If you want a petrol powered moped from an established motorcycle brand, the choices are few and far between. The only real options come from Italy’s Piaggio group, which continues to offer 50cc Vespas and this, the Aprilia SXR50.
Aprilia has always been a big player in the moped market and its sports scooters have sold well across Europe from the 1990s onwards. The sector’s taken a real hammering in recent years though, in part due to the rise in more accessible e-bikes, and it’s one of the few areas of the bike market where electrification makes a lot of sense.
With low speeds and short journeys the norm, the typical downsides of battery power are not really an issue. Honda and Yamaha, historically big players in the 50cc scooter market, only offer electric mopeds these days, while Piaggio too have EV options to consider.
But if you want old school petrol you’re looking at this or an offering from one of the many Chinese brands which have cropped up in recent years. Lexmoto dominates the sector these days, with the basic L5 and sportier Diablo topping the UK sales charts. At £2610, the Aprilia sits at around £1000 more than those two budget offerings and continues to sell in steady rather than spectacular numbers.
From the first glance the SXR50 certainly looks well. Premium bike manufacturers have always taken styling cues from their range topping models and infused them into scooters and this Aprilia is no different. The headlamp design is clearly inspired by the RS range of sports bikes, while the bright red paint and sporty Aprilia graphics give a family resemblance. There’s a decent sized windscreen and a nice and comfy saddle. What more could you want?
There’s not an awful lot to say about mopeds. They’re simple machines designed to go from A to B cheaply. The real USP is that they can be ridden by 16-year-olds and being petrol powered gives the SXR advantages for riders who want to go longer distances or who don’t have the infrastructure to recharge easily. It’s around £500-600 cheaper than electric options from Honda and Yamaha, which may be another deciding factor for some.
And it’s a well proven package. Electric scooters do have the advantage of a snappier throttle response, the instant torque and direct drive making them quicker off the line, and the Aprilia’s four-stroke engine feels a bit sluggish compared to those or even the zingy two-strokes used in previous generation scoots. The ‘i-get’ (which stands for Italian Green Engine Technology) engine is whisper quiet and gives no drama.
It delivers low emissions and a claimed 113mpg. Top speed, as a moped, is restricted to 45kph (28mph) although I did see 30mph come up on the digital dash when we tested it. They’re really best suited to the city and quiet country lanes, and although they can legally be ridden on most dual carriageways we’d recommend avoiding them if possible.
The Aprilia certainly feels like a quality option. Lights are LED all-round. The LCD dashboard has a fuel gauge and air temperature readout, as well as a large speedo, and there’s a USB socket for device charging on the go. The 20 litre underseat storage area is good for a bag or two of shopping, and something most electrics don’t offer, and there’s the option of a 32-litre top box too.
It might not be the quickest machine off the mark (and tell me another modern petrol moped that is?), but on the go it’s agile and great for nipping through traffic. The independence offered by these machines shouldn’t be underestimated, and neither should the way in way in which they instil road craft into young riders. They’re super easy to ride, being fully automatic, and some car drivers will be able to jump on the SXR and ride on their existing licences. Most will have to do a day’s compulsory basic training (CBT) before being allowed onto the roads unsupervised, and that’s a really good thing in my opinion.
Moped sales have certainly fallen in recent years but there is still some demand. The Aprilia SXR50 fills a gap for a quality sporty scooter. It comes with the reassurance of being made and supported by one of the world’s biggest makers of powered two-wheelers and comes with a four-year warranty.
If I was 16 again, I’d love to have one of these!
Aprilia SXR 50 specification
Price: £2,610
Engine: 49cc, liquid-cooled, single cylinder, single overhead camshaft
Power: 2.4kW (3.2bhp) @ 7,250rpm
Torque: 3.3Nm @ 6,250rpm
Transmission: Automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT)
Frame: Steel single cradle structure with pressed reinforcements
Wheels: 12” front and rear
Tyres: Tubeless 120/70-12
Seat height: 775mm
Fuel tank: 7 litres
Fuel economy: 117.8mpg
Contact: www.aprilia.com
