Test: Aprilia Atlantic, Honda SH, Piaggio Beverly v X7 Evo, Yamaha X-Max

text: Matevž Hribar, photo: Matevž Hribar, Grega Gulin

We were unable to collect more than five of them, although you probably understand that the offer of scooters from Aprilia, Honda, Piaggio and Yamaha does not end there. We are very sorry that we were not able to include at least two other Korean manufacturers, Kymca Syma, but Slovenian representatives of these two brands may think that potential buyers do not need our opinion ... This is correct, because it is difficult to collect five responsible drivers for the category A exam.

As our test park, we were also drivers of various sizes and looks: Greek slightly shorter stature (but wide heart), drives an old 250cc Burgman during the week and a Cagivo Raptor 650 during the weekend, Matyazh when not over one of the test scooters, it is transported in a Piaggia X9 and a Honda CBF 1000, 100kg Tomaz with the KTM EXC 450 and Cagiva Elefant 900 it is more off-road oriented, as for the permanent members of the Autoshop team, Petra and my baby. Why such an acquaintance? To make it easier for you to explain the results and opinions of individual drivers.

We drove from the center along the old road to Škofja Loka, and then along the Grastnica valley to Polchow Hradec and ended with the Shus motorway from Brezovica to the center of Ljubljana. So, we tested everything: city, winding roads, rubble and highways. And?

Aprilia Atlantic 300: elegant Italian offering maximum comfort

Aprilia Atlantic it is an elegant Italian and a real small luxury cruiser. The driving position is half-turn, that is, the legs are in front, and the steering wheel is quite close to the driver. In terms of comfort, he is no doubt at the top of the top five, but in some areas he is already showing signs of age-related dementia. The all-analogue (with the exception of the digital clock from the cheapest shelf in Tarvisio) dashboard with a daily odometer that we have to manually rewind to “reset” was already ready for an update a year earlier. We were also concerned about placing the contact lock too close to the handlebar (uncomfortable lock) for shade too weak brakes (hey, that matters 130 mph!) and some superficial details. Are the Chinese also starting to produce plastic parts of the Atlantic?

Test car price: € 3.990.

Engine: single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, 278,3 cm3, 4 valves, electronic fuel injection.

Maximum power: 16,4 kW (22,4 hp) at 7.500 rpm.

Maximum torque: 23,8 Nm @ 5.750 rpm.

Transmission: automatic, variomat.

Frame: steel tubular, double clutch.

Brakes: front disc Ø 240 mm, three-stroke brake caliper,

rear disc Ø 190 mm.

Suspension: Front Ø 35mm telescopic fork, 105mm travel, rear dual shock absorbers, 5-stage preload adjustment, 90mm travel.

Gume: 110/90-13, 130/70-13.

Seat height from the ground: for example,

Fuel tank: 9,5 l.

Wheelbase: 1.480 mm.

Weight: 170 kg.

Representative: Avto Triglav, Dunajska 122, Ljubljana, 01/588 45 50.

We praise: price, seat, comfort, handles for the passenger, reliable wind protection

We scold: outdated dashboard, lock too close to the steering wheel (lock!), less precise handling, weak brakes

Honda SH 300: strong and fast Japanese

We found similar "errors" in Honda SH 300i... The plastic parts are better quality and less shear, but Honda obviously has trouble hiding the screw heads. In general, on this maxi scooter, we concluded that the Japanese can be with it more than on a European scale in the Asian market, where dad, mom, two children and five more chickens in the trunk ride on such and such bikes. This is also a driver's impression: the scooter is made durable, picks up road bumps well and, above all, pulls very well. He is the only one of the five who excelled in the field of drive - positively! Honda's biggest weakness: small trunk under a seat that won't swallow a single jet helmet, and an even smaller box in front of the driver's knees. It's good that the representative of Slovenia basically "donates" the suitcase. Why in quotes? Because SH is the most expensive, which can partly be justified by the anti-lock braking system ABS. Yes, when it comes to safety, Honda always has the upper hand.

Test car price: € 5.190 (with ABS).

Engine: single-cylinder, four-stroke, 279,1 cm3, liquid-cooled, 4 valves, electronic fuel injection.

Maximum power: 20 kW (27,2 hp) at 8.500 rpm.

Maximum torque: 26,5 Nm @ 6.000 rpm.

Power train: centrifugal clutch, variomat.

Frame: steel tubular.

Brakes: front disc Ø 256 mm, three-stroke brake caliper, rear disc Ø 256 mm, single-piston brake caliper.

Suspension: Front Ø 35mm telescopic fork, 102mm travel, rear swingarm, dual shock absorbers, 95mm travel.

Gume: 110/70-16, 130/70-16

Seat height from the ground: 785 mm.

Fuel tank: 9 l.

Wheelbase: 1.422 mm.

Weight: 167 kg.

Carrying capacity: 180 kg.

Representative: Motocentr AS Domžale, Blatnica 3a, Trzin, 01/562 33 33.

We praise: engine power, fuel consumption, flat bottom, sense of reliability, driving performance, brakes

We scold: price, small trunk, small box under the steering wheel, wind protection

Piaggio Beverly: a sophisticated Italian make-up artist

Completely renovated this year Beverly stayed good where it used to stand out (design, driving performance), and excel where the previous model was clearly unsuccessful: space in the trunk under the seat... Since the new model has a 14-inch wheel in the back and the rear is slightly wider now, you can put it there. two (smaller) integral helmets!! The driving position is very different from that of the Yamaha and Aprilia: he sits upright with his legs roughly at right angles. So if you enjoy getting stuck on a scooter, Beverly and SH are not for you.

Test car price: € 4.495.

Engine: single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, 278 cm3, 4 valves, electronic fuel injection.

Maximum power: 16,5 kW (22,5 hp) at 7.250 rpm.

Maximum torque: 23 Nm @ 5,750 rpm.

Power train: centrifugal clutch, variomat.

Frame: tubular steel, double cage.

Brakes: front disc Ø 310 mm, two-piston caliper, rear disc Ø 240 mm, two-piston caliper.

Suspension: Front Ø 35mm telescopic fork, 90mm travel, rear dual shock absorbers, 4-stage preload adjustment, 81mm travel.

Gume: 110/70-16, 140/70-14.

Seat height from the ground: 790 mm.

Fuel tank: 12,5 l.

Wheelbase: 1.535 mm.

Weight: 162 kg.

Representative: PVG, Vangalenska cesta 14, 6000 Koper, 05/629 01 50.

We praise: design, driving performance, roomy trunk, box in front of the driver, equipment, production

We scold: less legroom, hidden pin lock

Piaggio X7 Evo 300: a slow goodbye

His brother X7 Here he, in turn, disappointed us all. He is not weak and barely reaches Beverly's waist. It works worse both in corners and at higher speeds, has less powerful brakes and consists of lower quality materials. Its advantages are wind protection, good maneuverability in the city and enough space under the seat, while in other areas competition has proven the same (for example, in a drivetrain that is the same as that of both relatives of the Piaggio group) or better. Well this is it price almost a thousandth lower than the most expensive Honda.

Test car price: € 4.209.

Engine: single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, 278,3 cm3, 4 valves, electronic fuel injection.

Maximum power: 16,4 kW (22,4 hp) at 7.500 rpm.

Maximum torque: 23,8 Nm @ 5.750 rpm.

Power train: centrifugal clutch, variomat.

Frame: tubular steel, double cage.

Brakes: front disc Ø 260 mm, rear disc Ø 240 mm.

Suspension: Ø 35mm telescopic front fork, dual rear shock absorbers, 4-stage preload adjustment, 90mm travel.

Gume: 120/70-14, 140/60-13.

Seat height from ground:

Fuel tank: 12 l.

Wheelbase: 1.480 mm.

Weight: 161 kg.

Representative: PVG, Vangalenska cesta 14, 6000 Koper, 05/629 01 50.

We praise: body and head wind protection, rich dashboard, fresh design

We scold: poorer ride quality, lower quality of plastic and workmanship, high leg position, no daily mileage counter, no side stand, weaker brakes, hidden contact blocking

Yamaha X-Max 250: sport and usability

And how did another non-European representative, who, after careful examination of the technical data, turned out to be only 25 cubic centimeters (not 50) less than the others? Surprisingly good! Less determination is only felt in starting from the city up to a speed of 30 kilometers per hour, after which at full throttle it may well compete with competitors for "300 cubic meters". Yamaha did her best on winding roads around Polchow Hradec: it perfectly fits into turns and remains stable up to a maximum speed of about 130 kilometers per hour. If you like it, if you are not going to ride in pairs (then the lack of power is a little more noticeable compared to others) and if you like to sit behind the wheel with your legs stretched far forward, then the Yamaha may be the first choice. Purchase of the version with ABS is possible!

Test car price: € 4.490.

Engine: single-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, volume 249,78 cm3, electronic fuel injection.

Maximum power: 15 kW (20,4) @ 7.500 rpm.

Maximum torque: 21 Nm @ 6.000 rpm.

Power train: centrifugal clutch, variomat.

Frame: steel tubular.

Brakes: front disc Ø 267 mm, rear disc Ø 240 mm.

Suspension: Front telescopic fork, 110mm travel, rear two shock absorbers, 95mm travel.

Gume: 120/70-15, 140/70-14.

Seat height from the ground: 792 mm.

Fuel tank: 11,8 l.

Wheelbase: 1.545 mm.

Weight: 180 kg.

Representative: Delta Team, Cesta krških žrtev 135a, Krško, 07/492 14 44.

We praise: driving performance, sporty design, comfort, large seat, quality workmanship, boot space, high performance with less volume

We scold:  lazy start, some people don't like the ergonomics of the seats

In the end, it became clear to us that we simply would not be able to determine the absolute winner from the first time. Two of us ordered goulash with gnocchi, one with breaded cheese, the other with turkey in natural sauce, and the fifth was fed a homemade feast by his wife and he skipped the group meal. And just as our gourmet requirements are different, we perceive the mode of transport from point A to B differently. And a good mileage, well - a trip.

Fuel consumption

There were no drastic differences in fuel consumption in the test, with the Honda being the most economical and the trio from the Piaggio Group the most thirsty.

SH300i: 3,3 l / 100 km

X-Max: 3,6 l / 100 km

Atlantic Ocean: 3,8 l / 100 km

X7 Evo: 3,8 l / 100 km

Beverly: 3,9 L / 100 km

Test group members' opinions:

Tomaz Pogacar

I used to have a 50cc scooter. At 186 inches, I felt best on a Beverly and not much worse on a Honda. Worst of all, I sat in the Atlantic (low seat, legs outstretched) and the X7 and X-Max are somewhere in the middle. In appearance, the Italians, in my opinion, were far superior to the Japanese. In front were Beverly (for me the most beautiful) and Aprilia. The X7 and Yamaha go together, only the X7 wants to say that it is a daily workman, while the Yamaha Xmax has darker makeup. The name reminds me of Christmas (Christmas!), But it looks like a hearse ... Honda is designed only functionally and does not fall into this category of beauty. I would classify them as follows: Beverly, Yamaha, Honda, X7 and Aprilia.

Grega Gulin

Aprilia is beautiful and travel friendly, she probably works even better with 500 "dice". Comfortable and very manageable Yamaha is my favorite as everything is definitely the way it should be. Honda has disappointed me with its brand, as it has poor wind protection and minimal luggage space. The Beverly is the best city scooter and is also beautiful, and the X7's indifferent brother wants to be both a traveler and a city scooter at the same time, but he does not do it in the best way. From first to last, I would rank them as follows: X-Max, Atlantic, Beverly, X7 and SH300i..

Petr Kavchich

Yamaha really impressed me, although it is the least promising in terms of engine displacement, it easily competes with others, and above all, it rides very well and has the same height as my height of 180 cm.It is followed by Aprilia, which is also the best choice if price is critical. For this money, at least for me, he offers the most. Of the two Piaggis, the Beverly is much better and occupies high places, while the X7 deliberately eats away at the ravages of time, especially I could not come to terms with the awkward driving position. Honda impressed me with its powerful engine and driveability, and the salty price tag is a little harder to swallow. From first to fifth, I would place it like this: Yamaha X-max, Aprilia Atlantic, Piagio Beverly, Honda SH300i and Piaggio X7.

Matyaj Tomajic

A scooter with an engine of approximately 300 cc is enough to keep the motorcycle in the garage many times. We tested most of the offer in the test, and ranking based only on numbers and facts is not easy. It sounds trite, but with daily use, the scooter becomes your friend, colleague, your second self. Therefore, the choice, if you know yourself well, should not be too difficult. To make things easy: Honda is the most powerful, Yamaha is the best to drive, Aprilia is the most comfortable, X7 is the easiest, and Beverly is the makeup artist. And it is the latter that is just below the top in all these areas, so in general I put it at the beginning of this column. It is followed by Aprilia, Honda, Yamaha, and a few meters behind them - Piaggio X7. Why? There are arguments in favor of a long discussion.

Final decision:

1.sad: Piaggio Beverly 300

2. Place: Yamaha X-Max 250

3.sad: Aprilia Atlantic 300

4th city: Honda SH 300

5. sad: Piaggio X7 Evo