The Italian bike maker's Fly 150 costs $3,400 before COE and insurance, making it the cheapest European scooter here. -- PHOTO: PIAGGIO
LIKE Volkswagen, Piaggio has come off its high horse to introduce a budget model that rivals Asia-made machines.
The Italian bike maker's Fly 150 costs $3,400 before COE and insurance, making it the cheapest European scooter here. Its next model up is the Piaggio Liberty 200, which costs $4,300.
The Fly series was introduced in Europe in 2004. It took five years to get to Singapore because Piaggio wanted to protect its premium status here.
But with the recession, the company thought to launch the Fly to win some share of the mass market from the Japanese and other Asian makes.
As an entry-level bike, the Fly 150 is impressive.
Read the full report in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times, Life!.
