In a motorcycle world fuelled by conformity, it’s great to see a small Italian company really pushing the boundaries and making two wheels exciting again.
Earlier this week, we were at EICMA to see Italjet launch two very impressive new scooters. The brand spanking new Italjet Roadster 400 and the Dragster 459 Twin. It’s fair to say that Italjet stole the show as far as I’m concerned, and they make no apology for ripping up the rule book when it comes to design.
VIDEO | Italjet Roadster 400
Italjet Roadster 400
We were secretly shown an early concept for this scooter in a back room at EICMA in 2024; this year, it sits proudly on the stand as a 95% finished model and will be going into production around this time next year.
Italjet supremo, Massimo Tartarini, has a vision, sketches it and lets his small team turn it into reality. It’s a very unorthodox way to design a machine. Most bikes are built on a platform starting from the chassis up. Italjet designs from the heart, with the end result being the most important factor. The engineers must work with Massimo’s vision, bringing it to life without compromise.
Not built, but sculptured
The Roadster is always going to divide opinion; Italjet don’t care. This is a scooter built with passion. If it sells, it sells. They could have played it safe and built something more mundane, but they chose to leave that to 90% of the world’s two-wheeled manufacturers. You can never accuse Italjet of sticking to the rule book.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the features of this retro-inspired scooter.
Powerful
At its heart sits a Honda-derived 394cc single-cylinder engine. The engine is automatic and makes 41.5bhp at 7,500rpm, there is 41.2Nm of torque at 6,000rpm and it has a dry weight of 151kg. It should be a lot of fun.
The twin radiators sit on either side of the scooter and aren’t exactly hidden away; they have air ducts big enough for one of the RAF’s Typhoons, and Italjet has made a feature out of them.
Dynamic Linkage Articulated Steering
The single-sided front suspension arm is reminiscent of the Dragster’s setup, but this is a Dynamic Linkage Articulated Steering system (DLAS). It’s Italjet’s patented system, said to enhance steering precision through a scissor-type linkage. The lower arm integrates the front wheel spindle and fixed brake mount and gives riders a choice to fine-tune the suspension depending on their riding style.
How long?
Our socials went wild when we released images of the Roadster, and people asked about its seemingly long wheelbase. It actually shares the exact same wheelbase as the 459 Twin – that’s 1540mm (in comparison, a Yamaha TMAX and Suzuki Burgman 400 are 1580mm, whilst a Vespa GTS is 1380mm).
Designer labels
The Roadster will come with an Akrapovic exhaust; the one-into-two system protrudes cheekily from its well-sculpted rear end. A top spec centrally-mounted Öhlins shock is in full view between the carbon end cans. If you’re going to have designer labels, you might as well shout about them. Up front, twin discs and cleverly integrated Nissin brake callipers take up most of the front wheel and should help this sporty scooter stop very well.
Special edition?
Italjet usually launch a premium/limited edition model first, so I assume the base model will arrive later and get cheaper suspension, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Distinctive
The scooter is crafted on top of an aluminium frame with dummy intake manifolds below the single NISA seat, giving the scooter a distinctive look (like it needs any help in that department). There is actually storage beneath the seat so it isn’t quite as impractical as it looks! I asked about taking a pillion and was told that only 15% of riders take a pillion, how it looks is the important thing. However, there is every chance a dual seat will arrive as an accessory.
The trellis frame and most exterior parts of the Roadster are built from high-grade steel and aluminium.
There’s no doubt about it, this scooter will demand attention and be a talking point wherever it goes. It’s packed with true Italian style, built from the heart and will be coming to the road next year. The Roadster is the kind of machine that could park happily alongside any Italian supercar, or sports bike and get most of the attention.
Retail price
Despite its high spec, the estimated retail price for the Roadster is €7,500 (£6604), which is around the price of a new Vespa GTS 310. There may well be a 125 version coming as well.
Let us know in the comments what you think of this piece of automotive art.
Dragster 459 Twin
You may have read our recent feature on “The new urban superbike” Dragster 700; if not, you can read about it here.
Shown as the 559 Twin at last year’s EICMA, we thought that the lower capacity Italjet Dragster Twin had been dropped in favour of the 700, so it was a nice surprise to see it taking centre stage on the Italjet stand – albeit as a production-ready 459 Twin.
The 459 is built on the same frame as the 700 and is set to join the Italjet stable next spring, but it has a couple of features that set it apart from its bigger brother.
VIDEO | Italjet Dragster 459 Twin
Twin cylinder engine
At its heart, the 459 uses a 449cc liquid-cooled inline twin-cylinder engine. It makes an impressive 48bhp at 9,500rpm and has 41Nm of torque at 8,000rpm. The engine is automatic but has a trick up its sleeve. It comes with SmartShift – Intelligent Automatic Transmission. This system seamlessly merges auto and manual modes by utilising an electronic clutch and gear actuators, ensuring lightning-fast, smooth shifts in both modes.
Handlebar-mounted shift buttons take care of manual shifts if and when required, giving the rider flexibility.
Italjet Stiffness Adjustment System
Inspired by MotoGP technology and refined by Italjet, the Italjet Stiffness Adjustment System (ISAS) allows riders to fine-tune rear suspension depending on different riding conditions. From city riding, to urban commuting and fast road or track riding, ISAS offers a new level of adaptability.
Arriving March
The Italjet Dragster 459 Twin is set to arrive in March 2026 and will be priced at €9,900 (£8721), which isn’t a bad price at all for such a sporty machine.
Keep your eye on SLUK and Italjet for the latest news on these scooters. We hope to be riding them soon..
VIDEO | Italjet Dragster Black Edition
Black Edition
If you’re a Dragster fan, there are a couple of developments you may well be interested in. Firstly, Italjet are to introduce a Black Edition.
More blackness to come
The scooter on display still had a red frame, but that will be gloss black on the production models. All the details you’d expect to be blacked out will be, engine casing, wheels, front SIS arm, the sculptured holes through the frame, side stand, levers, indicators, exhaust, etc. It should look pretty cool.
Touring seat
There will also be a Touring seat available, which will give the taller Dragster rider a bit more room to move around and of course be useful for a pillion.
UK Italjet distribution?
Italjet customers and potential customers in the UK have been left in the lurch since the original Italjet distributor parted ways with the Italian firm.
We asked what was happening in the UK and were told that they had some meetings planned with potential distributors during EICMA, and they’re confident that things will be signed and sealed in time for 2026.
We’ll look forward to getting the brand back in our dealers as soon as possible…
Iggy
Italjet shopping at ScooterLab
Whether you’re an original Dragster fan or a new one, ScooterLab has various accessories available in our shop.
Absolutely love the Italjet Roadster 400! The retro-futuristic design is straight out of the graphic novel The Originals by Dave Gibbons, where sharply dressed hover scooter riders battle unkempt leather clad hover bikers on a Bank Holiday in a massive resort Leisure Dome. Just fantastic. I always liked the Velocifero back in the day and hoped they might relaunch it with a bigger lump but this will do nicely!