Scooters are slick and hip but some of them can be a little slow. Looks are important but so is performance, especially if you're using your stylish scooter for more than a weekend jaunt to the coffee shop. But, a "Best Of" scooter like the X9 Evolution 500 by Piaggio is both a beauty and a beast on the road, delivering pulse-quickening performance with all the style you'd expect from Europe's largest manufacturer of two-wheeled vehicles. If you've got a need for speed, consider that the X9 Evolution 500 tops out at 98 mph, thanks to an advanced electronic injection engine that still exceeds EPA environmental standards. The three-disk brake system brings high speeds to a halt safely, while the windscreen adjusts to three positions for maximum comfort. Luxury amenities include a 12V socket to recharge your cell phone, foldaway seat cover, an under-seat compartment large enough to store a full-face helmet and analog and digital instrumentation panel with an on-board computer.

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