17 September 2008
Harriet Ridley
Harriet Ridley
WHAT costs £829 brand new, will take you across town in no time whether it?s rush hour or not - and costs peanuts to run?
It's Peugeot's answer to the credit crunch. The V-Clic 50, the cheapest small scooter in town with one of the most respected European brand names.
For years now Chinese brands have flooded our markets with cheap runarounds and funny names. Yes, they're a bargain but there's always that element of doubt. If something goes wrong, what kind of comeback do you get?
Many of us choose to stick to brand names we know, stumping up the extra cash for peace of mind.
So it was only a matter of time before one of the big manufacturers took a long hard look at what the Chinese are doing to bring us exactly what we want - a scooter for the masses that lets us bypass overcrowded and overpriced public transport systems, escape the congestion and spoil us for choice when it comes to parking.
And that's with a brand name we trust, which ensures European standards are applied to the manufacturing. To prove the point, the V-Clic proudly displays Peugeot?s lion badge and comes with the manufacturer's two-year warranty.
Make no mistake, the V-Clic is no trendy NRG or Speedfight in styling. It's plain functional, keeping costs low while providing everything we need - a decent fairing, mirrors with a clear rear view, indicators that make a loud clicking noise so you can't forget they're on and a headlamp with strong beam.
Underseat storage is deep enough to accommodate a full-faced helmet and there's a handy, open cubby hole at the front to store things on the go.
Of course, the obligatory hook for handbag, man bag or shopping bag is present, with a flat floor optimising carrying capacity - even Kate Moss would have enough room to store her most oversized of handbags here.
The 50cc four-stroke engine reaches 30mph in restricted form. Unless you have a motorcycle licence or go through the effort of passing your CBT, you can ride a 50cc with L-plates on your car licence as long as it doesn?t exceed 30mph.
But that's all you need through town, with enough poke low-down to whizz past the traffic and through the world's busiest high streets. It's so small it really will squeeze through the narrowest gaps between cars.
It has the typical agility of small-wheeled scooters - U-turns are swift and at a measly 78kg it's so light you can jump off and push the V-Clic, engine off, across a stretch of pavement if necessary.
The V-Clic has a disc front brake and a drum back brake. This makes sense as most of the braking is done with the front brake, as the weight moves over the front end as you decelerate. So it needs the sharpest tool for the job.
Meanwhile the drum back brake applies the right amount of pressure without being strong enough to accidentally lock the rear wheel in wet weather. Working together the brakes are just the job to slow or bring the V-Clic to a rapid stop.
With the rising cost of public transport and the cost of petrol showing no signs of lowering, you can't go wrong with Peugeot's latest £829 proposition.
Tax costs £15 a year, insurance on a cheap 50cc is negligible and with an average of 100mpg, you can wave goodbye to the credit crunch on the V-Clic 50.
FAST FACTS
Peugeot V-Clic 50
Price : £829
Engine : 50cc single cylinder 4-stroke air-cooled 4-valve carburettor
Braking : (F) Single 170mm, (R) drum
Weight : 79kg
Seat height : 715mm
Fuel tank : 6.3 litre
Warranty : 2-year from manufacturer
http://www.ayrshirepost.net/lifestyle/motoring-car-news/2008/09/17/peugeot-scooter-just-right-for-the-city-102545-21844909/
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