Piaggio Medley is a scooter that combines the agility of an urban vehicle with the dynamism of a high-wheel scooter and the comfort and load capacity of a large GT model. 2020 sees the presentation of the perfect option for all-round mobility in a completely new form, even more dynamic, performing and hi-tech.

The new design focuses on sportiness: the front has been completely redesigned, as has the handlebar, which houses the new full LED front headlamp and an innovative digital LCD instrument cluster.

The new Piaggio Medley also features the latest evolution of the Piaggio i-get engine 125 and 150 cc engine family. Both engines are liquid-cooled, with 4-valve distribution and electronic injection. They deliver 11 and 12.1 kW respectively, making them among the most powerful in their class.

Piaggio Medley has also evolved its connectivity, and is the first to introduce this feature to the medium- high-wheel scooter segment. The Piaggio MIA system (offered as standard on the S version) connects your smartphone to the vehicle via Bluetooth and manages phone calls, voice commands and music through the instrument cluster and handlebar commands.

The ‘Start & Stop’ feature comes as standard, managing engine switch-off and start-up during stops to reduce your fuel consumption and emissions. Also with two-channel ABS, the Piaggio Medley boasts an equipment package normally only found on more powerful scooters.

Practical, dynamic, lightweight and stylish

The new Piaggio Medley creates a new class of Piaggio high-wheel scooters that combines the advantages of an agile and lightweight scooter with those of a larger and more powerful high-wheel bike.

Inspired by the large, modern and elegant lines of its bigger sibling Beverly, the new Piaggio Medley’s light weight and dynamism make it ideal for city use.

Although the shield’s large surfaces boost aerodynamic protection, it has been redesigned and re-proportioned to maintain its light look. The centre of the shield is dominated by a new vertical element , now featuring a three-dimensional honeycomb grille. A modern take on the classic ‘tie’, an unmistakable feature of Piaggio vehicles, it gives the new Medley a sportier look.

The new LED front headlamp is another distinctive feature, which is found in the centre of the redesigned handlebar. This significantly increases visibility, for greater active safety. The front and rear position lights are also LED.

The handlebar also hosts the brand new all-digital LCD instrument cluster for a perfect mix of style and functionality. The display, with the digital speedometer and tachometer scale clearly visible in the centre, provides total and partial views of the odometer, air temperature, digital clock, fuel level and coolant temperature indicators, ice danger icon, lowered side stand icon, and ‘service’ icon. It also shows a full set of travel information, including maximum speed, average speed, current fuel consumption, average fuel consumption, battery life and charge status, which can be selected using the MODE button on the right-hand control block.  The indicator system monitors all functions, starting with ‘Start & Stop’, which can be switched off by pressing a button on the right-hand electric block. It also shows the classic ‘injection check’, fuel reserve, oil pressure, ABS activation and immobiliser.

The 16″ front wheel, vertically streamlines the entire front end as well as providing stability, safety and comfort. The aluminium rims vaunt a new sporty design with six split spokes.

The new seat is more streamlined with optimised ergonomics for rider and passenger, who also benefit from new retractable foot boards that are easier to pull out. These also come with a rubber insert that has the dual function of damping vibrations and stopping your foot from slipping. The seat has electric opening, controlled by a convenient button on the handlebar. A retaining spring keeps it open to prevent accidental closure.

The leg shield has a spacious glove compartment easily accessed by the seated rider. Its style matches the rear of the handlebar and the saddle, creating a similar environment to a car dashboard. It even has an internal USB socket, handy for charging your smartphone. There is also a convenient, retractable bag hook in the leg shield back plate.

Along the entire body of the Medley the alternating concave and convex surfaces, guided by decisive and arched lines, gives the vehicle a dynamic but compact look. The dimensions of the particularly sleek rear-end are contained despite the large helmet compartment with an amazing 36 litres of space, enough to hold two full-face helmets, truly exceptional for a high-wheel scooter. This result comes courtesy of the well-designed tail shape and the repositioning of the fuel tank at the centre of the foot board. It is a solution that increases the carrying capacity of the helmet compartment, with further benefits such as refuelling without needing to dismount and better rideability because of improved, more centralised, weight distribution. 

Engines: the latest evolution of the Piaggio i-get family

Piaggio boasts Europe’s most important engine and scooter research and development centre, and one of the best in the world, allowing it to develop unique technologies and skills in-house. These now contribute to the construction of engines that meet the strictest international standards. The new Piaggio Medley sees the début of the most recent evolution of the i-get family of engines, available in 125 and 150cc engine capacities, with electronic injection, four-valve distribution and liquid cooling. These engines all top their respective categories in performance and environmental terms.

The new 125 cc i-get single cylinder is credited with a maximum power of 11 kW at 9,000 rpm, while the more powerful 150 cc delivers 12.1 kW at 8,750 rpm. These benchmark values make the new Piaggio Medley one of the most powerful bikes in the medium- high-wheel scooter segment. When translated onto the road, they bear witness to brilliant engines, purposely designed and manufactured for everyday use in town and city environments. Such riding conditions involve frequent stops and starts which require flexibility, lively acceleration and a smooth ride. These qualities come courtesy of excellent torque (12 Nm at 6500 rpm for the 125 cc and 15 Nm at 6500 rpm for the 150 cc) which endows the Medley with superb acceleration both from a standing start and in motion, partly due to the very low overall weight.

All this is the fruit of meticulous work by Piaggio technicians on most of the components. The project sought above all to optimise thermodynamic output and reduce friction and engine noise, while increasing performance and general rideability.

The cylinder head is the result of a completely new casting and is marked by pipes and valves with a larger section to increase the outflow coefficient and consequent engine performance. The distribution system features new lightweight rockers, while the camshaft profile has been redesigned to achieve precise valve control that helps optimise combustion efficiency.

Numerous changes have gone into boosting maximum power while maintaining the maximum torque and operating flexibility values typical of the i-get engine family. They include: the adoption of a new piston with a revised geometry of the roof of the combustion chamber, a new injector, a new throttle body with a diameter increased by 2 mm and a completely new filter box equipped with a specific Helmholtz resonator placed on the intake duct.

The silencer is also new, both in appearance and size. The extra volume makes for quieter operation combined with better sound and lower head losses, which all go to boost maximum engine performance. This is combined with a CVT transmission with optimised calibration to take advantage of the new engine power curve in all riding conditions.

Like its predecessor, the new Piaggio Medley comes with the Start & Stop system patented by Piaggio, called RISS (Regulator Inverter Start & Stop System). This product of Piaggio’s technological know-how, does away with the traditional starter motor, replacing it with a brushless ‘direct mount’ electrical unit, in other words, installed directly on the crankshaft. There are many advantages: a quieter start, increased lightness and reliability, and lower fuel consumption. The new version of the Piaggio Start & Stop system automatically switches off the engine 1 to 5 seconds after stopping (depending on whether or not the engine has reached the correct operating temperature). A slight twist of the throttle is enough to instantly re-start the engine, in total silence, as there is no traditional starter. If the side stand is retracted or the tilt sensor activated, the ECU disables the Start & Stop function.

The new Piaggio Medley engines allow for lengthy gaps between services and maintenance. You only need  to replace lubricants and filters every 10,000 km and have the play of the valves adjusted every 20,000 km.

Overall fuel consumption benefits from the optimisation of each and every component: the WMTC cycle distance is 41.5 km/l for the Medley 125 and 41 km/l for the Medley 150. 

Frame and chassis: sturdy, easy to ride and lightweight

The bearing structure of the Piaggio Medley is based on a ‘low single cradle’ type frame made of steel tubes, with tubular reinforcements and steel sheet, which contribute to its overall sturdiness and low and comfortable seating position.

The front end sports a fork with stanchions 33 mm in diameter, while a pair of double acting shock absorbers and coil springs with preload adjustable to 5 positions work at the rear axle. This configuration and the large aluminium alloy wheel rims (16″ front and 14″ rear) ensure riding comfort and solidity worthy of more powerful scooters. The adoption of a new wider rear tyre (120/70-14″) also contributes to this stability, while the low dry weight, 136 kg, helps retain the agility and manoeuvrability typical of light scooters.

Active safety is provided by a powerful braking system comprising two 260 and 240 mm disc units with double piston floating callipers and ABS as standard equipment. Each wheel has a sensor and a tone wheel to detect revolutions which instantly reads the speed and deceleration of the wheel with respect to that of the vehicle. The sensors communicate with a 2-channel hydraulic control unit which activates the ABS system if one of the two wheels decelerates sharply with respect to the vehicle, preventing it from locking and guaranteeing stability and efficient braking even on surfaces with low friction coefficient. Piaggio Medley is also fitted with a ’tilt sensor’, a safety device that deactivates the Start & Stop system, turning off the engine, in the event of a fall.

Always connected with PIAGGIO MIA

The PIAGGIO MIA connectivity system, offered as standard on Medley S, allows you to connect your smartphone to the Piaggio Medley’s on-board electronic system via Bluetooth, offering exclusive features for an even more rewarding and enjoyable riding experience.

PIAGGIO MIA and the new Piaggio App are specifically designed to connect iOS or Android mobile devices to the new Piaggio Medley, exploiting the potential offered by the new digital instrument cluster. This content is totally new for the medium- high-wheel scooter segment, further demonstrating the excellence of the new Medley’s technological equipment.

Once you have connected your smartphone to the Piaggio Medley – associating it with the vehicle via the Piaggio App, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play – all notifications for incoming calls and messages appear on the instrument cluster. The system also enables call management using the practical MODE button on the right-hand control block and the use of vocal commands to make calls or play music, by activating a playlist. To fully enjoy all these features, the Piaggio Medley offers a special dedicated Jet helmet as an accessory that integrates headphones and Bluetooth intercom.

In addition to the call and music management functions, which use the bike’s digital instrument cluster, the PIAGGIO MIA multimedia platform allows you to use the dedicated App to view a further and exceptionally rich set of information about the route and the operating status of the vehicle. It also has a convenient system for saving the position when the ignition is off, which helps you find the scooter in the most crowded areas of town. The application can also indicate engine revs, instantaneous power and torque, current and average fuel consumption, battery voltage and an assessment of riding style. All the data are recorded by the App and can be consulted directly on the smartphone through summary statistics for each trip and intuitive infographics. The App also allows you to locate Piaggio service centres and includes a convenient configurable schedule to remind you of maintenance operations due.

Versions and colours

The new Piaggio Medley is available in two different versions: Medley and Medley S, the latter with sportier finishes.

Piaggio Medley

Piaggio Medley prefers more classic and elegant colours, such as Bianca Luna (Moon White) and the two metallic shades of Nero Abisso (Abyss Black) and Blu Orione (Orion Blue). These colours are combined with a brown seat and matt bronze finishes (passenger handle, bumper, central tunnel and instrument cluster surrounds). The wheel rims are in silver grey.

Piaggio Medley S

The Piaggio Medley S is distinguished by its sporty matt black finishes, such as the rims, the bumpers, the central tunnel and the passenger handle. This sportiness is also accentuated by the red shock absorber springs, a shade that also appears on the seat seams and other details such as the frame of the shield’s ‘tie’. The front and rear brake discs with petal profile and gold-coloured callipers and the Piaggio MIA connectivity system are also available as standard. The Medley S also offers a remote bike finder function as standard. The bike finder flashes the scooter’s indicators so you can easily locate your vehicle in the most crowded car parks.

There are three colour variants, combined with black seat and interior: Bianco Luna (Moon White), Grigio Materia (Matter Grey e Nero Meteora (Meteor Black), the latter opaque.

Accessories

The line of accessories for Piaggio Medley places technology at the service of functionality. It is a complete line of accessories designed for the Piaggio Medley to increase comfort and potential uses.

The lines, materials and finishes of the windshield, made of shockproof and splinter-proof methacrylate, protect the Piaggio scooter against atmospheric agents, while also accentuating the elegance of its forms. The smaller top fairing (available in two versions, transparent and smoked) emphasises Medley’s spirited and sporty character.

Great attention went on cargo capacity. In combination with the large under-seat compartment, Piaggio offers the classic 32-litre top box, which can accommodate a modular helmet or two Piaggio Style helmets, and the 37-litre top box that expands the load capacity to the maximum. Both top boxes are, of course, available colour coded to match the vehicle and can be fitted with a passenger backrest.

To maximise safety you can install the non-slip mat. The dedicated leg cover is the ideal completion for year-round riders. On the other hand, for riders who park their scooter up for the winter, a waterproof vehicle cover is available, dedicated and customised with the logo, which has specific openings for the windshield and optional top box.

The line of accessories naturally includes vehicle security: the mechanical saddle-handlebar anti-theft system available for the Medley is convenient and simple to use. The innovative electronic anti-theft system, which is self-powered and the least power-hungry on the market, adds the immobiliser deterrent and a powerful siren to combat any attempt at tampering.