Harry Mottram took a spin around Bristol on the latest Italian three-wheeler the Gilera Fuoco 500

Motorists of the world shake off your chains and embrace freedom. Or at least get out of your car and ride a Gilera Fuoco 500. It's the revolutionary new way to commute. No more queues going to work, cheaper than a new charabanc, a fraction of its running costs, and a car-driver-friendly innovation: three wheels.

Emerging from the same factory as Piaggio's confusingly titled MP3, the more sporty Gilera is very similar to last year's three-wheeler from the Italian designers. The MP3 sold 10,000 in the first six months of its existence, which for a commuter bike is very good. Not surprisingly, Gilera have huge confidence that this racier version will enjoy the same sort of success as the 125 and 250 manifestations of the MP3. It might even do better with the ever growing traffic congestion in Bristol, Bath and seemingly everywhere these days. The bike (or should I say trike?) came out earlier this summer, and is now available in our area. I took the 500cc machine at Fowlers for a spin round the streets of Bristol to see whether it lives up to the rave reviews the Piaggio version.

I pulled back the throttle as I cruised up Temple Way and was immediately flashed by the lcd road sign telling me to slow down. On the M32 I could give the bike a blast along the Queen's highway at full throttle and noted the bike's top speed of 90mph is easily reached. You find yourself crouching down as the seating position leaves your head and chest too exposed for high speed, although the bike has a hefty front bumper, panels and windscreen to protect you from the worst of elements. Tucking your feet into the footwell, you could ride the scooter with only a jacket on without having to don heavy duty trousers and bike boots for short journeys, due to the protection given.

It's the two front wheels that always attract the attention of passers-by when you park and motorists as you ride around town. How on earth do they work? A magic switch by the throttle allows you to lock the two front wheels when it's stationery or travelling at walking pace, meaning you don't have to put your feet down. This neat innovation allows you to park the bike without having to hump it onto a side-stand, and there's a hand-brake to ensure it won't roll away.

As soon as you apply the throttle, the locked front wheels free themselves and give you double grip as you ride along, slanting and adjusting themselves to the road. As I cornered the Old Market roundabout I saw the road ahead had been cold-planed – the top surface having been scraped off exposing man-hole covers and strange mounds of gravel. These temporary roadworks are the bane of biker's lives, as they can cause a bike to slide. The Gilera Fuoco 500 doesn't experience the slide problem due to the extra grip from those dual wheels at the front. A fat rear tyre gives the ride a more even balance to conventional scooters, and this stability is something new bikers will appreciate.

Although it's quite heavy, the Fuoco is easy to manoeuvre when parking or pushing in and out of front gardens and side alleys. It is no larger than any other maxi-scooter and could be ridden by the slenderest of riders.

The engine has been adapted from the Piaggio X9 and Gilera Nexus 500 and feels (if anything) slightly underpowered at higher speeds. But in town it's quick off the blocks and leaves cars standing the lights. Which is after all, one of the crucial social roles given to motorbikes in life: to make cars look slow and cumbersome.

The passenger seat has chunky hand-grips behind it, which double-up as a clip-on storage rack, although the bike has lots of space to stow the shopping including your helmet. The ride is smooth and the handling is light and easy. It's a bike that motorists have been waiting for.

Our steer on the Gilera Fuoco 500.

Motorist-friendly three-wheeler maxi-scooter.

Expensive at £5,500.

Cheap to run at approximately 62 miles to the gallon.

Zippy 4-valve, liquid cooled, 4-stroke 492cc engine.

40hp at 7,250 rpm.

About 100miles between refuelling.

Details from www.gilera.com

For a test ride and information contact Matthew at Fowlers on 0117 9725507.