MotorBikes: Peugeot Ludix One (moped) Those amongst us whose hair, what little there is left, is now more silver than grey will be able to recall the days when motorcycles were simple.
A kick to start, no ignition switch or key. Press a button to stop. In those days you could leave your bike parked in the High Street full sure it would be there when you came back. The idea of having to chain it to a lamp post simply never occurred to us.
How times have changed. By way of compensation we have sophisticated alarms, digital engine management systems, ABS and a whole host of technology which, ostensibly, is meant to make our lives easier. When they do go wrong, some of us hanker for the days of simple, elegant technology.
Today, when even one's mobile phone can do 101 things you would never want to do with a phone, it's refreshing to come across a product that makes a virtue of simplicity.
Meet the Peugeot Ludix One scooter. This is just about a basic as can be. It's a 50 cc moped, with a two-stroke engine and nothing at all in the way of luxury. There's no stowage space under the seat, nor electric indicators on the basic model. There is a horn, with all the stridence of a door bell. There's no electric start, and no battery to worry about. In the Ludix philosophy such things are fripperies.
The Ludix One is the most basic of Peugeot's new Ludix range of six 50 cc mopeds. The main differences are in wheels, with base models on 10-inches and higher specced versions on 14-inches. The only other differences are headlamp size and the colour of the plastic body panels.
In terms of looks, the Ludix is an essay in simplicity and functionality. The aim being to offer low-cost scooters with a distinctive avant-garde design. Taking the low-cost criteria, with the Ludix One retailing at just € 1,399, it has to be as inexpensive as anyone could reasonably expect for personal mobility.
As far as design goes, beauty being in the eyes of the beholder, you may not rate it highly, but it is distinctive and what you see is there for a purpose.
We have all learnt from hard-earned experience that we get what we pay for. So we just had to try out the Ludix to see if the adage held true. We did, and were quite surprised.
We did not relish foregoing electric start after years of being cossetted. There was no need to worry. A child could kick start the engine and, there's so little that can go wrong - not even a choke - that it started first time, every time.
As soon as you open the throttle, this tiny machine is raring to go. The absence of the usual "extras" means that the power-to-weight ratio is very good. In turn, the performance is much better than you would expect. This is one gutsy little machine that buzzes along like a worker bee on a mission.
Being a moped it has a "designed maximum" speed of 45kph. With a near 13-stone rider aboard the Ludix achieved over 60 kph on the flat, and even on the most severe gradient we could find never dropped below 45 kph.
Reach for the brakes and these are good, old-fashioned cable brakes. We were really surprised how smooth and progressive they are. So much so that we can think of several complex, costly hydraulic brake systems which are less efficient.
Now this is not a machine for the world tour, for motorways, even fast dual carriageways but if your journeys are within the urban 40mph limits, or off the faster National Roads in the country, this simple, unpretentious machine would serve as well as any 50cc moped and perform a good deal better than some we have experienced costing twice as much. So, if all you want is simple, reliable transport at the least price the Peugeot Ludix has a lot going for it.
Tech spec
ENGINE: 49.9 cc, single-cylinder, two-stroke, single carburettor, CVT transmission, producing 3.2kw @ 7,100 rpm
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 1,645 mm. Seat height 710 mm. Fuel tank: 5.8 litres
INSURANCE: Group 1
OPTIONS: Helmets, windscreens, top cases, side spoilers, driver leg covers, pannier bags etc
PRICE: 1,399, warranty 2 years unlimited mileage