Aprilia Sportcity 300 Road Test
Precise and elegant I fädle me with my Honda Lead 100 by jamming hot plate sausage on Viennas Gürtel. At the end we are all together on the green start: 1.07 people per car and me. After my past sneaking may not open questions remain, and it is here opens up a gap between desire and reality. My old lead - in terms of performance at the level tuned 2-stroke mopeds - is a convenient city unit with no extras. In the time that accelerates a motorcycle at 200 I approach with the 50km / h mark. Decision: A new scooter must be found.
As compact, Lightweight And Strong
I want a small, powerful scooter - one that looks just like a scooter, with no footboard 1100s, no greasy 200 kilos rocking chair - and there is the 300-class something like the sound barrier. Just as the Vespa GTS 300, an eternal classic, beautiful, no question, maybe a little wide around the hips, not sure cheap to have. Or the Honda SH300i, slim, with 27PS somewhat stronger than the Vespa motor-top safe, something honest look, the same holds true for the Kymco People GTI 300th The Piaggio Beverly 350 plays, however as far as the horse in a different league, but he is a relatively thick Bröckerl. Then the next step is the same in Beverly 500, then Duke and Super Duke, or even an Pangiale, then a 6-cylinder Bosshoss or a trike with a turbocharged engine, where will it end?
Hence my choice falls on the 300th Aprilia Sportcity Identical to the Derbi Rambla 300, it has the familiar parent company Piaggio engine 278ccm me 22hp and 23Nm of torque. She seems slimmer and more compact than the Honda SH300 comes optically much younger and more dynamic around the corner and has a flat footboard (for backpack, shopping, etc.). If not for the 130 15-inch rear tires, they would pass as optically smooth 50s moped.
"... with the sinking sun rises through the shaded Triestingtal my pace ... "
"When Ginzinger in St. Pölten, you can pick up the tester, everything is prepared." So I go on a mission in the capital to head back to Wiener Neustadt to use for running. St. Pölten pushes me Walter Prohaska the key in your hand. I start the engine, the engine is pleasantly quiet, on the way to the first gas station all still feels a little rough - so I know it well from our mountain bikes. But already in the first meters is clear: the Aprilia is a wolf in sheeps clothing.
The autumn evenings are cold and my pace with the sinking sun rises through the shaded Triestingtal - and with increasing number of miles the shocks gradually begin to work on the way they should. Torture without the engine too much, the speedometer needle climbs quickly and easily over the 110km / h mark. The handling is no comparison to the old Honda Lead. Despite auffrisierter Moped look the Aprilia is significantly more mature than the small-wheeled counterparts.
Optics
The Street Sport City 300 is a special version of the 300 Cube. The biggest difference is the markedly sporty sticker, two-tone seats and a minimalist tischeres cockpit with analog speedometer and a large multi-function display. The front headlight is split in two with separate lights for high and low beam. Double tail lights and turn signals do their work behind white glass. The compartment under the seat extends, open face and small purchases - the front of the driver compartment for wallet, sunglasses and a few paper clips.
Specifications
- Engine : Liquid-cooled, 1-cylinder 4-stroke engine with electronic fuel injection
- Displacement : 278.3 cc
- Power : 16.5 kW (22.5 hp)
- Seat height : 775 mm
- Continuously variable automatic transmission
- Front brake : 2 discs, 260 mm
- Rear disc brake : Ø 220 mm
- Tires Front : 120/70-15 ", Rear: 130/80-15"
Conclusion
In the city, the Sports City is a weapon. A twist of the throttle and the machine spurts relaxed and in a matter of seconds from 0 to 50 - everything you any more questions. Even at the end of the local Sports City draws with decent forward thrust. The curvaceous lines around the 1000hp headquarters I can not help but the odd grin. The Sports City thanks to dual disc front brakes really bite, directs a beautiful, precise moves around through tight turns at the apex with a twist of the throttle nice to come out of the turn. Would not sit upright, Id almost forgotten to sit on a scooter. Only in fast, long corners and on bad asphalt gives the relatively hard suspension, especially the forks do not always produce the desired feedback.
Apart from the Sports City to me is a great all-round motorcycle. Perfect and comfortable in the city and strong enough to once every few months to have fun on winding country roads.
