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- it looks like a 125, it looks like a 125, it’s almost the price of a 125, but it’s a 350
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Contact
- In the city
- On the highway
- On departmental
- Comfort
- Braking
- Consumption
- Convenient
- Conclusion
it looks like a 125, it looks like a 125, it’s almost the price of a 125, but it’s a 350
When we think of a scooter, we often think of 125 and rarely above it, so much as a biker, we like to switch to the motorbike directly. And yet, the 125 has its limits and imagining being able to benefit from more power, especially for long journeys, makes perfect sense.. And it is in this line that appears the Liberty 350, an upward evolution in displacement of the Beverly125 from which it borrows the line and the look, to such an extent that at the red light when the conversation starts, everyone thinks that it is only about a 125. However, with a scooter, one does not try to appear bigger than its neighbor and on the contrary, to be discreet to limit the risks of theft, as maxi-scoots live it in day-to-day. So, the solution? Test.
Discovery
Nothing looks more like a Liberty than another Liberty. And it is not the 350 that will say the opposite, so much the exercise could resemble the game of 7 differences. But while the Liberty 125 is rather slim, the 350 is much more opulent. But it hides its game well, so much so that when the 125 clearly displays its capacity, the 350 hides it. And speaking of displacement, it’s actually a real 330cc. That said, everything is massive, from the headlight to the saddle, including the face and the flat floor. Even the storage capacity increases in the front. And then the 350, originally benefits from a bubble and ABS-ASR with traction control. High-end equipment therefore, especially since the finish is there, from the quality of the plastics to the depth of the paintings.
Under the plumage, there is a good 4-stroke 4-valve single-cylinder, now Euro4.
In the saddle
How high! The 1.70 driver will barely put his feet on the ground! It must be said that the saddle rises to 795 mm, almost the height of some trails. The handlebars are a little higher and closer than average when seated and you have the impression of raising the arms compared to other models, when in fact, the arms are well squared. with a natural position. However, while we expect a large caster angle, it is quite short and allows you to turn easily. The set is however very well balanced and the weight is hardly felt more than some 125 cm3.
Contact
The 350 snorts with the delicacy of its big single-cylinder, making its big mono feel. The responsiveness to the right grip is instantaneous forgetting all the smoothness of a 125. Yes, we feel that we are dealing with bigger. The following wheel turns are natural.
In the city
We quickly forget the extra weight to appreciate a large scooter with large wheels, dynamic at start, without sending the pate as can do a maxi-scooter. The big mono is well felt offering even a little manly roughness, in contrast to the smoothness of an SH 300. But the character is also more marked. We are here on the bigger picture and it shows. However, the maneuverability is there and we appreciate the large wheels and the overall maneuverability which make it possible to slip easily between the lines of cars even tightened. We are also much too fast at shameful speeds in town if we are not careful to look at the speedometer. The braking is rather homogeneous, with progressiveness without having the power that could surprise a beginner. ABS turns out to be a sensitive hair, when only the back is used. WHEN at ASR, it happens to start up, even in dry conditions at start-up !
On the highway
The Liberty voluntarily engages on the highway, to quickly reach a good 135 km / h meter before nibbling a few kilometers hours to reach 145 (or 135 km / h real). It picks up better than some 300 at full speed and therefore offers an additional safety margin, appreciable for peri-urban. The maneuverability offered in the city is paid for in terms of stability at maximum speed on the motorway, which tends to give back a little the hand, especially when approaching large curves where the big wheels help, it floats a little.
Only the original bubble generates eddies and noise in the helmet and for long journeys, we will not hesitate to remove it to gain hearing comfort.
On departmental
The 350 proves to be at ease on small roads, especially since it offers real pick-ups, where a 125 must be maintained all the time at full speed to be able to climb. The displacement thus offers a good compromise between weight, power and price for driving that can be fast..
Comfort
Bigger, comfort is at the rendezvous for both the driver and the passenger. The saddle is thick and plush for both. And the passenger benefits from well-designed grips that ofer the good grip, necessary because starts can be dynamic..
Braking
The Liberty provides good braking, without being violent. The ABS is rather intrusive, easily returning to action, even in the dry when only the rear is used solo. The lifts in the handle are then clear, while the scooter continues on its momentum. We will therefore use the two brake handles from day to day to ensure good braking..
The ASR also manages to trigger in the dry, especially at start-up, proof of the engine’s pep when starting frankly. In fact, you can turn it off easily, especially when it’s dry. We will more willingly leave it in action when it rains.
Consumption
The reserve lights up at 210 km! But when you fill up at 250 kilometers, there are still 2.5 liters in the tank! The 350 is rather greedy with a consumption greater than 4 liters per hundred in intensive use, which gives a range of about 300 kilometers with the 12.5 liter tank. There is no doubt that at steady speed on small roads, consumption can drop below 4 liters per hundred.
Convenient
The space in the trunk appears large … but it is almost an illusion, because we do not place a full. In fact, you can put a full reflex camera bag there and a lot of things, but the height of a full body does not allow it to be easily accommodated. On the other hand, we will manage to wedge two half-jets there. We then dream of the carrying capacity of an X10 of the brand.
We just regret the central bar that prevents considering the Beverly as a flat floor. But we still manage to fit a big bag in the middle by using the central hook.
On the other hand, the rather large storage compartment which benefits in particular from the USB socket, which is very useful for recharging or simply using a smartphone and the GPS functions..
Conclusion
The Liberty 350 is the ideal displacement in terms of weight, performance and price compromise, especially for a scooter, allowing you to consider driving faster but above all further without fatigue. With Piaggio, we benefit from a quality of finish in the details which enhance a homogeneous and well-designed machine, pleasant in everyday life. The Liberty 350 is the right choice, unsurprisingly, with power and comfort without being afraid of being stolen on a daily basis. And this serenity is also pleasure. .
Strong points
- motor
- discreet
Weak points
- trunk storage
- Intrusive ABS and ASR
The Beverly 350 technical sheet
Test conditions
- Itinerary: small varied roads + interurban highways with a bit of town
- Motorcycle mileage: 300 km
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new versions rub as fast as old ones ???
I’m talking about the XR version.
Hello,
it seemed to us that these new models have a very decent ground clearance. But, in this matter, the management of each one makes this aspect vary greatly. At a brisk pace, a colleague had his footrests rubbed very often in front of me, while another and I had only scratched the asphalt once while following him….
So, I would say that when it rubs, we are far from being in leek mode, except for trajectory strangely.
Great job.
well done.
But I do not regret having ordered and received the "old" model 15 days ago..
Novolaf
Hello,
no, no regrets, the first version was fine. And, if you negotiated it, so you could afford options maybe.
Enjoy the Tiger!
Offered by concession:
Beak of a duck
Heated grips
Hand guards
Central stand
Harness and tank bag
Low gel saddle
CG and registration fees + labor + full.
novolaf