FANCY getting about town swiftly and cheaply? Then look no further than a 50cc scooter.

It will destroy rush hour traffic and whiz you from north to south, east to west so fast you'll be able to pack so much more into your day.

And you can do it in style thanks to Peugeot's new Kisbee.

I travelled to Amsterdam, city of bicycles and small capacity scooters, to get a first ride on the Kisbee.

The bike's appearance catches the eye. So many 50cc scooters nowadays look like cheap China imports. But the Kisbee is clearly of Peugeot quality with its stylishly shaped fairing and twin headlamps, and attention to detail including funky instrument panel.

Sadly, there's no clock in the instrument panel which is always so useful for knowing whether you'll make it in time for that appointment or whether you need to filter that little bit faster.

It does get a petrol gauge however. And it's also the first scooter to get Peugeot's re-designed lion badge.

Peugeot has put a lot of effort into the design of its Kisbee.

As I prepare for my ride along Amsterdam's canals I note how well equipped the Kisbee is. It has two helmet hangers as well as underseat storage that accommodates my full-faced Arai.

A bag hook at the front complements the flat floorboards, which means you can carry loads of shopping bags especially if you go for the optional top box - a must that lets you store waterproofs, jacket and over-trousers so no one would know you've travelled by bike.

Spark up the engine and twist the throttle and Peugeot's new 49.9cc air-cooled four-stroke picks up rapidly off the throttle, building good speed¦ until you hit a limiter at 30mph.

This is a machine aimed at teenagers and young adults who haven't past their test yet, so they're not allowed a full-powered bike.

I would ask the dealer to de-restrict it before I even pick it up though as 30mph is dangerously slow; it manages 45mph otherwise, more than enough for big city riding.

Frequent petrol stops can be a nuisance of 50cc scooters especially as the throttle tends to be kept wide open.

But the Kisbee's economical engine and seven litre tank mean you can manage more than 100 miles without stopping.

As for handling, it's so fun and agile you'll have a blast flowing through the back roads and scything through rush-hour traffic like it doesn't exist.

The 12-inch aluminium wheels help the front telescopic forks and rear shock suspension soak up the potholes for a comfortable ride.

The brakes have a front disc and rear drum set-up, and this works perfectly. As for the rear, you don't need harsh braking here as most of the stopping is done with the front, where the weight transfers as you decelerate. This means rear drum brakes are more than sufficient on such a lightweight machine, while keeping manufacturing costs low.

And costs really are low: the introductory price is a mere £1,399 then £1,499 in the new year, about what you'd pay in an annual travel card in a big city except that instead of ending up empty-handed at the end of the year, you're left with a machine that, if you treat it well, will last you years.

Annual road tax is £15, insurance is a pittance and you don't pay congestion or parking charges. Plus you'll never have to go near an overcrowded tube or bus again, and you'll be able to plan your journeys as you won't be held hostage to the wrong leaves on the track or engineering work at the weekends.

In the meantime, I've visited all the tourist sites of Amsterdam in one afternoon.

And in the progressive Netherlands it's not just the teenagers who understand the worth of a 50cc scooter - people approaching free bus pass age can be seen riding round on them.

Whatever your age, a 50cc can unlock the doors to freedom of travel in big cities.

: £1,499

: 49.9cc, four-stroke, air-cooled, single-cylinder

: 3.67bhp, 45mph top speed when de-restricted

: Telescopic forks at the front, single shock at the rear

: 170mm disc set-up at front, 110mm drum brake at rear

: Black Pearl, Polar White, Orange Coral, Blue Celeste