Piaggio updated its Medley range with a host of top-shelf tech items and a facelift that mixes new aesthetic features with classic touches to set them apart from the previous generation. LED tech replaces the incandescent lighting with a new digital LCD instrument bundle to handle the pertinent metrics. Perhaps best of all is the new i-Get powerplant that pushes output up to the top of the range for the 150 cc displacement bracket to deliver GT-like performance in an around-town scooter.

2020 Piaggio Medley Design

The engineers put an emphasis on overall sportiness in both looks and performance for this new Medley range. A completely-redesigned front end leads the way with a new 3-D honeycomb grille and classic “tie” vertical element for a combination of the new and the old. Front-wheel spray control falls to the high-mount front fender that leaves an unimpeded view of the front wheel and plenty of room for the fork travel.

Across the board, the Medley family rocks LED turn signals recessed in the front of the legguard, and up top, the handlebar fairing houses an LED headlight to split the night and daytime running light to ensure you remain visible to the traffic in front of you, regardless of the ambient light.

All three models carry a contrasting material at the outboard edge of the legguard for a nice accent, but the top-of-range Medley Special Edition takes it a step further with faux raw carbon-fiber inserts raw carbon-fiber inserts}} for the air of exclusivity that exotic material brings to the table. On the subject of exclusive tidbits, the Special Edition alone has a stylish splash of blue over the turn signals and on both of the blackout rims for another top-shelf accent. To be fair, the mid-grade 150 S model has a gray stripe on the rim, but it's pretty subtle by comparison.

Even the front wheel itself plays into the overall sporty panache. Its 16-inch diameter improves handling to give the Medley family a “big wheel” feel with a six split-spoke design that is both modern and edgy.

In the inner fairing you have a small glove box that comes complete with a USB port so you can charge your mobile device on the go. The Medley S variant rolls with the Piaggio MIA feature as part of the stock equipment package. It networks with your iOS or Android device via the Piaggio App for hands-free phonecalls under way plus a virtual jukebox that you can download from the App Store or Google Play services.

The tunnel in the step-through precludes the 'tween-feet storage area, but there's a cargo hook that'll let you sling a small bag. A heavily sculpted seat carries a strong wane at the front so it won't bite into your thighs, and across the range there are some variances with red stitching on the S model and blue stitching to match the accents on the Special Edition.

There's a wide pillion pad and fold-up footpegs to support your passenger with generous J.C. handles that extend aft to create a small luggage deck for external storage, but the real cargo capacity is hidden from view under the saddle with a compartment that will hold not one but two full-face brainbuckets full-face brainbuckets}}, or an equivalent amount of groceries or sundry items.

To complete our visual tour, the LED taillight is molded into the tip of the tail with a short rear fender that mainly serves to hold the license plate.

2020 Piaggio Medley Chassis

Tubular-steel members make up the single-downtube, cradle-style frame on the Medley. Pressed-steel reinforcements finish the structure and achieve the final rigidity without having to use the body panels as stressed members a la monocoque style.

Vanilla hydraulic forks float the front end on 3.46 inches of travel with an even three inches of travel out back and the only suspension adjustment is the spring-preload collar. The ride is plush enough, however, as long as the road isn't too bumpy.

Piaggio relegated the drum brakes to the history books and chucked on all-around hydraulic discs instead. A 260 mm disc and four-pot caliper slow the front wheel and a 240 mm disc and twin-piston anchor slows the rear with a dual-channel Bosch ABS feature at both ends. Tubeless hoops make the final connection to the tarmac with a 100/80-16 up front opposite a 120/70-14. That 16-inch wheel gives a much better ride.

Seat height rests at 31.45 inches off the deck, and while that's a trifle on the tall side, the narrow seat makes for a fairly straight shot from hip to ground for confidence at stops.

2020 Piaggio Medley Drivetrain

Piaggio powers the Medley line with its new i-Get engine family. The single-cylinder powerplant runs with a four-valve head that's actuated by a single over-head cam that keeps the top end simple and reciprocating mass low.

Liquid-cooling flushes waste heat from the engine, and that comes with the added benefit of a certain amount of sound attenuation due to the engine water jacket. Bore and stroke mike out at 58 mm and 58.7 mm, respectively, for a total displacement of 155 cc with a revised piston design and completely-new head casting that makes this a net-new engine.

There is 2 mm increase in diameter on the throttle body and the airbox was refined to lower resistance in the intake tract, hence improving volumetric efficiency, and by association, power output. This makes the new Medley a bit more snappy than its predecessor. Emissions meet Euro 4 criteria which should make it legal in all parts of the States.

A centrifugal dry clutch couples engine power to the continuously-variable transmission to deliver effortless twist-and-go operation sans shifter action. To minimize emissions and fuel consumption, the i-Get engine comes with a Start & Stop feature that shuts the engine off when idling at a stop. Depending on engine temp, this break can occur between one and five seconds after coming to a stop, and the system automatically lights the fire as soon as you twist the throttle so, theoretically, it should never affect continuous operation.

As for power, the factory claims 16.2 horsepower at 8,750 rpm with 11 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm. The top speed hasn't been published yet at the time of this writing, but if Piaggio keeps to convention, you can probably expect it to be governed at around 75 mph.

2020 Piaggio Medley Pricing

The new Medley line saw daylight for the first time at 2019 EICMA. At the time of this writing the only price info I have is on the base MSRP in Europe, which is stated at €3,599 and the S150 at €3,699.

2020 Piaggio Medley Competitors

The urban style and sporty demeanor of the Medley line left me looking for another compact scoot with mini-max DNA, and my search took me to Honda's lineup and its PCX 150.

Honda PCX150

Honda embraces more of the maxi-scooter design with a flow to the overall design that gives the PCX some fairly graceful lines. Up front, the fairing is stretched a bit to house dual headlights and the front turn signals with a large flyscreen that extends the rider's pocket upwards somewhat. Honda's engineers opted for a taller tunnel that is even more obtrusive than the Medley's step-through hump. The under-seat storage also takes a hit with room for only a single full-face helmet plus a handful of sundry items, but with the helmet removed there's room for a worthwhile grocery run.

The PCX 150 comes with a choice between an ABS and non-ABS model with a hydraulic disc brake up front, but I gotta' gig Honda for stubbornly hanging onto the rear drum brake; there's just no excuse for it on a 21st century machine.

Power figures work out in Piaggio's favor since the 149 cc Honda cranks out around 13 ponies and 10 pounds o' grunt against 16/11 from the Eye-Tie ride. The PCX150 ABS rolls for $3,999, but until we see an actual U.S. price on the Medley ABS, it's hard to say for sure how that falls out.

Read our fullreview of the Honda PCX150.

He Said

“It's a good looking scooter that straddles the border between classic Italian design and the sweepy lines of modern urban machines. The trio of trim packages should have something for everyone, but for me, the storage capacity really sells it. I'm not so sure about the Start & Stop feature though, it sounds like an awful lot of wear on the starter and battery if you ask me.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “I find the Medley to be a very utility scooter. The storage space is ample. The ride is adequate, not thrilling or boring, just good ol' transportation, and it's priced to sell. Even though the fuel tank is small, range is almost 200 miles, so for a lot of folks in the city or suburbs, that would be a week of commuting.”

2020 Piaggio Medley Specifications

Further Reading

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