My take on the Piaggio Vespa SXL 150.

The Piaggio Vespa SXL 150 is undoubtedly one of the best looking and powerful scooter out there in the Indian market. The classic and retro looks can be seen in  all the scooters that Vespa has launched till date. Piaggio is an Italian motorcycle manufacturing company and was created in 1884. They also own major brands like Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and many more. The scooter doesn't come cheap, it is priced at an Ex-showroom price of INR 95500 ( $1497  ) which makes it the most expensive scooter in the Indian market. The SXL 150 is powered by a single cylinder, air-cooled 150 cc engine which makes a maximum power of 11.5 bhp @ 7000 rpm and maximum torque of 11.5 Nm @ 5500 rpm. Even though it has great power and great looks, the scooter still hasn't found many buyers in India due to its premium price tag.

PROS:

The SXL 150 has great acceleration which allows it to do those quick overtakes. The scooter also goes up to a speed of  70-85 kmph without any difficulty.  The SXL 150 weighs in about 114 kgs wet and  is easy to flick around.  The instrument console in this scooter is part analog and part digital. The speedometer is analog and the digital display includes details like odometer, two trip meters and a clock. The digital display is small, but very readable. The 5 spoke alloy wheels on the SXL 150 are wide when compared to other scooters and gives great grip in the roads. The brakes are also great, it comes with a 200 mm front disk brake and 140 mm rear drum brake. The scooter also comes with an 8 litre fuel tank which gives it a good tank range. The 8 litre tank is also larger than most of the scooters currently in the Indian market.

CONS:

Even though the scooter is very powerful, once a pillion gets on board, the acceleration becomes very sluggish. The under-seat storage capacity on this scooter is also very bad. A medium sized full face helmet wouldn't fit in it. It also lacks in an under-seat storage light and a charging point for the price it comes in. Even though the instrument console in this scooter is great, the digital fuel gauge is very buggy and doesn't show the accurate readings. The suspension is on the harder side and rides through bad  roads will be uncomfortable. The seats are wide and long and could easily accommodate  two people but it is very hard. The switches are placed in such a way that it is very hard to reach. The mirrors are also very hard to adjust but provides decent view of what is happening behind.

CONCLUSION:

The Piaggio Vespa SXL 150 is a great and fun to ride scooter. If it was to be priced a bit more competitively, it would have found a lot more buyers in India. But, if you don't care about the pricing and want a great scooter, the SXL 150 is a great option. 

The key specifications of this scooter are listed below:

• Displacement - 150 cc
• No. of cylinders - 1
• Maximum power - 11.5 bhp @ 7000 rpm
• Maximum torque - 11.5 Nm @ 5500 rpm
• Seat height - 770 mm
• Ground clearance - 155 mm
• Kerb weight - 117 kg
• Fuel tank capacity - 8 litres
• Front brake - 200 mm disk
• Rear brake - 140 mm drum

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