Benelli RFS 150I

It is easy to predict that the Benelli RFS 150 is one of the finest and most stylish products in the entire moped segment of Malaysia. The scooter, in typical Benelli fashion, has an Italian flair in its design, which goes well with the slim body design of it.

The frontal stance of the Benelli RFS 150I has got a sharp and big essence to it, thanks to the wide front apron. The headlamp is mounted in the conventional positioning on the handlebar, but its vertical layout is something which makes it look unique. However, what really catches the fancy are the daytime running LEDs on the lower center portion of the front apron, which makes the RFS 150 look very premium. The turn indicators too have nice vertical positioning on the side edges of the apron.

The side profile of the RFS 150I carries the sporty intentions of the front in a very well manner. The side body panels have a very nice Y-shaped theme, starting from the side edges of the front apron and going all the way to the rear tailpiece in a curvy fashion. The stepped theme for the single piece seat as well as the split pillion grab rails are something which the RFS 150 has got the inspiration from the more premium sport motorcycles. The long single exhaust pipe, however, looks functional. At the rear, the RFS 150 has got a very minimalist appeal, thanks to a small tailpiece and a tiny tail lamp nestled in the center.

The instrument console of the RFS 150 is easily the most modern looking unit among that of all the mopeds from other makers put together. The part digital console here consists of an analog tachometer and LCD screen for speedometer, odometer, trip meter, fuel gauge, and engine temperature gauge.

The Benelli RFS 150’s excellent performance is well complemented with the agile riding dynamics. The well-balanced chassis comprises of upside-down telescopic forks at the front and oil damped telescopic coil spring with single shock absorber at the rear. The suspension of the RFS150I, especially the front setup, is quite advanced in this segment, which along with the large 17-inch wheels, makes the overall handling quite sharp and precise. Even the braking setup is quite one up over its rivals, with the RFS 150 getting a 240mm disc at the front and a 220mm disc at the rear.

Under the flashy skin of the Benelli RFS150I is a rather modest powertrain, which is a four-stroke, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 149.8cc engine. However, considering the competition, it produces the segment best performance figures – 15.6PS of maximum power and 12.8Nm of torque, which makes it equally powerful as any other 150cc sporty commuter motorcycle. The engine has been coupled to a 6-speed gearbox, which channels the power produced to the rear wheel via a chain drive.

The Benelli RFS 150 is packed with excellent mechanical hardware, however, the one aspect where it surely feels a bit lacking is the safety feature list. Except for the presence of the disc brakes at both the front and rear, the RFS 150 misses out on any other safety feature, even ABS or a combined braking setup.

As far as the overall packaging goes, the Benelli RFS 150I is one very strong product. The RFS 150 might belong to the entry-level moped category, but feels very premium thanks to its global styling, powerful engine and excellent mechanicals under the skin. Keeping aside a couple of small niggles, the Benelli RFS 150 is one go-to moped which will surely give you the premium feel over other mopeds.