Exploring Ibiza on a 50cc Piaggio Typhoon
Yamaha R3 review
7 February 2022
I survived a terrifying motorcycle crash
13 February 2022By Jack Rooster
The prospect of visiting the magical Island of Ibiza in Spain was one that appealed to me greatly. I had long fantasized about exploring the island by bike and finally my chance had come.
The good folks at AMD were kind enough to ask me to do a quick review as I explored the islands that has come to be known as the Magical Island of Ibiza.
My initial plan was to rent a 400Cc bike and then explore the various corners of the Island but upon on arrival at the bike rental company, I was informed that I was only eligible for a 50Cc motorcycle since my license showed I only had 2 years of driving experience – obviously not true but this misinformation is due to a flaw in the way the Kenyan Government prints the new generation “Smart Licenses”, these new licenses do now show the historical information contained in the first-generation licenses. As such the “Date of Issue” shows only the year the Smart License was first applied for, in my case 2 years ago. The Kenya National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) should definitely look into this.
At first, I was quite disappointed, how was I going to cover all those Kilometers in a day on a 50cc scooter? On the other hand I took it as a challenge, to see how far I could get on this 50cc moped. I also decided to reduce the total distance I was to cover and explore only the most interesting parts of my original itinerary.
I took the bike and went on my first ride. The hotel I was staying at is located in Sant Antony,the western side of the island,I needed to run some errands in Eivissa town so I hopped onto the Piaggio Typhoon and off I went.
Navigating the Island as a newcomer
Some may wonder how did I know how to get from point A to B in a new location? I made use of google maps in my ears (which turns out is illegal in Spain – and most parts of EU – more on this later)
The Typhoon is very light, which makes the air-cooled twist-and-go feel swifter than it is.
Specs
Engine size: 49cc
Engine type: Air-cooled two-stroke, CVT transmission
Frame type: Tubular-steel cradle
Fuel capacity: 5.5 litres
Seat height: 775mm
Bike weight: 88kg
Front brake:190mm disc, single piston caliper
Rear brake: 100mm drum
Front tyre size:120/90-10
Rear tyre size: 120/90-10
The machine really struggled - especially on the uphill climbs - most highways on the Island had a hard shoulder and I was able to ride on that for the most part in order not to disrupt traffic. I was concerned that this may not be legal, so I google it later to confirm(turns out it actually illegal to ride on the main road while on a 50cc,always use the hard shoulder).
The typhoon performed superbly on the flat roads and is great for town running.
Originally a cutting edge sports scooter, the lightweight Typhoon is still a lot of fun but is now at the bottom end of the sports 50cc price scale, making it good value for money.
