120mph scooter - would you?

[GingerNinja]

Seen reports of Gilera's new GP800 scooter?



850cc V-twin engine with 75bhp in a scooter? NICE!

Pics from here: www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2006/11/18/nosplit/mfbike18.xml

Details from here: www.motorcycledaily.com/15november06_aprilia.htm

[hugoagogo]

GingerNinja said:

would you?

no

[remal]

hugoagogo said:

GingerNinja said:

would you?

no

seconded

[Rawwr]

No.

[Fire99]

umm nope.. it looks a bit big for a scooter

[jvaughan]

Hmmm looks interesting...
Did 50mph on a Go Ped last year ... that was scary

[GingerNinja]

[redacted]

[JustTheTip]

Not even if I knew I wouldn't be seen on it.

[jvaughan]

Read an interesting article in a mag a few years ago where they took one of the big yamaha scooters for a 1000 mile blast down though france with some sports bikes. The sports bikers were complaining about back ache / posture etc after a few hundred miles, but the big scoot rider was chilled out and in complete comfort.
I think the overall consensus is there is a place for big scoots of you want to cover lots of mileage and still beable to walk afterwards. the performance wasnt up with the sports bikers, but it was still able to hold 100mph plus on the motorways

[hugoagogo]

GingerNinja said:

Are those saying no purely as it has a scooter silhouette?

yes, because all scooters are inherently flawed by their little wheels and screwed up weight distribution. yes it has some storage space, but that's what luggage is for

[hugoagogo]

jvaughan said:

Read an interesting article in a mag a few years ago where they took one of the big yamaha scooters for a 1000 mile blast down though france with some sports bikes. The sports bikers were complaining about back ache / posture etc after a few hundred miles, but the big scoot rider was chilled out and in complete comfort.
I think the overall consensus is there is a place for big scoots of you want to cover lots of mileage and still beable to walk afterwards. the performance wasnt up with the sports bikers, but it was still able to hold 100mph plus on the motorways

there are plenty of comfortable alternatives in the middle of those two extremes (scooters and sports bikes) that can handle much better than a scooter (handle any kind of emergency manoeuvre at 100 plus on the motorway for example)

[jvaughan]

This is true, but I know some older people that have given up gears and clutch levers due to joing problems in favour of twist and go.

I understand what you mean about the wheel thing, riding my At with a 21" front wheel gives me an advantage over sports bikes too

[hugoagogo]

wasn't it gilera that demo'ed a naked bike with an 'automatic' transmission a few years ago? maybe was even the same engine

[hugoagogo]

jvaughan said:

riding my At with a 21" front wheel gives me an advantage over sports bikes too

everyone knows you only need a 16" front wheel

[victormeldrew]

hugoagogo said:

GingerNinja said:

Are those saying no purely as it has a scooter silhouette?

yes, because all scooters are inherently flawed by their little wheels and screwed up weight distribution. yes it has some storage space, but that's what luggage is for

Luggage as in top boxes way above CofG or panniers behind the rear axle? Screwed up weight distribution indeed! Those wheels don't look any smaller than the 16" jobbies on 500 GP bikes of the eighties, and they managed OK.

I have considered a big scoot as a commuter vehicle - they just make a lot of sense. There's no way I'd do a 50 mile motorway jaunt on a Lambretta, but on one of these you get a quick and comfortable ride with somewhere to store your kit when you get there - and because you're not contorted like a pretzel, and have some weather protection, you can wear a suit under protective gear and look smart when you arrive. I work at home mostly these days, or I'd have one by now.

As someone who actually went to, er, Easter breaks at Scarborough clad in leather and denim, I can't beleive I just posted that.

[hugoagogo]

hugoagogo said:

wasn't it gilera that demo'ed a naked bike with an 'automatic' transmission a few years ago? maybe was even the same engine

just clicked the link at the top, it's now an aprilia!

victormeldrew said:

hugoagogo said:

GingerNinja said:

Are those saying no purely as it has a scooter silhouette?

yes, because all scooters are inherently flawed by their little wheels and screwed up weight distribution. yes it has some storage space, but that's what luggage is for

Luggage as in top boxes way above CofG or panniers behind the rear axle? Screwed up weight distribution indeed! Those wheels don't look any smaller than the 16" jobbies on 500 GP bikes of the eighties, and they managed OK.

if those are any where near 16" wheels that is a looooong wheelbase, and all the weight is over the back

edit: just looked up gileras current 500 big scoot, it has 15/14 inch rims

Edited by hugoagogo on Monday 20th November 14:33

[victormeldrew]

You got to love Google translations

Edited by victormeldrew on Monday 20th November 14:50

[victormeldrew]

hugoagogo said:

hugoagogo said:

wasn't it gilera that demo'ed a naked bike with an 'automatic' transmission a few years ago? maybe was even the same engine

just clicked the link at the top, it's now an aprilia!

victormeldrew said:

hugoagogo said:

GingerNinja said:

Are those saying no purely as it has a scooter silhouette?

yes, because all scooters are inherently flawed by their little wheels and screwed up weight distribution. yes it has some storage space, but that's what luggage is for

Luggage as in top boxes way above CofG or panniers behind the rear axle? Screwed up weight distribution indeed! Those wheels don't look any smaller than the 16" jobbies on 500 GP bikes of the eighties, and they managed OK.

if those are any where near 16" wheels that is a looooong wheelbase, and all the weight is over the back

edit: just looked up gileras current 500 big scoot, it has 15/14 inch rims

www.scootersales.com.au/News-228-eicmamilan2006.aspx - 16" front, 15" rear.

Edited by victormeldrew on Monday 20th November 14:43

[hugoagogo]

so it is long then, 1593mm wheelbase, longer than a pan euro

a practical alternative to a cruiser or something, fair enough
but 75 bhp, 235 kg dry is not a sports bike

does it have any advantage over something like a honda deauville or pc800 (grey import) as a commuter?

[victormeldrew]

It's not pig ugly?

Edited by victormeldrew on Monday 20th November 14:54