All Tests – The Lion in the court of maxiscooters –

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The Lion in the Maxiscooters Court

All Tests - The Lion in the court of maxiscooters -

After its 125 and 250 cc models, Peugeot has just unveiled during a press test its new Satelis scooters, equipped with a 400 and 500 cc engine. What does this unprecedented intrusion of the French manufacturer give into the maxiscooters market ? Test !

Peugeot introduced the press to its new range of large displacement scooters on its Franche-Comte land: the two new models of 400 and 500 cc are the culmination of the Satelis range, inaugurated in early 2006 with the 125 (read for the standard version and for the Compressor version).

The new Satelis 400 and 500 therefore take the successful line of their little brother, but see their chassis reinforced to cash the additional power of the new engines – of Piaggio origin – which drive them..

To avoid the astronomical development costs represented by the design of a new engine, the Lion has indeed drawn from the range of the Italian manufacturer..

A brand design

However, the Satelis 400 and 500 cannot deny the Lion which sits on their prow: without displaying a purely automotive design, they nevertheless display in their lines a strong Peugeot spirit which is reminiscent of the brand‘s sedans..

The two front optics as well as the rear lights, like the chrome strips, evoke the Peugeot style applied to two-wheelers. We also find the sobriety of the Sochaux builder – even his austerity – in the not very folichon choice of the colors offered: metal gray, medium gray and black…

If you like to stand out, go your way! The two new Peugeot scooters take exactly the measurements of the 125 model. However, if these were very rewarding for an 8th liter, they are on the other hand very compact for maxiscooters. And this contained template is a real asset in the city, facing certain competitors whose dimensions can sometimes seem exaggerated..

Careful ergonomics

Barely installed on board the new Satelis, the tester immediately feels at home: the "big" Peugeot will suit young and old alike, thanks in particular to a very reasonable saddle height of 784 mm.

The handlebars fall naturally under the hands and the rider can choose between three different positions for his legs: upright to the body to spare the lower back, in a normal seated position or with the legs further forward to properly lock the lower back. body when the rhythm picks up. In addition, just like the passenger, it benefits from a high and well-designed seat backrest that allows it to seat well. The leather and Alcantara upholstered saddle is comfortable and not too wide, allowing both feet to rest calmly flat on the ground.

The protection provided by the original screen is very satisfactory and offers the advantage of not creating too much depression, quite unpleasant at high speed on some maxiscooters. And in addition to the side stand, the Satelis is very easy to hoist on its well-designed center stand..

The joys of the scooter

We obviously find on the Satelis 400 and 500 what makes scooters so attractive, especially when it comes to motorcycles: the practical aspects. And there are many on the Peugeot !

The elegant and comprehensive dashboard displays all the information you need and there is no need to press a button to scroll through information such as engine and exterior temperatures, fuel gauge, etc..

The apron contains a glove box deep enough to accommodate a one liter bottle (of water, of course!) As well as a 12V socket. In the center of the handlebars sits a small practical storage compartment for storing your laptop or sunglasses, but whose plastic quality leaves much to be desired, as on the first 125 models..

The storage space under the saddle, very convenient, can accommodate two full-face helmets not too big. On the other hand, it is devoid of light. Like their little brothers, the Satelis 400 and 500 are equipped with an optional small remote control which allows the trunk to be opened from a distance..

The Satelis also comes with a cover to protect the saddle when parking in the rain, very easy to deploy and store in its small compartment.

But the big asset of the Peugeot scooter is the integrated lock, an option available from the "City" version, more expensive by 150 €. This chain, developed with the Abus brand whose seriousness is no longer to be demonstrated, is locked directly into the frame of the scooter, at the rear. It allows the rear wheel to be blocked or, better yet, to be attached to a fixed point such as a post or even a tree. The chain is placed in a niche provided for this purpose at the bottom of the trunk under the saddle.

On the other hand, we deplore a big lack of equipment, incomprehensible at this price level and equipment: a parking brake is sorely lacking as soon as we stop on a slope and when we need both hands. !

One scooter, two engines

Identical in all respects in terms of aesthetics and cycle parts, the Satelis 400 and 500 are only differentiated by their engines. They both adopt original Piaggio water-cooled single cylinders with electronic fuel injection and therefore meet the Euro 3 standard without any problem..

Only 4.8 hp and 0.4 mkg separate our two machines, with 37.4 hp and 4.2 mkg for the 500 cc version. The difference is not huge and will only really be felt as a duo, when the 500 cc engine block will show off its superior torque..

In reality, the justification for these two different displacement is legal. Indeed, the 400 cc version (which claims 32.6 hp) is accessible to young licenses limited to 34 hp and particularly meets the demand of the Italian market – where maxiscooters are sold enormously – because the more than 400 cc are more there. heavily taxed. The 700 € difference between the two engines will also be an important argument when choosing.

Double smooth link

Hand on the brake, a little pressure on the starter and the single cylinder snorts in a pleasant sound and without parasitic vibrations, which is surprising for a single cylinder.

This is due to DSL (Dual Swinging Linkage) patented by Peugeot, which isolates the engine from the frame by a double rod system: this filters all the vibrations coming up from the engine as well as the parasitic reactions which could alter the behavior of the scooter. The result: first-rate smoothness and driving comfort, as well as very neutral behavior regardless of the road quality..

Jura cruising

On the sometimes dry, sometimes bumpy or wet roads of the Jura, the two large Satelis show exemplary behavior. Compared to the 125, the two big brothers see their frame reinforced and adopt a 40 mm diameter fork with a 14 inch rear wheel fitted with a 150 mm tire..

Like the brand’s automobiles, the two Peugeot maxiscooters offer an excellent compromise between comfort and handling. Some competitors like the Yamaha Tmax are much more sporty but at the cost of very basic comfort while others, on the contrary, pay for their soft suspensions with very uncertain road holding….

The Satelis are easy, manoeuvrable and very reassuring, allowing piloting if not sporty, at least fast! The 500 cc is a little quicker when starting a fire and picks up slightly better when exiting a curve. That said, the 400 cc still propels its 213 kg dry at a small 160 km / h speedometer (on the German motorway) against 170 for the 500.

Be careful in town, because the good protection of the bubble, the absence of vibrations and the goodwill of the single cylinder risks you "Satelis" -er well beyond the legal 50 km / h! In addition, the 14-liter tank and the very reasonable consumption of between 4 and 5 l / 100km provide the crew with good autonomy..

Brakes to choose from

Two types of braking are available on Satelis. The first choice is traditional braking: the right grip operates two-piston front brake calipers which pinch two 260mm discs, while the left grip acts on the single 240mm rear disc. This solution will be better suited to riders from the motorcycle, because it provides a better feeling in the case of a slightly muscular riding.

The other alternative is ABS / PBS braking: this combines an anti-lock lock only present on the front wheel with a braking assistance which distributes and amplifies the pilot’s effort to slow down the machine. Braking is then no longer provided by a single disc at the front as well as at the rear. Thus, we hardly brake any more with the left handle, because it distributes the braking ideally between the front and the rear. The efficiency is there, but the feeling is behind compared to the traditional system. This solution will suit more die-hard scooter riders and bikers who make ABS a priority..

From 5,299 to 6,599 €…

If they do not revolutionize the category of maxiscooters, the two new Peugeot Satelis 400 and 500 cc are proving to be well-born products and perfectly meeting the expectations of users of this type of machine. They are therefore a very relevant choice compared to their competitors. As for choosing between the 400 and 500 cc versions, only your type of use and your wallet will dictate the right choice. !

Available versions

Satelis 400 cc :

  • Premium: € 5,299

  • City: € 5,449 (Premium + integrated Abus lock)

  • Executive: € 5,899 (City + ABS / PBS)

Satelis 500 cc :

  • Premium: € 5,999

  • City: € 6,149 (Premium + integrated Abus lock)

  • Executive: € 6,599 (City + ABS / PBS)

Benjamin LALO – BL photos and builder

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