Going to look at a Gilera Cougar (n bought a Suzuki Inazuma)

[MistreKul]

Hi there,

I'm going to go have a look at a Gilera Cougar (or is it Coguar?) and basically, me being a complete and absolute noob at anything bike related, I have no clue what to look out for, except looks.

So, is there a check list I need to keep in mind when I get there? The bike should be in pretty good nick, it's only done 4k, or so the owner says. It does look pretty mint in the pics, so that might actually be true.

Any advice highly appreciated!

Regards,
Gabriel

[Rogerborg]

Have you done a CBT? Were you paying attention to the pre-ride tests that they should have covered? If so, apply those, they're a good guide.

It should:

Start easily from cold. If it's hot when you arrive, walk away.
Stop when either brake is applied, and push easily when they're not.
Hold the front brake on and bounce the suspension hard. It should rebound easily. Check the fork stanchions (the chrome bit that goes into the leg) where they enter the leg for any signs of oil.
Exhaust shouldn't have any holes or signs of repair. They can be tricky to source.
Check all the electrics. If it's not working, it won't magically fix itself.
Try and go up and down all the gears, check that it shifts smoothly. Rev hard in each gear and check that it doesn't slip or jump out.

Any doubts, walk away, there are plenty of bikes out there.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[MistreKul]

Hey, cheers for taking the time to reply. I have not done the CBT yet, so it's safe to assume I genuinely am a complete noob. I have been considering a bike for a long time now, but never actually started doing anything, courses, riding, getting a bike.

I went to see the bike, it's not exactly as advertised, but it's not far off either. It's in a pretty good condition, there's a small rip on the saddle, few scratches all around, it's missing the cover of the battery compartment, but overall, it looks pretty nice. All electricals work (headlight, turn signals etc), but I could not start it as the tank was empty. Tried to start it, it looked like it wanted to start, but it would die immediately after starting. I put that down to the empty tank.

Another issue I spotted was that after I turned the fuel on (the switch beneath the tank) it would spill out some gas under the bike (the overflow?), I imagine that's the carb floater which might have failed.

I will probably go again tomorrow and try to start it and take it out for a ride (it's in the country side so no traffic or rozzers) just to make sure it shifts smoothly through all gears.

I will let you know if I buy it, and post some pics of it.

Again, thanks for the heads up on the check list, very much appreciated!

Regards,
Gab

[Teflon-Mike]

How old is it?
Early ones, ISTR were part of a rather bizarre breed, the Italian Hi-Po-Two-Stroke CRUISER
We don't generally recommend cruisers to newbies; small displacement engines don't 'cruise' while the perverse erganomics, weight distribution and geometry demanded for the 'style' tends to make them a little less 'helpful' for a new rider.... add a frantic hi-po two stroke engine, and GAWD! The mind boggles at the mes you might get into!

A you SURE you want a Learner-Cruiser-ette?

But back to how old the thing is, and is it an old two-stroke one? If so, I'd say don't even go see. Learner bikes lead hard lives at the hands of know-noffink learners who thrash'em, trash'em & Crash'em. Older they are the more thrahed, trashed and crashed they tend to get, and IF they have a racy high maintenance two stroke engine, in a bike that tends to be 'cheap' 'cos its a bt, well, actually very 'odd', likely even ore so; and odds on that the motor is well beyond fucked to buggery, and you are as likely to be handed a box of bits and told "Just needs a head gasket, mate' as handed the keys and told to start it up!

If it a newer four stroke one.. err, well, it'll be newer, ad you stand a chance it wont be AS thrashed, trashed and crashed... maybe... BUT, still a Learner-Cruiser-ette, AND an uncommon one, that has more in common with Chinky Chit than other L-Cruiserettes, by way of being one few have heard of, let alone seen, and buying bits by make and model, and the like, is likely to not be so easy and convenient as say a Yamaha YBR125. What it doesn't share with the Chinks is that it had a pretty hefty new-price tag, like a Honda, but wthout the same quality of finish.. so they tended to depreciate like buggery (like a Chink!)

So, I would be very hesitant of looking at one at all. COULD be a half decent bike, if you are lucky, and could be a real bargain, if it's not being sold by an over optimist; BUT, rare, and awkward to live with and not a great Newby bike.. I would have to be very desperate for wheels, and it would have to be a very big bargain to get me to go look at it; there's a LOT better ets for your money out there!

If I DID go look? Well, CONDITION IS ALL, and that's not the shiny bits; that's the greasy bits! But before getting to them; important checks are the paperwork; has it got a V5C, do the numbers match whats on the plate at the back and the ones on the head-stock? Does the address on it match where you are looking at the bike? Has the seller got any old paperwork for it; original bll of sale fro the dealer? Old MOT receipts? Reciepts for servce spares, like tyres, chain, spark-plugs or even paid mechanics servicing? Do they have the original Owners Book, perhaps the makers service log? Owners of 'genuine' bikes collect this shit as they go, and usually pas it on when they pass on the bike; if the bike don't have any, well, yeah they COULD have lost the folder when they moved, BUT.. could equally be that they haven't ever had an MOT or done any servicing or worst case, the bike don't belong to them!

NOW you can start looking at the bike... and as said condition under the shiny in the greasy is all.

Few will be able to thoroughly assess a bikes condition or faults on some-one elses driveway without a tool-kit and a cmplete stripdown... SO expect to have to do a bit of 'De-Bugging' on the thing if you buy it, when you get it home, and the week-end after... so save cash towards that... plan to do a full service as soon as you get t home, and expect to send as much again fixing faults that you uncover in the first 500miles or so of using the thing.

On the drive, all you can do is the basics; Is the chain red rusty or slack as a washer womans knockers? Do the bakes work? Does the suspension work? Dos the steering feel smooth? Are the tyrs pumped up, do they have tread on them? Does the engine start from cold? Do the keys fit the locks? There ARE keys for all the lock's aren't there? CHECK and try petrol cap lock, helmet lock and steering lock if separate to ignition. Is it all there? How many mirrors should it have? Are the side panels present? Is there any obviouse evidence or crash damage? Bent handle-bars, twsted forks, dented petrol tank etc.

Check ALL that stuff BEFORE rushing to start it up... and touch the engine make sure its cold before you do. Should start readily from cold. And you leave that check till last, cos those engine noises have a hypnotic effect, and make you forget everything else, urging you to hand over cash ad ride the thing. Don't succumb. Leave that check till last!

IF you decide to go look... like I said, its a rare and unusual machine, which generally means pain in the ass to live with, getting a bigger PITA the older they are, and learners can usually do without any more hassle or learning than they have to, hence not a top choice.

An early two-stroke one or a Cagva Red-Rose, I think it was, and I'm sure there was an Aprillia 2T Cruiserette too, MIGHT intrigue me enough to buy one purely for the novelty, if one came along cheap enough, VERY cheap enough; BUT not a bike I would be buying with ANY aspirations of every day livability or practicality and I would be expecting much potential hassle from the thing, and the 'novelty' to wear off pretty fast, while not being a bike I would have to learn to ride on, as well as lear its quirks and idiosyncrasies!. Later 4T versions don't even have the novelty value.

Think hard about it. Suzuki GZ 125 Marauder is a far better bet for a slow, ungainly L-Plate Cruiserette on a budget. A Honda 125 Shaddow is fatastic with its V-Twin, if you have the money, but still a bit slow and unweildy. But both reletively easy to live with. Even a Lexmoto Vixen! Still quirky, a bit of chink-chit, and more hassle prone to live with than it need be, it is at least common; most of the hassles other folk have already had, and off the shelf solutions available, and be just as 'cheap' if on a tight budget. Giller really has little to offer over any of them other than simply being that bit 'different', and a four or fve year old Yamaha YBR125 with a fresh MOT is still likely to be overall best value for money learne-bike you will find.
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Teflon-Mike]

[MistreKul]

@Teflon-Mike: WOW, dude, thanks for the effort you put into this reply! I will try to take one paragraph at a time and answer to my best knowledge. So here it goes:

It's a 2000 MY, it's a four strokes engine Honda replica (from what I've been reading). I've been looking at bikes with a low sitting position, as I'm not very tall (1.74m) and as a newbie, I want to be able to put both legs on the ground firmly at a traffic light or random stops. This also looks quite good, IMO, compared to other similar designs.

Am I sure I want a cruiser-ette? Yep, definitely makes all the right noises for me, looks, small engine, low and Italian! I like Italian design, not a very big fan of the engineering, but hey, can't have it all.

Regarding bikes history, it's covered ~4000 miles, so fairly good condition. Minor scratches and as I said, it's missing the battery cover, the saddle has a small rip in it and the front plastic fender has a small crack in it. Also small scratches on the headlight. All in all, visually, it seems to be good. Screws and nuts don't seem to have been fiddled with, as much as I've been able to inspect. Price also seems to be fair, the owner wants 600 pounds for it. Paperwork seems to be ok, there's no original bill but it does have the owners book and service log (just first service being done, as it only covered 4500 miles. No receipts for replacement parts, but I think it's fair to assume it didn't need any, given the mileage.

Now, regarding the greasy bits. They're not so greasy actually, everything is quite clean with no obvious spillage of fluids. All visible parts seem to be fairly new and clean. But since I wasn't able to start it, a visual inspection was all I could do. Sprocket and chain seemed in good working condition but I thought the slack was a bit too much. That being said, I have no clue how tight/loose it should be, as I never had a bike before. I was able to move the chain about 2 inches. Regarding saving some cash, I will be left with a couple hundred pounds to play with after buying it (if, at all). Suspension wise, the fork looked all right, no oil on it and good rebound, imo. The locks work a bit hard, you can tell it's been sitting for a while, but they are all there and all work on the same key. At least one side panel is mission, the one the covers the battery. I'm not sure if it's supposed to have another one on the other side, but it seems like stuff is a bit exposed there, so I assume there's another one missing on the left hand side, too. No obvious signs of crash except for a few minor scratches.

Regarding starting the engine, that was a no-no. I opened the tank cap (with some struggle, the lock was pretty much seized but I'm that's nothing that a squirt of WD40 wouldn't fix) and it was empty. The owner did say that on his last trip around the block it ran out of fuel and he didn't put any in it as he didn't want the bike to sit there with fuel in it. He's a truck driver and he spends most of his time away. He was away today as well, it was his wife that showed me the bike, I have only been talking to him on the phone.

The Marauder doesn't appeal to me visually and when similarly priced, they are pretty high on mileage. I would definitely love a Shadow, but they are way more expensive, for a decent example. I do not care for fast, as I am not confident going fast on two wheels. Yet. And the YBR125 just looks very.. well, chinky! Seems like the obvious choice for anyone living in Vietnam or the likes. It might sound snob and superficial, but if I'm to buy and ride a 125cc lawnmower, I want it to look good, at least. And the Coguar delivers in the looks dept.

Again, thank a bunch mate for taking the time to post this laborious post, it's very much appreciated! *thumbsup*


Now, regarding the non-starting issue and overflow spilling gas, I know what you mean and also thought about it, but maybe it's because it's been sitting in a shed for so long. How much of a problem do you think that would be? I've seen a thread here where there as bloke absolutely at his wits ends with this thing, seems like he wasn't able to fix this overflowing gas issue, despite taking the carb out several times. I'm thinking, worse come to worse, I would just buy a carb off a 125cc Honda and get done with it.

[Rogerborg]

Petrol leak could be as simple as a stuck float, and giving the carb a whack will sort it.

However, if it's been run down to the crud in the bottom of the tank then I'd be wary of it being stuck due to debris in the carb.

It could be sorted by a strip and clean (but the seals might be perished), and prevented by fitting a fuel filter. But you won't know until you've been in there.

Thing is, it's a 15 year old non runner with damage, missing pieces and a questionable parts supply. While 125s are always in demand, my starting offer would be "I'll do you a favour by taking it away for you."
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Teflon-Mike]

Low slung bum eh?
Yeah.. bit of a falacy that one; and you DONT ned to hav both feet flat on the floor. ONLY time you have both feet flat on the floor, your bum shouldn't be in the saddle! You ought to be pushing the ruddy thing from the side...
'Paddling' i somethig we do at the beach, not on a bike, and it is THE least stable way to manouver one around; only one foot is propping the bike up at a time, and its being asked to both prop and shove at the same time, so ost likely to slip, and if it does, bike will tip that way, leaving the other leg flapping uselessly the air as you go down n a tangle.
If you need to manoeuvre the thing, GET OFF, both feet on the floor, push the fucker like you were taught on CBT.

On the Road? At rest; CBT 'Safety Position'; Right boot ough tto be on the foot-peg applying or covering rear brake, NOT on the floor!

So you only need to touch the floor with your left boot.

Being able to flat-foot may offer some falce confidence, but like as to just get you into the habbit of not using the safety position, and letting you seek that falce confidence rather than get some REAL confidence!

OK? We have no more about 'flat-footing'? OR 'paddling' if you please.

Onto Cruisers riding position; IF you have a low slung bum, then your legs is probably not that long, and in all liklihood neither are your arms.

Floor to bum height on a bike is or little issue, as said, you shouldn't be flat-foting ANYWAY; what IS an issue, is bum to peg to handlebars! and Cruises tend to have 'foreward controls' the footrests placed a LONG way ahead of your bum, so perversely angled to work the controls, IF your short legs can actually reach them! Similarly, they tend to have high, wide 'ape-hanger' handlebars, to stretch your little arms out to full extent just to hold them straight,; to get full lock, one arm will have to grow OR you will have to lean the wrong way off the bike and shift your bum and twist so a not to let go of the throttle!

This DOES NOT make them 'easy to ride', and for a less than confident to tart with Newbie, who wants the assurance of being able to 'flat foot', its likely to make them bludy awful and scary to ride as they go all over shop, as you try and steer and work brakes and stuff... and its a problem you DONT NEED, to solve the NON-PROBLEM of not being able to flat-foot, which you shouldn't be doing anyway, remember.....

Italian Style... yeah, you are talking to a Member of the Guzzi club here... I look after a couple of wops... But I RIDE a Honda..... that one JUST WORKS!

It lacks character; and its predictability and reliability is astoundingly 'boring'... BUT I can live with that! Dang 'talians give me enough 'fun' with all their 'character' to rarely move off the driveway!!

From dscription, sounds like the bike might be a better one; BUT, here and now it DON'T WORK...

Niave optimism that sticky locks will unstick with a bit of WD40? yeah.... I take a pair of pliers with me when I go fill the Guzzi! Good luck with that!

Hopeful optimism, that the carb 'just needs cleaning' Ooh the chestnuts! They dont call talian Delorto's Delorfuls for nothing! They are deviousely designed to look so simple, so robust and promise such effectiveness... YET, soon as you undo one, they reveal themselves an instrument of mechanical torture! They are almost as bad as Spanish 'Bings'!

But you may be lucky.. might have a low rent copy of a Keihn PD on it.... that the Chinese have turned into an instrment of torture hybrdisng the variations of the design over thirty years, and flooding e-bay with float needles that dont fit the floats and jets izd to the Mikuni standard that aren't the same sizes even though the numbers stamped on them are....

It could be a GREAT 'project' if you want to learn bike mechaics, nd get to know specialist supplier, and learn italian, to translate the rare, expensive 'work-shop' manuals when you finally track one down on E-Bay Austria!

IF on the other hand, you want a MOTOR-BIKE.. to RIDE?

Well? Like I said, I have wops, I RIDE Honda's!

As a later 4-stroke, it lacks the novelty value to make the idiosyncrasy and possible hassles worth much in my book; as a 'cheap' learner bike, it would have to first, WORK! Then, it would have to be REALLY 'cheap' to make me consider it.

Looks and pose factor wont cut much with me. No one looks at you on a bike to begin with; hard enough making the ones that should actually 'see' you and not knock you off! So whether you look slightly more stylish when they aren't looking makes little odds really! And that 'dffferent' that might be a talking point at a 'meet', only works IF the damn thing gets you there! Sat on your drive, cursing the carburettor manifold gaskets and not being able to order one over the phone off any-one, is just 'hassle' and money spent on a bike not earning its keep getting you laces, and NOT 'fun'.

End of the day, its your call, BUT unless owner 'sorts' it so you can ride it away, you are NOT buying a motorbike, you are buying some-one elces 'problem', that THEY haven't been able not cant be arsed to fix.. and they want you to give them hard earned to take that problem off their hands?

That is what you need to think about; UNLESS the seller gets the thing sorted, running, MOT'd and ready to ride away, you are NOT buying a 'motorbike' you are buying a 'Project' by inference, buying 'Problems', before you even start.. and nave optimism, hopeful enthusiasm that 'its only' or 'just needs a little'.. are likely to be quickly pricked!

Bottom line.... right here, right now IT DON'T WORK.... and if you want a working bike, this ent one!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Polarbear]

Walk away if there are any issues unless you are getting it for pennies or you are quite happy to fix the stuff yourself. Costs mount very quickly when a mechanic is involved.

As said, plenty of other bikes around.
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[MistreKul]

Thanks for the input, guys! Mike, I have both felt bad about life choices so far and also laughed my effing arse off here! Dude, you definitely have a way with words!

All right, back to topic.. The owner assured me he would get the bike running if I decide to wait for him to come back (truck driver away through Europe, will be back in two weeks). I am fairly confident the bike will run with a bit of TLC. On the other hand, this is an import bike, which will need to be registered and MOT'd (albeit we call it something else here, I'm from Romania, btw). So that kind off puts me off, but then again, it IS a bargaining tool. Both the facts that it is not registered here (German import) and it's a non runner should give me enough leverage to get the bike for less than the 700 pounds advertised. I'm thinking something like 550-600. Now, the thing is, the bike has those fairings missing. And the overflow issue troubles me more than it theoretically should, after seeing a thread on this problem here, on another Gilera Coguar.

So, as an alternative, I could get a registered and MOT'd, fully running Gilera Coguar, for the same amount of money. It is 180 miles away and I will have to sort out a transport for it, van or something. That adds up to the price, but after all, this is a fully working bike. It's covered more mile, about 7000, compared to 4000 on the other bike. But it's still pretty low mileage. I've been talking to the owner and he says it only needs a front tire replacement (it's not worn but cracked), and it's good to go.

So now I'm torn between a possible bargain (4k mileage, service history, owner's book - non runner) and a fully working bike, registered and ready to go, but with slightly higher mileage. I don't know anything about its service records as I forgot to ask, but the owner sounded like an honest bloke, I sort of trust him, at a first glance. Will ask about it tomorrow.

Finally, to make things even harder, I have been offered a '98 Suzuki GSXF 750, in very good condition and full service history, 29k miles on it, for 800 pounds. Sounds tempting as I reckon it would be a good start towards a very nice cafe racer, with some effort and pennies spent. But then again, I'm a bit afraid the 750cc engine might prove to be a bit of a handful for a newbie like me.

Will let you know what I decide, I'm now thinking a lot about the registered, ready to go Coguar, but tomorrow I'm going to have a looksie at the Suzuki, so I don't know, I might change my mind. I know the Suzuki would be the sensible choice, but I am still very much attracted towards the Coguar...

[GSTEEL32]

[Rogerborg]

Non runner? Not even UK registered? 15 years old? Off brand? £700?

No, really, it's worth scrap money in that condition. I fully agree with Mike, you want to buy a working bike that's ready to go right now, with no issues and no story behind it.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[MistreKul]

[wr6133]

[Rogerborg]

[Evil Hans]

[P.]

I'd buy anything but not that one. Fuck no.

[stirlinggaz]

hi,
I havnt read all the replies, so apologies for repeating anything that's already been said.
why didnt I read all the replies? teflon guy. thats why.
I got a couple of sentences into his 1st reply & gave up as soon as he said he thought the gilera cougar 125 might be a 2 stroke.
so in a bout of frustration I thought I'd give you my opinions. & for what its worth, I have owned more 125cc bikes than most sane people

I guarantee you could walk the length of the uk & eoroland you will NEVER find a gilera cougar that had a 2 stroke engine from new.

right, onto facts. from what I gleamed from the quick scan : its a 125cc cruiser style (most definitely a FOUR stroke engine btw, unless somebody has custom fitted a 2 stroke lump into it & THAT I'd like to see)
£700? & has a service history? BUT has a fuel leak & isnt uk registered.
= WALK AWAY.
dont even consider buying that gilera unless its under 300 quid.
its a 10bhp parts bin special.
they weren't popular for a reason, they are sh*t bikes, of questionable build quality.
in this situation I'd ask "do you really want that style of bike?" yes?
beats me why, but if you insist on buying a cruiser style 4t 125....heres the controversial reply : might as well buy Chinese.
theres a couple of Chinese 125 cruisers that actually have a half decent reputation, unlike the gilera cougar.
cmpo sell parts if anything goes wrong & they can be fitted by eager 1st timers & they can also be bought brand new for just over a grand.
a GOOD 2nd hand example that starts, doesnt leak & has a uk reg can be had for less than that gilera.

tip : do your cbt BEFORE you buy any bikes.
its not all about looks, you need to sit on a few bikes & see what FEELS right.
cbt might even teach you a few basic pre ride/buy checks.

sorry for the length of post, but hey! at least im not waffling sh*t, right?

cheers,
GAZ
ps : if you want italian why not buy a cagiva mito? probably the best looking 125 ever made. or aprilia rs125? theres thousands of them about, or even a honda nsr125 (yes, its definitely italian)
theres very few italian cruisers....cagiva did make one but parts are a nightmare to find due to their rarety (125cc cruiserette style that actually looks good & has a 2t engine fitted that can be adapted to take a full power mito top end ) ..... I cant think of any others ....give me time though ........

[MistreKul]

Guys, I've already mentioned that I am not interested in the non runner anymore, stop bashing it. Now, as I said in previous posts (which no one seem to read anyway), I found another low mileage Coguar, 7k done, fully registered, taxed, MOT'd, fully running in lovely condition for 600 pounds. I really like the styling of the bike, I don't want sport bikes, only other styling which I would consider would be a naked.

The engine in this bike seems to be coming off a Honda XLR 125, and is the general consensus that is quite reliable. Build quality, yea, to my understanding is not stellar, chromed bits fade but overall, it is not such a bad bike. Owners are generally happy with them. I don't get why all this hate towards it?

Anyway, I have pretty much made up my mind and I think I will buy the running one as soon as I can sort out a van or some sort of transportation for it. Unless the '98 GSX750 Inazuma that I'm going to see tonight will steal my heart, but I doubt it. The engine is too big, the bike is too heavy and teh styling is.. well, uninspiring at best, IMO.

Will post some pics when/if I buy it. The "if" is there in case the owner didn't describe it honestly and I find it a less than very good condition, as per ad.

Again, thank you all for chipping in!

P.S. Here's a vid of it, ain't she beautiful? I mean, really.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz98qvUr5PQ

[MistreKul]

Well.. Ahem.. Went to see the Suzuki and bought it for £850. Registered and everything. Love the bike, just hope it won't prove to be too much of a handful for me. See you around, everyone!

[Rogerborg]

Good luck with the license.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[talkToTheHat]

You've bought the 750?
Before a cbt and subesquent training and tests?
Good luck to you!

It wont be that different in terms of scaryness to the likely fazer or bandit you stand a high chance of being on for your big bike test.

Let us know how it pans out.
____________________
Bandit. does. everything.

[MistreKul]

Thanks, yea, just couldn't resist it when I saw it in flesh and bones. I really wasn't very excited to check this one out, but a (biker) friend insisted to not buy the Gilera and instead come check the Suzuki out. My mind was pretty much set for the Gilera, but honestly, I completely fell in love with that Suzuki!

It's black and chromed, but unfortunately the tank was swapped for a red one, I've been told the old one was in rough condition. Otherwise, very well looked after bike, I know the history of it, the owner is a friend which I've known for a lot of time and I know the kind of money he spent on the bike, with only OEM brand new parts. It was his favorite toy until two years ago, when he gave up on the bike (job, family, lack of time, the usual). Fork has been serviced, new pads, oil and filters changed, sparks, new sprocket and chain, new intake rubbers, carbs synchronized and then run for another maybe 200km and put in a garage for the past 18 months.

I will give it another service since the oil, despite the low mileage, is quite old now. I imagine the gas tank needs to be emptied and cleaned again, after sitting there for that long.

We even managed to start it after all that time, it felt like it started with two pistons, then three and after a few secs, the forth kicked in. Sounded pretty cool but didn't want to rev it past 5k, since the oil was quite old.

All in all, a very lovely bike in very good condition, absolutely chuffed with it! I just hope I haven't bit more than I can chew with this 750cc engine..

[andyscooter]

complete waste of time now

but I know a bloke who had a gilera couger and swapped it for a jinlun cruiser it was that bad
____________________
gilera runner vxr200 (chavped)
if its spelt wrong its my fat fingers and daft auto correct on my tablet

[Rogerborg]

The engine will be fine, it's under your control.

You're clear that to ride it on the road unaccompanied by a certified instructor that you'll need a full "A" motorcycle license, right?

CBT motorcycle theory module 1 module 2 passes on an "A" bike (595cc+, 40kW+), usually done via a training school.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike