Peugeot Motocycles Pulsion GT, smooth like few others and elegant like none

Well frankly yes. The first generation of the Pulsion (which took over from the Satelis) was already well received and, this 2022, after the delay caused by the pandemic, its Euro5 evolution arrives, aesthetically retouched (not much), but with an engine that arrives very improved and with some more details -I don't want to get ahead of myself- that places it in an excellent position in the eighth-litre GT segment.

Today, the portion of the market cake represented by the 125 scooter is by far the one that is of interest and in one of its layers, many (or almost all) brands see a greater capacity for growth: the GTs, the compact option that offers the user, who almost always comes to them from the homologation of his car license, his perfect daily getaway to work. Some scooters that are committed to comfort at the controls compared to those with a more sporty cut or the uniqueness of those with high wheels.

In the midst of a heat wave in Madrid, making contact with the Pulsion was, however, very revealing. Visually, there is no doubt about the success of the styling and shapes of the scooter, the result, as on other occasions, of the collaboration with the car brand's design team. Climbed on it (it starts without a key), the purr of the exhaust-driven engine is familiar, although less husky than in its previous version. Already underway, under the suffocating heat of the early afternoon and by the dense Madrid M-30 at that time, the Pulsion was uncovered among the intense traffic as a more agile scooter than it was, with a turning radius very useful, being able to quickly take the highway to check its behavior with an open fist.

The 124.6 cc single-cylinder PowerMotion (which evolves from the Django) was smooth like few others in the segment, although perhaps too much. I try to explain myself. Although the propellant delivers its 14.4 CV of power in a very progressive way -one more point in the response of the fist would suit you pears-, allowing you to calmly reach around 110 Km/h, that smoothness so good in flat sins too much when it comes to having to recover on a climb

Its maximum power is at the limit of the category, it is true, its torque of 12.4 Nm is among the best in the segment and it delivers everything at 8,800 rpm and 6,900 rpm, respectively, figures very similar to those of the first rival al wants to look straight ahead, the Honda Forza 125 (5,275 euros), but this one is more cheerful in the fist. The reason? It may be that, in addition to a different delivery management when opening gas, it is something as simple as weight. The Pulsion does not stand out for its lightness, it is not heavy, no, but it declares 169.5 kilos compared to the 162 Kg of the winged brand, for example.

On the other hand, the dynamism of the Pulsion has won many integers when it comes to cornering. Without a flat floor but with a comfortable foot position, with a proportionate seat at 790 mm (fits an integral case and another jet) and with a wide and attractive naked handlebar (naked type), the best response of the new chassis, more rigid and with the relocated engine that lowers the center of gravity of that minimum extra weight, they give the Pulsión great strength when it comes to facing turns. To continue with a small comparison, compared to the small Forza, the Pulsión is somewhat shorter (2,065 mm) and with a shorter wheelbase (1,460 mm), which makes it win against it in changes of direction. .

Added to this circumstance is the excellent behavior of the suspension, especially the rear: probably the smoothest response of all 125 scooters I've tried. And all thanks to the fact that the frame includes a new stabilizer link that greatly improves the sensations of the rear train (90 mm of travel) that has a double hydraulic shock absorber adjustable in 5 positions. The conventional 37mm front fork (95mm of travel) is also responsive, but doesn't have the smoothness of the rear.

As for the brakes, two discs are responsible for taking full advantage of the combined braking (SBC), one 260 mm at the front and another 210 mm at the rear, which enhance the smoothness of the Pulsion's handling to the detriment of a greater bite of the front caliper.

This GT version is between the Active -access, 4,490 euros and in black- and the Allure -4,890 euros, in white and red, with a 39-liter rear trunk and a larger screen (adjustable with tools in both cases)- in satin titanium color and yellow details like the Metropolis GT tricycle, with which it shares (like the Allure) the avant-garde instrumentation inherited from cars with i-Connect, the brand's exclusive connectivity and good turn-by-turn navigation.