio Liberty 150ie presents a solid business case. It's affordable to run, easy to ride and very nifty as a commuter vehicle --and you can have a bit of fun on it too. Poor quality roads are no obstacle thanks to larger wheels and pleasant suspension tune and, at the end of the day, I can see this new model becoming a popular choice in the growing Australian scooter market.

Simply put, the Liberty 150ie is one of the most competent scooters on offer today.

SPECIFICATIONS: PIAGGIO LIBERTY 150ie

ENGINE
Type: Leader single cylinder, air-cooled, 4 stroke, with EFI and catalytic converter
Capacity: 149.5cc
Bore and stroke: 62.2mm x 48.6mm
Claimed max power: 11.5hp (8.6kW) at 8000rpm
Claimed max torque: 11.2Nm at 6250rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: CVT auto
Final drive: V-Belt