Piaggio Zip 50 (2012) - Review

By BikeSocial

Bennetts BikeSocial was launched in autumn 2012

Posted:

10.11.2012

Introduction

The Piaggio Zip 50 is quite simply the most basic of twist and go scooters you can lay your eyes on. Wraparound plastic bodywork, big spongy seat with underneath storage, small wheels and a simple 49.4cc two-stoke engine. But it’s the sum of all these parts that makes it a joy to get on and ride at anytime.

Look past the ‘simple’ description and you have a scooter that is built with years of experience to make it one of the most reliable scoots in town. That little Hi-PER 2 ‘stroker’ engine requires the basics of two-stroke oil and fuel to survive but even then it sips at both. Meagre consumption also means economical to run. And we can forget about it being a dirty, smelly and noisy two-stroke because the Zip’s engine is a new breed of stroker engines that are environmentally clean.

Twist and go means literally that on the zip. Turn the ignition key and turn the throttle. It takes perhaps half a mile to warm up and then the lacklustre throttle response becomes instant drive.

So you think 30mph is slow? Try riding in city congestion and the Zip will feel like a true speed machine. With the responsive engine allied to a nimble chassis it is little wonder so many Zip owners can be seen darting in and out of stationary traffic. But take it out of the city and the Zip becomes just another obstacle.

Braking is a simple matter of squeezing the front brake lever to work an effective hydraulic caliper and squeezing the other handlebar mounted lever to work the rear drum brake just as a back up. Gears? What gears? Traditional CVT (Constant Variable Transmission) drive means its all automatic – see, nothing to think about means nothing to worry about apart fro the road ahead. We like the simple life; we like the Zip.