Scooter Review Manhattan 150L Commuting in the city doesn't have to be a bumpy ride. Sure and stable, Zip and zoom. Summer Sale $2295 + ORC
Words by PETE CALLAGHAN, photography by LOU MARTIN Big-wheel scooters make sense in a metropolis, where the road rarely rises to meet your wheels. More often than not, it falls away into a bloody great pothole, or ripples along in corrugations that would do an outback track proud. And don't even get me started on the steel plates that seem to have sprung up around Sydney lately...
Perfect illustration is the Manhattan 150L.
I jumped on this black beast after spending much of the day on Manhattan's little 50, the Gondola, and the difference in comfort, composure and confidence that the 150's 16-inch wheels gave was quite amazing. It just rolled along, up, down and over bumps with little complaint. Stability was very good and there was no lack of steering precision either, despite the bigger hoops. This is an important issue for those new to scootering, or perhaps stepping up to a bigger scoot after serving their apprenticeship on a lively 50.
Just as pleasing was the air-cooled 150cc four-stroke engine's performance, which was more than enough to have us away and ahead of the traffic at every change of lights. Smooth and relatively quiet, if a little busy at higher revs, the 150 has enough poke that you don't need to consider major arterials, highways and freeways as no-go zones a definite plus if your home is out in the suburbs and work is in the CBD.
A single disc at each end gives the 150L more than adequate stopping power, with a nice smooth lever action at the bars. For really hard stops, the braking power is more gentle and progressive than instant, but thatís probably a good thing as youre less likely to lock the brakes in one of those panic stops in the wet.
Telescopic forks up front and dual spring-dampers out the back complement the ride quality of the big wheels, making the 150L quite pleasant to punt around on. It's on the soft side but that shouldn't be too much of a problem for lighter riders.
Unlike the Gondola, which had a few quality niggles, the 150L was a more substantial and robust beast. Panel fit was good, there were no shakes or rattles, no strange noises, and the overall build quality was of an impressively decent standard. It may only be $2995+orc,(summer special $2295 + orc, see www.manhattanscooters.com.au) but you still expect a certain level of quality, and the 150L doesn't disappoint.
One thing that did disappoint, though, was the seat. It's spacious enough for two, but the bloody thing feels like it's been carved from stone. Before I first jumped on the 150, I gave the seat a prod with my finger, as you do. It felt quite plush, but my butt told a very different story when I climbed aboard. It really is rock-hard and became uncomfortable after about half an hour.
Another minor gripe concerned the mirrors, which vibrate a bit and get blurry at higher speeds. They're also prone to unscrewing themselves something to watch out for.
In most other respects, though, the 150L is a good thing. The instruments are easy to read, the controls have a nice feel, you can get a full-face helmet under the seat and there's a sturdy-looking rack out back for extra gear. Manhattan is also chucking in a topbox and alarm with every 150L sold.
As I said at the start, big-wheel scooters make a lot of sense in our cities. When they're built well, go nicely and are priced at less than $3000, they make even more sense. To see the video announcing the $2295 Summer Special from Manhattan Scooters CLICK HERE As published in TW SCOOTER MAGAZINE - 4/02/2009
Subscribe to Two Wheels Scooter magazine now! |