If you consider getting a Medley 125cc, then do it! I had mine(the 2018 model) for a year now and bought it 2nd hand with 38k miles on board. I'm on 43k miles now and the bike has never let me down.
I have the Piaggio Liberty 150 S here in the US, and I'm dismayed that your Medley has dual ABS, better gauges, larger disc brakes, and is just overall a more premium machine. The Liberty is a fine scooter, and I know your 125cc cost even a bit more than my 150, but darn it, I would love those extras. Thanks for a good and very informative conversation during your ride !
Intending to ride with a pillion passenger my priority was to find the most powerful small scooter which turned out to be the Medley and I bought a euro4 version . The fact it has storage for two helmets under the seat confirms it is a highly practical choice but what surprises me is just how much fun it is. I keep finding reasons to pop out. Way better than I expected. I think it's a pity that they don't distribute the 150 version that's available in Europe and weighs the same .........
Enjoyed the ride. Nice review. Today I swapped my blue 2016 Medley 125 with a 2021 Medley 125 S black matt. I also like the center of gravity on this bike, takes a while to tip aside on a full stop, very stable indeed. Five years with 24000 km without an issue, just regular service. Luv the Medley line in the city.
Nov’21, just bought a new Medley at the newly discounted price of £3400 after watching your video. No chance of a demo ride as these scooters are as rare as hens teeth at this time of the year. Just for leisure rides in my retirement but we’ll pleased so far. Engine power, under seat storage and price the main considerations for me. Glad I found your RU-vid channel👍👍
I bought my Medley 125 S last October. £3,474 with top box. Very pleased. Surprised at no kick starter. Had the same concern when I bought my first car with no starting handle. Medley apparently doesn't have a starter motor. Cannot find any info on what starts the engine. Maybe someone can enlighten me.
Great review as always. This was my second choice before I bought the SH125i. I think the Medley is very Similar to the SHi version. I think it's actually slightly nicer looking than the SH and the fact the headlight turns with the steering is an advantage, the Medley also has more under seat storage, medley has slightly nicer display (no temp on Honda). Also it's the same engine as the Vespa GT. Why I chose the SHi over the Medley. Top box included, start stop has no delay at all, there is a small delay on the Medley. 16 inch back wheel on the Honda. The SHi has a completely flat floor, I can not say the tons of times I've put shopping on the floor between my legs. Last but not least miles per gallon, my SH125i has done 120 miles to a gallon often and I fill up at 190 to 200 miles, I mostly fill up at 195 miles, but the tank holds more than the 7 litres it says in the spec, more like 7.65 litres. I've just done a little over 11000 miles on mine, as I use it for just eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats. Top speed I've had is 74 mph without the screen, 68 to 70 with the screen. My 10.7 hp Vespa 65 mph and acceleration up to 40 to match the Honda and of course the Vespa is in my opinion a nicer looking scooter. I didn't mention the amazing dual channel abs brakes and traction control, as I'm pretty sure the Medley is comparable here, not sure about the keyless ignition which for me is awesome! I have the large screen, which can be a problem in rain when it's dark. Heated grips and the Vespa hand muffs. Considering cutting the screen down by an inch maybe? As it does give amazing weather protection.
@@clangerbasher I'm doing just eat and Deliveroo on it and believe it to be the best platform. The flat floor is perfect for a large shopping bag. The 16 inch wheels reduce the size of pot holes and the abs front and back is reassuring. Traction control is a plus and the keyless ignition is a God send as I don't have to take the key out of my pocket. I often get 200 miles out of a tank which is useful. If I was choosing a scooter for looks, I would have bought the N Max. I do a lot of riding and considered the X Max too big. Having used a Vespa for 2 years delivering, I really wanted 16 inch wheels, it was my #1 priority. Just approaching 17000 miles and had it just under 11 months. Edit: the cb125f has no abs and rear drum brake! Front abs will save you!!! If you want to spend less, consider the Liberty 125 as it has front abs. Make abs a priority, it's a shame it has rear drum brake but it is a light scooter.
@@1960ARC I am only looking at Honda because they are the nearest dealer to me other than Kawasaki who don't do anything I want. That's some mileage. I just never looked at the SHi. I can't get over how much experience you have built up! Thanks for replying.
@@clangerbasher people tell you to test ride the bike, I didn't really like my SH when I first got it as I bought it unseen and just on spec. I love it now, it's a work horse! If I was younger and buying a bike as my fun and commuter I think I would get a Grom. Good luck and ride safe.
@@1960ARC I have been on the fence over riding for over 25 years. It isn't a middle age crisis. And It is not petrol prices. I just don't like driving. I just don't need two tons of metal costing a small fortune. This Piaggio ticks a lot of boxes. It has better storage than the Honda or Yamaha. It seems to be dynamically as good as them if not better. And it is a bit different. The only problem is the nearest dealer is in Preston and I am in rural Staffordshire. Then again for a purchase of this size I wouldn't mind travelling. Do you have your full licence?
Have to update and say this machine is sublime! as now a extremely contented owner i could not possibly agree with this review more... spot on.. Thats all.. regards and i think piaggio owes you 50% at least for that.. 👌.
SR GT came after this and Piaggio for some weird reason opted not to install ASR and back ABS to it. If only Medley came with a bigger engine, bigger fuel tank and slightly better looks. Great bike nonetheless. You should also review its big brother, Beverley 400. Also an amazing bike and direct competitor to Burgman 400.
I'm the owner of a 2020 Beverly 350, I love it but I also hate it because it overheats and especially in Summer in the traffic jam the cooling fan is often ON and it's bloody noisy. Another thing I hate is the engine brake and the stuttering so the riding is not comfortable. The engine also fires together with stuttering when it becomes hot so that is another negative point. I'm going to swap it with the Medley 150 S, we are talking of 136Kgs VS 196Kgs wet for the Beverly!!!
I've seriously been waiting like a patient dog for this after the first segment a few days bk 2days away from the purchase.. regards sent.. great review and thankyou👍
Thanks very much for the honest review. I also was looking at the Sym 200 and the Kymco 150 and I realised that they cost ~$1,000 less (in Australia) but for a reason. The Kymco has a very good appeal because it already has the top box and the windscreen so if I want to buy the windscreen for the Medley, that will be a real expensive pain because there is NONE in Australia and delivery from Europe is around $100!!!
I was torn between the nmax and the Aprilia srgt but gone for this Medley as it has the same motor as the Aprilia and your review helped me make up my mind and having owned it for a month now I love it. Thanks for your great reviews 👍
@@BikeMatters Αmazing !!!! the only thing I would envy from the new 2021 model, is the wide rear tire, something that since I was told by the company here I can not adjust !! Thanks bro.....
How does the engine noise and vibration compare with other competitors? Do you have the option of a windshield, and mounting a big storage box at the back? Also, it would be good if you point your camera down lower so that the front part of the scooter is visible when you are riding it. With the camera angle in this video all we can see is the road and trees.
Looks like really nice tread on those wheels. You're wearing my Oxford jacket!! Windscreen available? Back rest? Rear trunk? If they'd put a 16" wheel in the back of would handle bumps better. If they'd go with 17" wheels they'd have more tire choices.
The only problem with that is it reduces underseat storage when having a 16” rear wheel. It’s the only reason I don’t buy an SH and find myself here watching this as an option. I have a Vision 110 with a 16/14 wheel setup but it’s single rear suspension and not much poke. This might fit the bill for me given the extra power and larger tyre size. All good debate for the scooter community 👍
Just found this interesting review as I have looking at reviews on all types of scooters including the maxis. This does look nicer than the sh but I can’t quite get my head around the price compared to either the nmax or pcx.
It's more powerful, has dual ABS (so upgrade compared to PCX), and loads of storage. I rate the Medley from my time on it, shame it isn't closer in price to the Nmax and PCX, but it is no doubt a great scooter
The sh125i is now £3900. Where as the medley is £3500 the medley s is £3600. The price change has been made due to the aprilia sr gt 125 being £3700, the sport £3800. Being as the aprilia sr gt has the same motor as the medley. And aprilia is owned by piaggio group.
After your CBT test on a manual bike does that allow you the freedom of riding both manual bikes and automatic scooters on an A1 licence if you pass that too? if you do decide to upgrade? I would love to switch between both. I would love to practice on that medley looks fun.
Cbt you can ride geared or automatic. But if you do your full bike licence on a scooter then your restricted to an automatic licence. If you do it on a geared bike. Then you can ride any geared bike or scooter
Not into that stop start system most wear on an engine is on start up & don’t see the point as a fuel consumption on a 125 cc is negligible .The last thing you need riding two wheels is music in your ear, the rider should be using all their senses including hearing to concentrate on the road conditions .I feel they are tailoring these scooters to attract cage drivers with all these gimmicks ..I reckon the air cooled Liberty is better value as they both going to be used for the same purpose & no body with any mechanical empathy rides a 125 scooter flat out at top speed for more than the odd mile & the Liberty also has a proper flat foot board to carry more stuff & actually looks more stylish .
Thanks for your comment. Liberty review coming in a few weeks - I was lucky enough to test both. Though very similar, there are going to be two different audiences for these thanks to price and spec, the more entry-level Liberty and the premium Medley. When it comes to the looks of the scooters, it is the Medley all the way for me personally.
@@hydraodisy3758 Both nice little scooters but it would come down to use .If it was mainly town & local I would choose either ,but if I travelled further afield the PCX would be more suitable for stretched out comfort for town & country use on longer trips .
@@hydraodisy3758 I am a biker but also bought a Malaguti 125 cc Madison maxi styled scooter brand new in 2000 for running around on .It had a Yam/ Miraneli 4 stroke 2 valve single 12 •2 Hp engine .13 inch low profile cast wheels plus discs front & back .The under seat compartment held a full face helmet & an open face .The scooter was fully faired did 70 mph on the flat & once seen 80 mph on clock on slight incline on motorway .It was fuelled by carburettor & handled like a Ducati on corners .It would also build up to the same top speeds two up .The only thing these latest scooters do better is burn a bit less fuel & maybe pull away from the lights a bit quicker .at the expense of top end power .For general everyday A to B practicable transport through town & suburban areas at affordable cost they can’t be beaten .The larger maxi 125 ‘s will even cope with long rides ,people have toured Europe & the Alps on them .
In todays world. Stop start technology doesn't harm the engine. It would of back in the 90s but with how the coating is inside the barrel it won't harm it. Plus fuel injection helps. Stop start is very problematic on carburettors.
@@JDMz It’s just more expensive unnecessary electronic gubbins to go maintain & go wrong . The amount of fuel saved is only negligible & the stop start systems cause a lag in pulling away at the all important ,city traffic light Grand Prix . You have obviously been all taken in by the all the hype about stop & go . The cylinder barrels are not coated for that reason ,they had them decades before stop & go on some small capacity scooters . They are to increase bore life ,as the small bore coated cylinder blocks are meant to be replaced & not rebored when worn . The rest of the engine such as the crank & other moving parts are not coated ,& are having to take more start up wear & stress for no good reason . The amount of pollution from a gaggle of small 4 stroke scooters ,is neither here or there ,in the great scheme of things ,certainly not worth the gimmicky of stop & start & fuel injection & such like tech gubbins malarkey .
Piaggio itself doesn't seem to make a big deal about it. It's only barely mentioned on the website and the reseller didn't even tell me about it when I bought it (which means I had to set it myself).
Despite claims that the Medley can achieve 70 mph due to its 14.7 hp it actually won't, and that's because the Medley has an ignition/rpm cut out at an indicated 111kph. This translates to an actual (GPS) 102-103 kph which is equivalent to 63 mph. So while it accelerates better than the PCX or SH125 it will still not have a top speed higher than the Hondas and will not get anywhere near 70 mph GPS. If you look at every single user RU-vid video none of the Medleys exceed around 63/64 mph.
Update: The Medley has had a price drop and is now available at some retailers for at least £500 cheaper than the Honda SH125. It has better comfort than the Honda and massively more under seat storage. If it wasn't for the 111kph indicated rev limiter it would be king of the large wheeled 125cc scooters.
All three are great options and excel slightly in different aspects, very tough to have a clear winner, as they will all suit different people. The Engine and braking on the Medley are fantastic. The PCX is very economical, cheapest out of the three, and performs very well. The Nmax is like the all-arounder with arguably the best looks. I would probably lean more this way myself - but I loved my time on all three.
Worth considering is the valve clearance check. 4000 miles on the new Honda. 12000 on the Medley. Not sure on the Yam. Thinks it's 4k.Old Pcx 2500 miles. Real pita to do. Adds to cost of servicing. Local to me guy. I know all the roads you travel on. Keep up the good work
Hi There, I owned 2021 medley, I am satisfied with the performance of the bike, but the sound is horrible to my ears and others. Can you please let me know is it default?.Thanks in advance.
I have both the Liberty and the Medley. Not exactly for the same use. The Liberty is perfect for within the city and given you are alone most of the time. When you have to go over 60 km/h or with a passenger, it will do the job but you won't be at ease. The Medley shines between 50 and 90 km/h and even with a passenger.
But the SH125i has traction control. I really considered this bike but ordered the SH125i. The engine is very good on the Medley, but fuel economy is better on the Honda. Lumps and bumps are a fact of life for town riding. Also 16 inch wheels front and back on the Honda. I do think the Medley is the nicer looking of the two scooters.
I've had 71 out of my new 2021 Medley S. But at 71 mph the engine seemed to miss every few seconds. Hopefully not a fault although I doubt if I will ever do that speed on it again.
In my opinion the Honda SH 125i is the better choice. More equipped, same engine size and performance, has the smart key, more reliable and 16 inch wheels. The Sh 125 about £300 cheaper.
I disagree.. the Sh has a smaller boot and not as comfortable.. also everyone including there dog has an sh... And I'd also say the medley is more stable at higher speed (longer wheel base and fuel tank is located right at the bottom for low center of gravity i.e more stable).. and the rear wheel only is bigger on the sh which also makes it slower when accelerating. And the medley looks better. The Sh is more equip with what? just curious
Typical cost for a premium 125cc scooter nowadays, very comparable to others at this spec level from a big manufacturer. We have a video coming out on the Liberty in a few week's time which is the air-cooled sibling of the Medley and about £1100 cheaper.
You can get deals on these brand new for £3300. Considering the spec, only the Yamaha NMax, Honda SH125 and Kymco X-Town strike me as alternatives. £3300, £3400, £3700 respectively.