New product : 2013 Piaggio Fly 50 Updated for Global Market

Piaggio has updated its 50cc Fly scooter, a global model that will be offered in markets around the world.
The 2013 Piaggio Fly 50 gets a styling update, most notably with a longer black “tie” on its front shield and sleeker lighting. The seat has also been redesigned and now sits at a height of 29.9 inches, an inch lower than the previous model.

The new seat hides a larger storage area which now has room for two open-faced helmets. The larger space was made by possible by moving the fuel tank from the tail to its new location under the footrest. Besides increasing the underseat storage capacity, the repositioned fuel tank lowers the Fly’s center of gravity.
The tank can be refilled through the gas port located at the base of the leg shield which, judging by the 12-inch wheels, will mean stooping down quite a bit to fill up the gas tank. Some might find that uncomfortable, but on the other hand, it shouldn’t take very long to fill the Fly 50′s 1.8 gallon tank.

Additional storage is provided by an enclosed compartment in the back of the leg shield for small items like gloves, wallets and cell phones. A bag hook folds out of the saddle for additional carrying capacity, while the tail features a luggage carrier for an optional top box.
Piaggio has also equipped the Fly 50 with both a center stand and a side stand. The center stand offers better stability while the side stand – equipped with an ignition inhibitor – is more convenient for short stops.
Powering the Piaggio Fly 50 is a 49.9cc single-cylinder four-valve single overhead camshaft four-stroke engine. Piaggio claims the engine maxes out at 4.2 hp at 8250 rpm at the crank, while the previous version reaches 4.2 hp at 8750 rpm.
The front brake uses a 220mm disc compared to the previous version’s 200mm disc. The rear still uses a 140mm drum brake. Suspension is comprised of a 32mm fork with 76mm of travel and a single rear shock with 73mm of travel.
The 2013 Piaggio Fly 50 will be produced in Perla White, Ibis Red, Blue Midnight and Cosmo Black. U.S. pricing and availability has yet to be announced.

(Source: Piaggio, through  motorcycle.com By: Dennis Chung )