Scooter News Benelli Velvet 400 Benelli offers the first full-size 400 in a traditional scooter body
Words by CHARLOTTE MCKEON, photography by CARLOS ALZAMORA If you live in a city and you’re even half as lazy and impatient as I am, there is no option left these days but to invest in a scooter.
Manufacturers seem to be cottoning on to the need for practical transportation pretty quickly, but the Benelli Velvet differs for the simple reason that it is the first standard bodied scooter to appear on the scene with a 400cc engine. Normally big-engined scooters come in the maxi variety like the body shape from the Yamaha Majesty, etc, but Benelli has produced a more user-friendly alternative to smaller capacity scooters with all the benefits of a normal scoot.
The Velvet has a contemporary appearance, combining the executive look with some nice retro touches. It’s quite compact for the capacity compared with the maxi scooters, and the narrowness and short wheelbase make it dynamic in diving through the traffic. The speedo and clock are both analogue with a fuel gauge sitting to the right of both the instruments. All the gauges are nicely presented with chrome finish giving it what Benelli call the ‘vintage car look’. The seat is comfortable with your body well protected behind the screen. With a surprisingly high seat height though, some like myself, may find themselves shuffling their bum forward when preparing to come to a halt so you’re in a position to reach the ground.
As a practical scooter the Velvet lacks some of the conveniences available on other models. There wasn’t enough space to fit my full-face helmet under the seat, but it is possible to fit two open faces easily in the storage area. The scooter is also lacking a luggage hook. The Velvet does have a handy front pocket, though, to store wallet, phone, keys and maps in so if you’re permanently getting lost like me you’re not always having to climb on and off the scooter to get out the map! Scooters don’t usually come with a side stand so it was a pleasant surprise to find the Velvet does and I often used it at quick stops to save time.
It may not be the last word in scooter technology and design, but it’s good fun. Stick around town and you’ll have hours of amusement annoying drivers who can only
As published in TW SCOOTER MAGAZINE - 28/10/2003
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