WHAT ABOUT T HE 4 0 0 ?

The announcement of a 400cc Turismo Leggera at last year’s Milan Show set many internet forums ablaze. Other than the odd public appearance things have been quiet since then but Scomadi’s co-founder Paul Melici has the latest news. “The 400 is a very different beast,” he explained. “It’s far more complicated than simply bolting in a larger engine. The Motor Morini unit we’ve secured the rights to is superb but needs updating to meet Euro 4 standards.”

In addition to the challenge of meeting emissions regulations, Paul went on to discuss that the scooter’s potential speed means Scomadi are entering uncharted waters. “The 400 is likely to be a true 90mph production scooter and we need to make sure it’s aerodynamically stable. We’re working with Preston University who are modelling air flow and conducting wind tunnel tests. It’s easy to create an aerodynamic shape but we want a traditional scooter style and that causes all kinds of problems. Recently we took 14mm from the edge of the leg-shields and that gave us an extra 3-4mph but the big gains are improving airflow under the machine – hence the new radiator design.”

The 400 on display at Milan was a development machine but what’s it like to ride? “Very grounded,” said Paul. “The engine weight is quite low in the frame so it’s very pleasant to handle. There’s a lot of development work yet and I’d estimate another year before we’ll be offering them for sale. When they do arrive I don’t think people are going to be disappointed!”