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17 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, June 3, 2009 Successful design puts 2010 Honda SH-150i at top By Rob Beintema Metroland Newspapers Carguide Magazine You've probably noticed more scooters on the road lately. Which isn't surprising considering the Canadian market has more than tripled since 2000, as sales doggedly follow fuel prices on their ever upward climb. The increasing popularity of scooters is understandable. Besides saving money at the pumps, scooters are winning drivers over with affordable pricing, less costly insurance rates and commuting flexibility, not to mention their simplicity, their get-on-and-go user friendliness and the obvious fun factor, an easy-to-take tradeoff for shaking the stress of downtown traffic jams. Into this rapidly expanding scooter market, with its confusing array of new makes and manufacturers, comes Honda, the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer, with a brand new scooter. Well, new to this country at least. The 2010 SH150i has become a mainstay in Europe, winning top spot as the most registered make in many European countries, including Italy, home turf of not only Piaggio and Vespa but also of the Italian-built SH150i itself. The success of the SH150i is based on its design as a maneuverable, upright, highwheeled urban commuter. This latest evolution of the SH model has been restyled and updated with fuel injection for improved lowand middle-range power, better reliability and improved fuel efficiency. Another benefit is reduced emissions, with an assist from a sophisticated-for-a-scooter oxygen-sensing catalytic converter. Compared to the previous generation Euro model, this newest version's seat has been lowered 10 mm to a comfortable yet still upright position with easy leg reach to the ground. 2010 Honda SH150i At A Glance ENGINE: 153 cc SOHC 2-valve liquidcooled single-cylinder four-stroke FUEL DELIVERY: PGM-FI fuel injection TRANSMISSION: Automatic V-Matic belt drive SUSPENSION: Front 33 mm hydraulic fork; 89 mm(3.5 in.) travel / Rear Dual shocks with adjustable spring preload; 83 mm (3.3 in.) travel TIRES: 100/80 - 16 front; 120/80 - 16 rear BRAKES: Front 220 mm disc with dualpiston caliper / Rear drum, Combined Braking System SEAT HEIGHT: 785 mm (30.9 in.) CURB WEIGHT: 140 kg (309 lb) including fuel & fluids WHEELBASE: 1,335 mm (52.5 in.) FUEL CAPACITY: 7.5 litres COLOURS: Velvet Red Metallic / Pearl Nightstar Black PRICE: $4,999 purse or for purchases from the grocery store. A simple, large-face instrument pod on the steering head mounts car-like gauges ­ a big, easy-to-read speedo surrounded by gauges for fuel and coolant temperature along with an LCD clock, odo and tripmeters, idiot lights, even an oil change indicator warning. The 2010 Honda SH150i lists for $4,999. Frankly, that is on the expensive side when compared to the competition. But Honda is counting on customers weighing other factors in the balance of their purchasing decision performance, technological sophistication and the company's legacy of brand trust, dependability and product reliability. Or maybe they'll just let this light and tight urban commuter win you over as you flit through traffic on a test drive. At its recent Canadian launch, checking out Honda Canada's new 2010 SH150i, an urban commuter that takes scooter simplicity to new levels of technological sophistication with fuel injected performance in a stylish, user-friendly package. That also allows for a wider, more comfortable seat. The rider's flat floor has also been extended 20 mm for more leg room. Passenger pegs are flush folded neatly into the side. Hop on the seat, rock forward off the centre stand, twist the throttle and you are away. I'd dampened down my expectations because at 6foot-3 and, uh, somewhere north of two hundred pounds, I'm a little bigger than the students and secretaries this scooter might have bargained for, but the brisk acceleration showed the SH150i's capability for any mix of cargo and two-up riding. After a few city blocks, I actually ventured onto an on-ramp, twisted the throttle to the stop and got up to speed for the local highway. Full throttle freeway blitzing may not seem a 153 cc scooter's forte, having been designed more for the artful dodging of downtown congestion, but you know that wouldn't stop anyone in Europe. And it's nice to know that the SH150i is capable of freeway shortcuts, or even longer highway runs when needed. Braking is excellent, utilizing Honda's Combined Braking System. Squeeze the right hand lever and the front disc comes on with a solo effort. Squeeze the left hand lever and the rear drum brake engages in linked style, with combined braking effort automatically applied to the front as well. Coming off the highway and back onto the streets and boulevards where I belonged, I flinched at the first of a series of unavoidable potholes. But here is where the big-for-ascooter 16-inch wheels come in - better over the bumps and streetcar tracks, adding gyroscopic stability at speed and making curbclimbing easier for downtown angling and parking. Yeah, there's usually a minus for every plus and you do pay a penalty for big wheels. A large rear wheel impinges on the available storage space under the seat. Yet there's still some usable space left over when you tip the seat up for a peek. And Honda makes up for this loss of space with a helmet-swallowing 35-litre top box that comes standard with the scooter. There's also a handy hook near your feet for a