All Tests – Ready for take off – Used PEUGEOT

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Ready for take off

All Tests - Ready for take off - Used PEUGEOT

Peugeot Motocycles has invested heavily in its two new scooters, the Geopolis and the Satelis. The latter, in concession since mid-March, openly attacks the bestsellers on the market. Successful launch? First contact.

If Peugeot dominates the French market for 50 cc with 36.9% of sales in 2005, it is still struggling to win in 125 cc (4.2%, read) and is completely absent from the debates in large engines.

However, it is clear that the Elystar 125 no longer stood up to its more comfortable, spacious and efficient competitors … Suddenly, Peugeot Motocycles in 2005 missed out on the strong expansion of the maxi-scooter market, many of which are available in 125.
Palma de Majorca, 03/16/2006 – Peugeot Satelis 125 scooter.

This is why from the Mondial du deux Roues in September 2005 in Paris (read) the CEO of Peugeot Motocycles announced the imminent arrival of two new scooters: the Satelis and the Geopolis.

In 2006, after an investment of 20 million euros – the largest ever made by Peugeot Motocycles according to its leaders – and 21 months of development, the French Lion intends to gain 10% market share.

A nod to this new clientele of "urban motorists", it is at the same time as the launch of the new 207 in Palma de Mallorca that Peugeot has chosen to present its first 125: the Satelis. Because this new Grand Touring scooter with small wheels has launched a few days ago to attack the Honda Pantheon, Suzuki Burgman, Piaggio X8 and X9 and other Yamaha Xmax or Majesty … Three, two, one … Ignition !

In the big leagues

In appearance, the Satelis contrasts completely with the Elystar from which it finally takes over. More massive and lower, it suggests better performance in terms of equipment and comfort even if aesthetically, it retains the lines "racy and feline"dear to the brand.

The two front headlights are reminiscent of those of new automobile models and are fitted with H7 type halogen lamps inherited from the 407. The fairing which frames them gives the scooter an imposing stature and classifies it at first glance in the big leagues..

We also note the presence of mirrors with a style very similar to those of automobiles, including the "indexed positioning"allows it to be folded and unfolded without modifying the setting. Likewise, the dashboard is very complete: it offers all the necessary information, and even more: speedometer, LCD screen with fuel gauge, fuel temperature gauge. engine, total and partial mileage but also outside temperature.And on the right, to balance the whole, there is even a tachometer !

Finally, the turns of chromed dials and the cap overhanging the whole will offer motorists a smooth passage into the world of motorized two-wheelers. With this new product, Peugeot hopes to attract 30% of customers tired of the charms of the car stuck in traffic jams….

The rear part of the Satelis is "fluid"and in this sense, the set of lights, cligos and handles is particularly successful. But if from a distance the new French scooter makes an excellent impression, when you get closer you can see that it is far from faultless…

A finish to refine

The quality of its plastics is poor and their fit sometimes leaves much to be desired. The storage compartment to the left of the handlebars can be locked but it will not take much effort or time for malicious people to overcome the plastic lock or the tiny and rustic hinges … Too bad, because this storage can accommodate the equivalent of a 1 liter bottle !

Same disappointment for the storage located on the handlebars and which allows you to store your mobile, glasses or diary but whose too cheap aspect and the game are a task on a scooter of this ambition. The three carpets "soft rubber"the inclined floor, the flat floor and the passenger footrests also suffer from too much play.

Finally for nit-pickers – there are even some among urban scooter riders! -, a few screws looking a little too raw have slipped here and there. But all is not black so far because the Peugeot has serious assets, including a particularly pleasant tip !

Open Sesame

In the radius of good surprises, we discover for the first time on a scooter the remote opening of the trunk mounted on hydraulic jacks! This option – offered during the first months of marketing and then offered at 65 euros – therefore allows the pilot to load his belongings under the saddle without having to put them on the ground..

The trunk opening only on the passenger part of the saddle, Peugeot had the good idea to allow the pilot to open his "tailgate" trunk by a simple rotation of the ignition key, without having to turn off the scooter. Suddenly, on the dashboard appears a security light, so as not to roll the open trunk !

Another good point of the Satelis: its significant loading capacity. In addition to the two storage compartments, the trunk can accommodate two full face helmets and a lock. Taking up the concept of the Elystar boa, Peugeot also offers on its Satelis an exclusive chain developed by Abus.

This 1m30 long chain allows the scooter frame to be securely fastened to a pole or to its own wheel during shorter stops. It will equip the version City and Executive while the basic version Premium will be devoid of it.

Attentive to its sporting clientele, Peugeot has made sure that the transport of "two tennis rackets, a box of balls and a towel"be achievable … The manufacturer could thus prepare the ground for a future Roland-Garros special series, in partnership with Gustavo Kuerten !

160 kg ?

But now is more than time to get on board this Satelis! The saddle is low (784 mm) and allows the little ones to feel comfortable. It could have been softer in order to consolidate the GT tone of the scooter, but it has the merit of being well designed and being comfortable.

Once the 4-stroke 4-valve engine has started you can get off – easily – the scooter on its two small wheels: 14 inches at the front and 13 at the rear. Therefore, it is difficult to believe that the machine weighs 160 kg as the front axle is light and lively and the scooter easily movable on foot.

On the other hand, as soon as the engine is asked "made in Peugeot"to move the scooter and its pilot, the overweight generated by the Touring ambitions of the Satelis is more felt … Like the general aesthetics, the 125 hp 15 hp engine of the Satelis is up to the task but suffers from some defects which induce a slight adaptation time.

An engine to tame

The most annoying is undoubtedly the jerks present at around 20 km / h, when trying to drive on a light stream of gas. The transmission-injection coupling is not the finest and requires too carefully dosing the throttle. Difficult to drive at perfectly constant speed because the Satelis gasps laboriously, seeming to hesitate between freewheeling and propulsion … A concern that does not however occur during acceleration or deceleration, even slight.

The speed of 90 km / h is easily reached and the 110 can be kept in all circumstances. Unfortunately very congested, the Palma motorway did not allow us to check the advertised top speed of "7 to 8 km / h higher than that of 2-valve engines".

On the protection side, the screen is so effective (even for large busts) that the high windshield option risks going unnoticed, except for those whose sight falls directly on the top of the original screen. Still in terms of driving comfort at high speed, we regret certain vibrations of the floor, especially at high speed. But we can easily avoid them by adopting the very comfortable "custom" position.

On the seaside roads, between big curves and hairpins, the Satelis showed some limits in fast driving. If the rear suspension accepts all types of constraints without being noticed, it is not the same for the front suspension. Despite the 37 mm fork – "an exceptional diameter in this displacement", specifies Peugeot – passages at more than 80 km / h in certain bumpy bends require particularly close attention !

Attention that leaves room for anticipation when it comes to negotiating the tight and particularly raised bends of the Valdemossa cornices. Indeed, the engine takes several tenths of a second to react during a go-around and again requires some adaptation time..

Satelis urbanis

That said, for almost all Satelis 125 the field of action will be limited to the city and the inner suburbs. And in this context, the performance of the new Peugeot is finally sufficient: the slight lack of recovery at 70 km / h is no longer as annoying in traffic jams and the front axle, more agile than stable, does wonders there..

The brakes, on the other hand, seem to have posed a problem for the technicians of the French manufacturer. Following the remarks of some journalists finding the orders too "spongy", Peugeot wished to point out that the"guilty"had been found:"micro bubbles in the circuit, easily eliminated with the simple pressurization of the levers (flanges) for a few hours". The next day, the Satelis would have"regained all the sensitivity of their controls and of course kept their braking efficiency !", assured Peugeot 24 hours later.

Still, the two models tested by Moto-Net were effective and pleasant in terms of braking. The version Executive in particular, with the ABS at the front and a brake distributor between the front and the rear, could be of serious interest to urban and peri-urban "roule-toujours".

It was by taking a short break at the side of the road that the return of the sidestand was particularly treacherous, because it was too powerful: beware of too fast crutches, gentle slopes or clumsy passers-by which could cause the scooter to fall. ! For greater safety, it is advisable to crutch the Satelis on its control unit, especially since this maneuver is very easy. Although Peugeot aims above all "men (80 to 90%) aged 30 to 45", women are likely to be sensitive to this quality.

In the end, the Satelis 125 enters the world of the 125 GT through the front door: very manoeuvrable and agile, its engine can calmly dominate the bulk of traffic and its storage capacity is among the best on the market. Before appearing at the head of sales, the Satelis 125 will however have to polish certain details, in particular the finish of its plastics and the approval of the engine at low speed..

It is offered in three versions at prices in the market average: Premium (€ 3,799), City (with lock, € 3,959) and Executive (with anti-theft device and ABS / PBS braking, € 4,409). Four colors are available: Technium varnished – "class" money -, Luxus gray – the "discreet" gray, pearly black – the "evening dress" -, and vendome red – the "dapper".

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