One of many Peugeot scooters in Paris. In this case a "Sum Up" 125cc.

Hot on the heels of my recent adventures in SE Asia, I’m now fortunate to be spending a few days in Paris and plan on having updates for you over the next couple of days on my two-wheeled finds here.

Today’s subject is no small thing. National pride.

In today’s world, technology seems to have shrunk the planet into one homogeneous goop with instant access to products (and cultures) from all over the world. With this in mind, it’s refreshing to find so many Parisian scooterists maintaining their national pride and choosing to buy local in the form of their passion for French-built Peugeot scooters.

Sure there are plenty of Piaggio built steeds on the roads here (after all Pontedera is not that far away) and even a fair share of Asian bikes, but I’m surprised by the amount of Peugeot scooters doing the rounds. In fact I’m surprised to learn that Peugeot continues a healthy contemporary line-up of scoots with no less than ten current models in their 2010 stable.

A little digging reveals that Peugeot debuted its first scooter, the S55 in 1953 at the Paris Exhibition and the company has produced scoots every since. In 1984 Honda acquired a 25% stake in the company. Now Chinese company Qingqi own a 50% stake in the company and Peugeot badged bikes debuted in China earlier this year. Many of the lower-cost scooters within the current Peugeot range are now being manufactured in China as a result.

The Peugeot S55.

While Peugeot scooters aren’t available in the US they are available outside of France in a number of countries including the UK and our friends up north, Canada.

A clear current favorite among Parisians is the Peugeot Satelis “Executive.” A Suzuki Burgman like machine, the bike includes other things a retractable ABUS security lock and chain coming out of it’s trunk that’s anchored to the bike’s chassis. A nice extra given that every Parisian scooterist I see here locks their bikes regularly. A city of two-wheeled theft?

The Peugeot Satelis Executive 500cc.

For more information on a couple of the scooters mentioned here  you can read a review of the Peugeot Sum Up over at LondonBikers.com or visit the official Satelis page at Peugeot’s English language UK website. There is also a great site for vintage 1950s Peugeot scooters.

Related posts:

1. NYCS visits Paris – Day One Hot on the heels of my recent adventures in SE...
2. NYCS visits Paris – Day Four Hot on the heels of my recent adventures in SE...
3. NYCS visits Paris – Day Three Day three in France and the observation that French scooterists...
4. NYCS visits SE Asia – Part 3 In this third and final part I leave Cambodia behind...
5. NYCS Visits Munich Three whirlwind days in Munich was all it took to...