Damp winter roads, near freezing temperatures and a zero mileage scooter on new tyres. Surely I shouldn’t be laughing manically to myself whilst doing 50 laps of a local roundabout at full tilt…

Are three wheels really better?

Three-wheeled scooters really do need riding to understand just how good they are. They’re the motorised equivalent of riding a rollercoaster; you can scare yourself on one but have to try very hard to crash one. They make the perfect winter commuter, especially if you’re the kind of rider who likes to have year round fun. With 45º of lean angle to play with, a nippy 346cc engine and the kind of styling Mad Max would be proud of there’s plenty to like about the Quadro S. It may not be the first scooter of its kind but the Quadro is decidedly different to the competition. That’s because the tilting front end works on a HTS system (Hydraulic Tilting Suspension), rather than the heavy and expensive to repair mechanical system used by Piaggio. The weight saving is huge, (65kg’s less than an MP3 500) which means the 27bhp engine is quick enough off the mark and will see around 85mph at the top end. The hydraulic system is locked when you apply the handbrake, it also acts as an added anti theft device because the handbrake can’t be released until the steering lock is taken off. Once you release the handbrake the scooter can support itself at a standstill if upright, so rather than putting your feet down you can balance it. It does take a bit of concentration but is less fiddly than the slow speed locking system used by its competitors.

The Quadro S handles extremely well, has plush suspension and plenty of ground clearance so it isn’t fazed by much, in fact I found it impossible to upset the mean looking machine. Surprisingly there’s no ABS but the brakes are fantastic with loads of feel and plenty of bite. The rear lever operates all three discs simultaneously and the front lever can be used independently to scrub off unwanted speed, although you’ll probably find yourself using mainly the rear lever most of the time. That concept will be quite alien to most bike riders, who rarely use a rear brake.

Well equipped

As with all scooters, weather protection, comfort and storage space are important attributes. The Quadro S has a large space beneath the seat, plenty big enough for my Arai, with enough room left over for a rucksack. There’s also a rear rack that can take a top box and you get three cubbyholes up front, one with a 12v charger fitted. The riding position is comfortable, for both rider and pillion and the fairing keeps most of the weather at bay but the standard screen is quite short so it’s a bit noisy at motorway speeds. The dash is clear and includes a tacho and digital display for speed, trips, fuel etc., although the fuel gauge flashes much earlier than it needs to. It came on at just 65miles but had only used 8.5 of the 13-litre tank when I filled it up, slightly annoying. There’s also a large dated looking digital temp gauge on either side of the front cockpit, one for ambient temperature, the other for engine temp, not pretty but useful nevertheless.

Can I ride it on a car licence?

If you enjoy riding, have a full car or bike licence and want to have fun even during the worst weather conditions the Quadro S is the ideal machine for the job. You won’t have more fun in winter on anything else. The scooter comes with a two-year warranty and a nationwide dealer network is being set up for the emerging brand. Although the Quadro may not come with ABS and traction control, at £5999 on the road it makes a very competent and cheaper alternative to the Piaggio. Quality is good, the engine is nippy and the technology works perfectly.

Who are Quadro?

Quadro are a Swiss based, Italian owned company. The scooters are designed in Europe, the HTS system is produced in Italy and the scooters are manufactured in Taiwan. You may have spotted a minor flaw in the brand name for this new three-wheeled scooter but that’s only a temporary measure because Quadro will be launching a four-wheeled scooter later this year and also an off road adventure model. We’ll be one of the first to ride that one as well…