The 2010 Peugeot Satelis 500 is a premium scooter, with an attractive style and generous accommodations that make it a pleasure to ride anywhere. The arrival of the French manufacturer in Canada further illustrates the growing interest in these convenient and efficient two-wheelers.

I love the classy Euro look of this high-end scooter. (Photo: Philippe Champoux/Moto123.com)

Sleek looks
The boldly-styled Satelis 500 looks proud and aggressive on the road, especially with the spear-shaped nose that looks like it wants to tear up the tarmac. The taillights, nicely integrated to the passenger hand grips, highlight the efforts made by the designers to integrate form and function. The stepped seating arrangement is particularly striking from the sides, improving visibility for smaller passengers stuck behind a taller rider.

Plenty of storage
The Satelis offers generous cargo room under the seat, where you can stow a pair of full-face helmets. I stuck in a backpack, cones and measuring tape – the usual kit when test-riding a scooter. The latch should be improved to increase security. A useful small compartment at the front of the seat also suffers from an equally unconvincing latch mechanism. Fortunately, Peugeot incorporated another lockable storage box on the right-hand section of the dashboard.

Ergonomics
The handles and controls all fall naturally at hand for most riders, and are all easy to use. The comprehensive dashboard is also easy to decode at a glance, for an even more pleasant riding experience. And when it comes to security, the coded key includes an engine immobilizer system.

I particularly appreciated the double-stitched sport seat with Alcantara inserts and sizeable backrest. The floorboard design allows you to select your riding position: sporty and more aggressive for city “Work” or more laid-back on boulevards and the open road. Strategically placed indents in the floorboard make it easy to put your feet on the ground, but beware of the seat height, which seems taller than other large scooters. On a related note, both side- and center-stand are easy to use.

The tall seat means that incoming winds hit the top of your helmet. Personally, I would have liked a slightly taller or height-adjustable windshield. In fact, I would also add side deflectors to the front fairing to further reduce the impact of the wind and rain on the rider’s legs.

The two-level saddle and driver backrest make for a comfortable solo or two-up ride. (Photo: Philippe Champoux/Moto123.com)