Benelli

Thanks to the convertible Adeva, Benelli’s profile has been high in the scooter marketplace but the company hasn’t been resting on its laurels. The Velvet Touring 125 is the latest model in the range to be revised.

When manufacturers revise models all too often it’s a case of change for change's sake. Thankfully, with the Velvet Touring it’s a case of, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. The changes that have taken place are mainly just cosmetic. The scooter underneath remains as good as ever.

The most obvious changes are the removal of some of the superfluous chrome and the addition of a small fly screen. The lack of chrome now adds a certain touch of subdued class to the scooter. The fly screen, though, is a bit of a mixed blessing. It should help deflect the worst of the weather if you get caught out in the rain but I found it just the wrong height. Wind deflected by the screen was forced right into the front of my helmet, making riding with the visor up an uncomfortable experience.

One of the other revisions that is more than welcome is the change to the seat. While it remains rather high it's now firmer with more space for a pillion. The pillion also gets a rear rack that doubles up as a grab rail. In fact the only niggle from passengers was the position of the foot pegs. The motorcycle-style fold out pegs are placed just at the end of the rider’s footboards and are prone to get accidentally flipped up by the rider’s heels – leaving the passenger’s feet dangling in space.

Despite this small complaint, travelling two-up was a much more pleasant experience than I’ve come to expect on the majority of four-stroke powered 125cc scooters. The reason for this is two-fold: the suspension and the engine. The suspension set-up is the usual telescopic forks and twin rear shocks – the difference is the firmness it has as standard. Riding solo it makes for a very sporting feel - add a passenger and it copes admirably.

The performance of the engine should come as no real surprise given that it's sourced from Yamaha/Minaralli. Now I know elsewhere in this copy of Which Bike? I’ve had a go at four-stroke powered 125 scooters but this one bucks the trend. I’ll begin with a proviso though – don’t expect to beat 50cc machines away from the traffic lights. Pulling away from a standing start the acceleration is not exactly blistering, however roll-on acceleration is where the Benelli comes into its own. When you spot a gap in the traffic it’s an effortless move to open the throttle and bypass the near stationary cars.

The good news continues with the brakes, more than a match for the power of the engine. They’re nothing special, just single calliper discs at both ends but powerful enough to lock up either wheel from new. Once properly bedded in they should prove to be even more formidable.

One of the few changes that Benelli have made to the revised Velvet is the removal of the glove box at the back of the legshields. Okay, on the old Velvet it didn’t hold that much but was useful for all sorts of odds and ends. However, the underseat storage area is as large as ever it was. Once you get used to opening the seat from the ignition it’s fine. It just seems there’s a certain knack to it that I can never manage. Yet there’s no denying that the lack of keyholes around the back of the seat leaves it looking very clean and tidy.

Benelli’s Velvet Touring deserves to be a top selling machine not just because it is a great scooter but because of the thought that has gone in to its design and recent update. Take for example the luggage rack/pillion grab rail. The top of the rack has an embedded rubber section which helps prevent bags from slipping. Take a look underneath and there’s a useful set of bungee strap hooks too. Another inclusion - and a personal favourite of mine - is a foldaway bag hook on the back of the legshields. It’s just a shame the floor is not flat. However, the hump in the floor gives access to the fuel filler.

Think about where that filler cap is situated and it’ll give you a clue as to why the Benelli handles so well – the petrol tank is low down in the frame, not only keeping the centre of gravity down but also balancing out the front to rear weight distribution. Combine this with the firm, sporting feel of the suspension and you’ve got an executive style scooter that handles much better than you’d ever expect.

It’s fair to say that Benelli have made changes in all the right places, including a drop in the price, and in doing so have produced a machine that will challenge the established leaders in the executive 125cc market.

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