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BlackObsidian
So I've been told that the Gilera DNA 125 has been discontinued after 2 years on the market due to the cost of manufature of the bike and not making enough back on sales in the UK (sounds bollocks to me!) but as my bike is being replaced with a new one I need to decide on a replacement.

1. Gilera DNA 50cc twist n go but bike frame.
2. Piaggio NRG 50cc twist n go moped.
3. Gilera Cougar 125cc 5 gears, cruiser styled bike.

Whadya reckon? Oh and I've never ridden a geared-bike before so any suggestions for a beginner?

Cheers!

D
BlandWit
user posted image


Oo1.gif laughcont.gif


But seriously, I don't have any real suggestions for you BO I'm afraid... I went from a GS125 in 1988 to a 600 Bandy... only took 20 years between the two though wwww.gif so don't know much about the smaller end of the bike market...

No doubt a God will be along soon eyebrow.gif
ima
i'd go for the one with the gears myself it'll get you used to the clutch and clutch control, an essential skill when you come to get something bigger.

but thats just me, manual geared bikes are better in that they give you more control over the engine.

As for suggestions get used to the clutch before you go near a road!!
All you need to do is get the hang of the "biting point" where the clutch is just starting to engage, you'll know you've reached this because the revs will start to drop, as you let the clutch out further the bike will start to move forward. Generally small movements of the clutch lever will engage/disengage the clutch once the biting point has been found.
once you've got the bike moving on the clutch then start to apply a little throttle.
It takes a bit of getting used to but you'll soon get the hang of it.

Don't do what my brother did and give it a big handfull then dump the clutch which resulted in a spectacular wheelie into oncoming traffic how he didn't die that day i'll never know.

No doubt DP or TC will be along later to tell me i'm talking out of my arris
but the above has worked for me for years.
bikerdave
A geared bike would be my shout. I'd also give the mopeds a miss. 50cc bikes, just don't have the power. I thought they were great at 16 but the 125 engine would make a big difference and the bike will last you a lot longer without the feeling of, I need more power.

With the mopeds that we had, a bus would give them a good run for their money uphill. blush21.gif
NigeC
a friend of mine has a 125 Cougar and has had nuffin but troulble with it, the first day the speedo took a freak and hasn't worked since, plus a list of other problems hes only had it 3months (new bike btw) he traded in a SR125 yamaha custom thingy for the cougar, the yam was better hands down

my first attempt at riding a bike with a clutch ended in about 10 feet and me smacking into my brothers ford crapi verysad.gif no damage tho just pride (no damage because i never told him!!)
BlandWit
QUOTE
No doubt a God will be along soon 


Ima, you had to be the first to post after that... didn't you laughcont.gif
ima
QUOTE(BlandWit @ Sep 29 2003, 04:45 PM)
QUOTE
No doubt a God will be along soon 


Ima, you had to be the first to post after that... didn't you laughcont.gif

yes my son saint2.gif
BlandWit
QUOTE
yes my son 


You're older than you look then mate wwww.gif laughcont.gif
ZOMB!E
The gilera 'COGUAR' - itallians eh? spell things how they like that lot - is a pile of crap from a build quality point of view. Ive seen loads of em round this way and they're all rusting to bits after only a year or two. If twer me Id plump for a 125 two stroke gilera runner scooter. They go like stibnk and of all the small scoots ive ridden it handles the most 'bike like' - although i use the term loosely. As with all these things though the paint on the exhaust is a tenth of a micron thick ( at its thickest!) and these things just rot away. Plenty of after market stuff for the runner though including fancy stainless pipes and the like. When you pass your test you can fit a malossi big bore kit to take it to 172cc and have the plastic bits in the 'gearbox' changed to give more acceleration - pocket rocket there mate.

If youve never ridden a geared bike then you may not like it - at first anyway. Maybe have a good think about what you want from your two wheeled pursuit. If its ease of use and whipping about town and such then i would go for the old twist and go mate. If however you intend going on through life with this biking kick then i would go for a geared bike - just not the Coguar , maybe a cg125 as they're silly cheap and last for years- and get learning the whole clutch throttle braking with your hands and foot routine. Geared bikes are harder to learn to ride properly but offer a huge diversity of styles and machines simply not available in the automatic world - much to my dismay for obvious reasons.

So there you go .

Clear as mud advice!

i think what im trying to say is that only you can decide which way to go but just dont bother with the coguar coz its pants.
BlackObsidian
Ok change of plans... I need to get a free replacement for the discontinued DNA 125 as mine's been a nightmare and almost killed me twice (engine slipped a cog at 70MPH and smashed the engine apart forcing me to throw my body back on the bike to stop going over the handlebars and the right footpeg snapped off riding down a straight road due to corrosion which coulda been a LOT worse if I'd been cornering).

I have a choice from a Piaggio or Gilera as they're what my bike shop does. Once I have it I'll be selling it sharpish anyway to pay off the credit I'm paying out on it and starting afresh with a full license and probably going for a Suzuki SV650S.

I'm therefore looking for something I can sell for brand new and a quick sale at the biggest price I can from Gilera and Piaggio's range of scoots/bikes to pay off the credit ASAP and get along the right path. smile1.gif

New suggestions please you wonderful and helpful people! bowdown.gif
ZOMB!E
buttrock.gif Buy a gilera runner and sell it in that london.


SV650 eh? Good bikes them.
snapdragon
Gilera Runner no question, they have a following and a good rep
devilpaint
gilera runner-only choice imho.
ZOMB!E
Crikey! Ive never had som many people agree with me in one go before!

The runner is a good scooter mate and what with the congestion charges and that they are easy to sell although be prepared to take a knock on the new price because there are so many scooters on the second hand market that the price is affected. It would certainly be easier to shift than a coguar or another dna. If you look on ebay there are usually a few dna's and they never seem to fetch what they're worth.
BlackObsidian
Cheers all, Runner it is and I'll let you know what I get for it when all it's done is been ridden home from the showroom. hehe
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