GILERA RUNNER 200: This scooter really does do justice to the famous Italian racing name.
It is quite fitting that Gilera, the Italian brand that dominated motorcycle racing in the 1950s, produces the sportiest scooters on the market.
For Gileras are the red-headed stepchildren of the Piaggio family, lacking the both the civilised elegance of their Vespa siblings and the understated practicality of the scoots that Piaggio markets under its own name. The Gilera range ends with an exclamation mark in the form of the world's fastest scooter - the 800cc V-twin- powered GP800. The single- cylinder 500cc Nexus is a scoot I'd happily tour the South Island on just for the opportunity to sling it over all those serpentine alpine passes. However, the best Gilera - in my opinion - is the one you'll find several steps down market from these two over-achievers with five-figure price tags.
Looking like a three-quarter- scale Nexus, the VXR200 Runner costs $7790 and, at three grand less than its big bro, it arguably delivers better bang-for-buck.
The shorter wheelbase of the Runner is what really attracts me.
The laws of physics dictate that the shorter the distance between the front and rear wheels of any motorcycle, the less the bike has to lean over to negotiate a corner at a given speed. This means the Runner can carve through turns at higher speeds than the elongated Nexus before anything touches down.
The 200 is such a little ripper that it encourages its rider to constantly seek out chicanes as a source of cheap yet highly enjoyable riding thrills. I can't think of any other scooter that is such a willing partner in lean angle crime. The Runner's lighter mass also makes it a more flickable ride than the Nexus. At 129 kilograms, there's more than 50kg less to accelerate, brake and chuck around than the larger single- cylinder Gilera. Both scoots have been designed to carve up corners like Alison Holst does a roast dinner, their design distributing more weight on to the front wheel and raising the rider's seat higher than the scooter norm, creating higher centres of gravity to aid manoeuvrability and room for increased cornering clearance.
Cruiser bikes are easy meat for both Gileras on a twisting stretch of country road, and are quickly left behind to file away bits of their precious metal on the road.
Another factor in the Gilera Runner's potential to be a bike that Geoff Duke would enjoy riding is the generous wheel/tyre package Piaggio has fitted to the bike. The 14 front and 13 rear hoops are closer to motorcycle size than most scoots, and come clad with fat, sticky tyres. With a 120/70 front and a 140/60 rear, the Runner has wider contact patches on the road than most 250cc motorcycles. This means that in emergency stops, the limiting factor isn't the rubber. You can nail the tyres to the road with the reasonably strong disc brakes fitted at both ends of the Runner and the bike will simply haul itself to a halt in a surprising hurry. Gilera's 200cc fuel- injected four-stroke single has been around for half a decade now but age has not wearied its Euro 3-compliant performance. It is capable of placing the Runner in a smooth 'n' easy motorway cruising mode that will have 120kmh registered on the bike's digital speedo (and about 109kmh on the stationary highway patrolman's laser).
With a huge analogue tacho to monitor revs, you're always aware of how hard the engine is working. It loves to sit at 7000rpm on the open road and to let extra speed accumulate via the increasing friction of the belt- driven CVT (constantly variable transmission). Acceleration is handy around town and adequate on country roads, and the single is always careful with fuel.
Average consumption on test was 3.5litres/100km (67mpg), a figure that makes the 12.2-litre fuel tank last an impressive distance.
Weather protection is another of the Runner's strengths, as the bike comes with a screen as standard equipment, and has bodywork that flicks road-spray away from its rider. A nice touch is the louvres you can open by your ankles to let warm air from the radiator waft pass them on cold days. Those seeking the lockable luggage space associated with most scooters will have to find it elsewhere. Thanks to the design of the rigid hybrid motorcycle/scooter frame, there's room under the seat for a full-face helmet but little else.
However practicality be damned. This is a scooter you buy for its cutting-edge handling dynamics, handsome good looks, and oh-so-famous brand. Wearing a backpack to carry the shopping on occasion is a small price to pay for the fun the Runner provides.
AT A GLANCE
* Engine: 198cc liquid-cooled fuel-injected single, 15kW (21bhp) at 7000rpm, 43Nm at 5500rpm.
* Transmission: Belt-driven constantly-variable automatic.
* Frame: Steel tube with rear transaxle, 35mm telescopic front forks, dual rear shocks adjustable for spring preload.
* Price: $7790.
* Hot: The scooter that handles most like a motorcycle; frugal engine is more than motorway- capable.
* Not: Won't carry a shopping cart's worth of groceries; high seat height won't suit shorter riders
- The Press
No comments:
Post a Comment