VOL. 54 ISSUE 23 JUNE 13, 2017 P111
I
've saved the best—well,
the most fun—for last. The
Spade 150 is a miniature
motorcycle that packs
a great deal of joy into
its tiny package. Fitted
with 12-inch wheels, the
150's specifications don't
really do the machine
justice. After all, to see 11.8
horsepower on the spec
sheet doesn't sound too
promising. But crank the
little Spade over and blast
around the city streets and
you'll be enjoying a smile
fest.
Just 149.4cc in an
SOHC, four-stroke, four-
valve, air-cooled, single-
cylinder plant, is married to
a five-speed transmission
operated through a tradi-
tional clutch. The resulting
riding experience is laugh-
inducing, yet provides a
good deal of practical-
ity—especially if you have
another motorcycle in the
garage, as you don't have
to adjust the mindset of
a left lever brake versus
clutch, as is the case with
most scooters.
Weighing just 266.2
pounds wet, and with a
seat height of 28.1 inches,
the Spade is easily man-
aged by even the smallest
riders. Yet strangely, I was
able to ride the little Spade
for hours and not experi-
ence any cramping. Brak-
ing is handled by a single
220mm disc and two-
piston caliper on the front,
and a tiny 140mm drum
brake on the back end.
The brakes work fine given
the Spade's small size.
Suspension is provided by
a 37mm telescopic fork
with 3.74 inches of travel
on the front end, and the
dual shock system on the
back offering 3.39 inches
of travel. Ride is relatively
smooth and the units ab-
Spade 150
($2999)
The fun really
starts here
with the
Spade 150.
