Scooter News New Piaggio Carnaby / Liberty As the weather gets hotter so will the number of scooter releases in Europe. Here are just couple of cracking examples from Piaggio.
Piaggio Press
(Overseas Only Models)
Piaggio Carnaby Cruiser 300 i.e.
The Carnaby, the elegant, sporty, functional and safe large wheel scooter from Piaggio, is now more powerful than ever. Piaggio proudly announces  the arrival of the Carnaby Cruiser, equipped with a new 300 cc fuel injected engine, the most powerful in the Carnaby family. Restyled with a more ‘motorcycle’ look and packed with chrome finished details, the new Carnaby Cruiser 300 i.e. combines pace-setting performance, comparable to that of superior category scooters, with compact dimensions for superior agility and handling.
Styling
With its unique styling and elegant details, the Carnaby Cruiser 300 i.e. combines the richness of genuine Cruiser equipment with the practicality of a flat platform design.
The new Carnaby Cruiser is distinguished by its motorcycle-derived, chrome plated central headlight. Mounted on chrome handlebars with, the headlight dominates the front view of the scooter.
The riding position is worthy of a prestige cruiser, with motorcycle-style switchgear, a dashboard with two round, chrome plated instruments, clearly visible function indicators, chrome plated rear view mirrors and flagship finish.
The leg shield features a large and imposing grille, with richly finished details in a car-style front, and two practical storage compartments in the back.
The sides are sleek and sporty, and incorporate fold-away passenger footrests. Towards the rear they blend into a streamlined tail dominated by a compact light cluster and painted luggage rack that also acts as a robust passenger grab handle.
 The seat is designed for maximum comfort, and affords riders of all statures a firm foothold on the ground thanks to intelligent ergonomics and a slender shape that offers plenty of rider leg room. On the Carnaby Cruiser, practicality goes hand in hand with great looks: quality materials and an accurate finish, like double stitched seams, ensure the durability of the seat and underline the model’s elegance and build quality.
Generous Power
The Carnaby Cruiser is equipped with the latest 300 cc fuel injected Quasar engine. The displacement of this liquid cooled, electronically fuel injected, four valve single cylinder unit has been expanded to 278 cc by increasing both bore (now 75 mm) and stroke (63 mm).
Compared to the 250 version, the new 300 engine delivers higher maximum torque (23 Nm compared to 21) at an even lower engine speed (6,000 rpm instead of 6,750). Also maximum power is now available at lower revs (7,250 rpm instead of 8,000 rpm). On the road, these figures make themselves felt in terms of greater flexibility and superb acceleration from low speed. The Carnaby Cruiser 300 i.e. is therefore perfect for use around town, where it knows no rivals in terms of acceleration and agility, and perfect too for out of town touring, when it boasts the performance and autonomy of a genuine cruiser: more than 330 km on a full tank.
A Chassis Conceived For Agility
The high strength steel tube frame is damped at the front by a conventional fork with generous 35 mm stanchions, and at the rear by a pair of double acting shock absorbers and coil springs with 4 preload settings. Thanks to this robust structure, large diameter 16” wheels and generous tyres (110/70 at the front and 130/70 at the rear), the Carnaby Cruiser 300 i.e. offers top class riding comfort and road holding, with its limited weight, less than 165 kg dry weight, allowing better agility and handling to be maintained than most other scooters of similar engine size. Active safety is also enhanced by a powerful braking system with two 260 mm discs and two-piston floating calipers.
Accessories
You can choose from a vast range of accessories to personalise your Carnaby Cruiser 300 i.e., including:
- Scooter cover
- Electronic alarm
- Top box
- Medium height windscreen
- Leg cover
Colour Range
Carnaby Cruiser 300 ie is available in 3 metallic colour finishes – Andromeda Light Blue, Cosmos Black and Orion Grey – and the exclusive Moon White, a pastel shade enhancing the black of the wheel rims and rear hand grip
Piaggio Liberty 50/125/150
Piaggio Liberty, the iconic best seller in the lightweight high wheel scooter segment, has been completely revised for 2009: with all-new looks and new technical features making it a classic in constant evolution.
With over half a million units sold, the Piaggio Liberty is a driving force of the commercial phenomenon of the lightweight high wheel scooter that has always enjoyed an enviable popularity among the public.
Available in 50 (with both 2 and 4-stroke engines), 125 and 150 cc versions, Piaggio Liberty is a benchmark for agility and elegance that has evolved over the years to keep in tune with tastes and is now fresher and more exciting than ever.
The 2009 Liberty boasts more distinctive and elegant new styling, new technical features and new ergonomics.
Style
The frontal view is defined by the handlebar mounted headlamp - with its subtly triangular design a reference to the headlight of its extremely successful and imposing high wheeled big brother, the Beverly - and the highly protective leg shield which, for the new version, gains an elegant chromed accent bearing the Piaggio logo.
New chrome accents also enhance other elements, such as the turn signals with clear lenses, the oddments storage compartment and the fork stanchion guards. A new chrome surround also graces the large, clear and easily readable instrument panel, redesigned to match the new looks of the vehicle and featuring a speedometer, odometer and fuel gauge. Completing the instrumentation are a comprehensive array of indicator lights (fuel  reserve, dipped and full beam headlamp, turn indicators and oil warning light) and a practical clock with calendar function.
In addition to chrome accents, the style of the new Liberty is further enhanced by number of sophisticated details emphasising the outstanding quality of the vehicle, such as the painted rear grab handle, the body-coloured platform spoiler and the new heat shield for the silencer, with its more modern, sporty design.
The saddle has been lowered by 10 millimetres (now 785 mm on the 50 and 795 mm on the 125 and 150) allowing riders of all statures to reach the ground with ease. The saddle is also longer for greater passenger comfort, while the passenger also gains sturdy and ergonomic new fold-out footrests. An even lower saddle (by about 25 mm) is also available as an option, which has been specifically designed with female users in mind.
Chassis
The radical rejuvenation of the Liberty is not limited to its styling and has also extended to the chassis.
The high strength tubular steel frame has been revised while the 10 spoke alloy wheels, measuring 16” at the front and 14” at the rear and shod with 90/80 and 110/80 tyres respectively, are also new.
The brake system has been upgraded and the reliable and modular 140 mm drum brake at the rear is now joined by a larger new 240 mm diameter front disc, stopped by a new double piston calliper. The result is more powerful braking ensuring shorter stopping distances and offering greater modularity.
Engines
Piaggio Liberty stands out as one of the most versatile scooters on the market with a comprehensive choice of proven engines: ranging from the sparkling 2-stroke 50 cc and the economical 4-stroke 50 cc to the classic, perfectly balanced 125 cc and the modern 150 cc, both of which 4-strokes.
The 2 valve air cooled 150 cc unit gives the Liberty a decisive character and eager responsiveness in city traffic, while offering remarkable versatility, making this the ideal scooter for both longer urban routes and extraurban commuting.
With the 125 cc 4-stroke unit, the Liberty strikes the perfect compromise between performance, accessibility and economy. Boasting the same chassis features as its bigger 150 cc brother, Liberty 125 is the easy solution for metropolitan mobility whether riding alone or with a passenger.
Liberty 125 and Liberty 150 both now come equipped with a 7 litre tank: together with the extremely economical engines it offers an even longer range than ever before.
The two 50 cc engine variants offer younger and female users the choice between the verve of a 2-stroke and the impressive efficiency of the extraordinarily economical 4-stroke version.
Equipment and accessories
To match the urban vocation of the Liberty, the Piaggio design team focused particularly on versatility and ease of use. Liberty comes as standard with a rear luggage rack and fold-out passenger footrests. In addition to the large and practical flat footrest platform, a compartment under the saddle large enough for a demi-jet helmet and an additional compartment at the rear of the leg shield offer even more space for carrying objects.
On top of this generous standard spec, a range of elegant and useful accessories is also available:
− Dedicated top cases (28 and 33 litres)
− Windshield
− Electronic alarm
− Mechanical antitheft chain
− Leg cover
− Lowered saddle
− Range of demi-jet helmets
published 23/03/2009 |