Bolwell GMax 150

The Bolwell GMax 150 is the first scooter I've owned, but have ridden quite a few others over the years, including Vespa's and Aprilia's as well as other Bolwell models. Have owned the GMax since Aug '06 and have covered nearly 4000kms at the time of writing. I was attracted to it by a number of factors. First of all it looks good, very slick styling that makes it look like it's moving even when standing still. I'm not a fan of the traditional 'retro-look' scooter and the GMax looks great. It does appear to be an unashamed copy of the Peugeot Speed Fight, but you are paying less, and still getting a good scooter. Secondly the GMax also has twin disc brakes, unusual in this price range (approx $5500). Having good stoppers is crucial, and these brakes are awesome. You can safely stop very quickly without any drama. Other scooters in this class usually come with disc/drum configurations. The 13 inch wheels were also a factor, as a lot of scoots have smaller 12 inch wheels.

The suspension set up is more motobike-like with a swing arm rear axle. No ugly coil springs hanging under the seat. There is even a small 'window' cut into the middle of the chassis so you can see the bright yellow centre spring.

Bolwell scooters also have a reputation for bullet-proof reliability with very economical servicing and parts-unlike its Italian cousins. Have had zero issues since purchasing, and had it serviced twice.

Heard from other scooterists that Vespa parts etc maybe difficult to obtain and are pricey. Aprilia appears to be better. The GMax is made in Taiwan by PGO, a highly reputable company that has been making scooters for decades, so I thought I can't go wrong. I saw no great cache in owning an Italian scooter, I was after reliability and fun, and besides the equivalent sized Vespa is about $2000(AU) more!

It takes a while to get used to the seating position which is more forward than other scooters, but it's fine. Have taken pillion passengers too, and the 150cc engine pulls beautifully with even 2 on-board.

Have gone on a couple of long (200km) rides without a hitch, but the long rides confirmed the scooter's status as a city cruiser. It also on 100km/h (60mph) without a problem, and you can see the tacho edging towards 8000 rpm. Feels safe and secure at speed.

The instrument cluster is easy to read, with a large speedo, a smaller tacho, fuel gauge and a very handy digital clock so you can see how quickly you can zip through traffic.

In summary, a fun, safe, well featured scooter that can be ridden hard and fast, or just burble along with the traffic. Colours are blue and silver or red and silver. Red scooters go faster don't they?