Scooter Review

Peugeot Jet Force 125

While this may not be the supercharged version, the new Peugeot Jet Force has some seriously fast credentials.

Words by CHARLOTTE MCKEON, photography by LOU MARTIN

After a comfortable but uneventful day on the Peugeot Elystar I was looking forward to picking up the Jet Force. I was warned to ride it like a bike so, with trepidation, set off, to be pleasantly surprised that this was a good thing mainly due to Peugeot’s use of the Direct Perimetric Frame (DPF) that gives the scooter ‘unparalleled rigidity with optimum weight distribution’. Well, I’m not going to argue with that am I? It also has a central shock absorber and fuel tank plus 13-inch wheels that only help increase the feeling of stability and performance particularly noticeable at speed. And while Peugeot didn’t find it appropriate to fit ABS to the Jet Force, the brakes were sharp enough guarantee complete confidence, which is good enough for me.

The negative aspect of this scooter is that it doesn’t perform under 7000rpm. At all. You have to get over 5500 just to pull away from the lights. So you have to be committed to riding the Jet Force flat out everywhere or with a lot of left lever action to provide some smoothness and cohesion which is going to leave you with either a blacksmiths forearm or a tidy pile of speeding tickets. Nevertheless the Jet Force was great to ride and felt completely secure on all types of road including the national speed limit on the freeway. This was the only one of the Peugeots not to benefit from the ‘boa lock’, an oversight in my opinion, but did benefit from a side stand and a comprehensive dash. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. And then you go faster...

As published in TW SCOOTER MAGAZINE - 27/10/2003
Subscribe to Two Wheels Scooter magazine now!