All the Duels – Peugeot Metropolis 400 RS test: finally a worthy competitor of the MP3? – Well born … but can do even better!

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Peugeot Metropolis 400 RS test: finally a worthy competitor of the MP3 ?

All Duels - Peugeot Metropolis 400 RS Test: Finally a worthy competitor of MP3? - Well born ... but can do even better!

The insolent success of the Piaggio MP3 in France could not leave our national manufacturer without reaction: it is done with this new three-wheel scooter Peugeot Metropolis 400 of which we tested the sport version, the RS ! First try.

Well born … but can do even better !

First observation: the saddle height of 780 mm makes the Metropolis accessible to the greatest number, despite its respectable weight of 256 kg.

Contact: the block of 399 cc snorts in a fairly present but classic sound for a single cylinder. As on the MP3, the front axle unlocks as soon as you put the throttle on. The Metropolis starts are quite voluntary, even if we regret a slight lack of flexibility at low speed.

At idle, the engine shakes the whole scooter and knocks a little at low speed, but the vibrations do not go up in the cycle part.

A nice extension

If the Metropolis is not necessarily the champion of gunfire starts or the king of evolutions on a net of gas between the cars, it does however show a real pleasure as soon as it is launched. Its 37.2 horsepower is present between 40 and 120 km / h, providing vigorous and constant acceleration and relaunching.

As a result, we will savor the Metropolis more on the peripherals than in congested city centers, where the slightly low handlebars flirt with the knees of the older ones while steering fully. The Metropolis is also fun on small roads.

Dual Tilting Wheels by Peugeot

Preseries oblige, the front axle of our Metropolis lacked a bit of development: "the front axle is still a bit firm, which affects the comfort somewhat, but we are working to make it more flexible", Frederic Bart assures us.

It is true that the comfort on the cobblestones of Paris suffers singularly from this somewhat conciliatory front end. The handling on bad surfaces also suffers considerably: the front axle becomes hopping and loses all precision. It’s a shame, because the rest of the chassis is very correct.

The picture improves considerably on a nickel asphalt, but it will not be necessary to have too sporty inclinations either: the Metropolis, even "RS", is not cut to take the wheel of the sporty roadsters !

Integral braking from integral !

SBC braking ("Synchro Braking Concept") is quite exemplary in braking power, a little less in terms of feeling. The three brake discs are applied at the same time, whether you press the left lever or the brake pedal on the right foot (compulsory for homologation).

If you press really hard, the Metropolis brakes very hard, in line, without diving forward or locking the rear wheel. On the other hand, it is necessary to use only one lever at a time, under penalty of putting the mismanagement in the hydraulic system and losing all feeling (the levers push each other!)

Unnatural for motorcyclists accustomed to distinguishing front and rear brakes, this type of driving will be more suitable for scooter riders.

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