FRENCH automotive giant Peugeot looks as though it is getting in on the adventure scooter act, as patent images reveal a Metropolis 400-based off-road commuter.
The bike follows in the mud tracks of bikes like the Honda ADV350, and Kymco DT X360, by offering scooter levels of economy and convenience in a package with some off-road capability. Like the Honda ADV350, which is loosely based on the Forza 350, the Peugeot is not a ground-up new bike, sharing much of its underpinnings with the popular Metropolis 400. That means power comes from a single-cylinder, 400cc engine that produces around 36bhp and 38Nm of torque.
While that isn’t going to set the world on fire in performance terms, it does put the French bike near the top of the charts when compared to the other mid-weight scoots on the market.
The styling of the bike is full adventure-spec, with a tallish screen, high mid-section (not a true step thru’!), and the obligatory adventure bike ‘beak’. One area of concern, especially given the bike’s off-road aspirations, is the exhaust pipe. The routing of the system seems to take it well into the danger zone, and we can only think that after a bit of rough and tumble it’d be pretty trashed and totally useless!
The rest of the exhaust looks fine, with the neat-looking silencer sitting just out of reach and giving the bike a rugged adventure look.
The patent images of the bike suggest that the project is at least fairly well advanced, although that’s no indication as to when this prospective new model could land. We have after all been waiting a while for the much talked about Peugeot P2X motorcycle we saw in 2020!
