Gilera GP800 with Sidecar
October 29, 2008 at 11:57 am | In Gilera | Leave a CommentCame across this on Picasaweb. It looks a lot of fun but I don’t know if I’d want my children in this sidecar. Good use for that big engine though.
More photos on the Picasaweb page.
Piaggio MP3 with Roof – Good idea???
August 23, 2008 at 7:27 pm | In Piaggio, Piaggio MP3 | 3 Comments
This curious thing surfaced last November and hasn’t been seen since. I think it it was just a mockup to make a point and attract attention but there’s no sign of it coming to anything anytime soon.
My interest in this is more whether this is a good idea. Anyone reading my recent Scooters in Paris blog post will recall how crazy the Parisiens are for the MP3 so they may well have a market for such a curious beast.
Here in the UK we need the roof more because of the weather, but it ain’t gonna happen because the sentiment will be ‘if you want a roof and more than two wheels you should buy a car. ‘ It’s actually more of an extension to that huge windscreen than a roof and the huge windscreen is quite popular. The little trailer I would like better if it had two wheels. There are firms in this country who make motorcycle trailers and I’m sure they would make one for the MP3 if asked if they haven’t done so already.
I reckon the roof would sell if it was removable which I think it is, and Piaggio are stupid for not having it on the market right now. The trailer I don’t expect to see in production The two together…last year’s stunt. 
Scooters in Paris
July 12, 2008 at 5:55 pm | In Uncategorized | 2 CommentsI had reason to go to Paris recently, never been before. Main thing that struck me (after the fact that everything is huge, Eiffel Tower, Arc du Triomphe etc. and the predilection with ancient Rome in the architecture) was the massive number of bikes on the street. And by bikes I mean maxi scooters.
The’re everywhere, a dozen at a set of traffic lights is normal. Here’s the top five I saw:
- Piaggio X8
- Piaggio X9
- T-Max – surprisingly common given the price: maybe the’re cheaper over there.
- Piaggio MP3 – Amazingly common
- Peugeot Satelis or maybe Geopolis- for obvious reasons
These are the most common bikes on the streets of Paris and the’re not geared and the’re not small scooters. Piaggio must be very happy. It’s completely different to England where sportsbikes rule.
Being French they have a certain way of riding as well. It’s called far too fast. The roads are broad and the traffic lights apparently optional and everybody races – it’s visibly different to central London. I’m not sure I could ride there it’s too frantic…and I’m a London commuter. Observe this video taken at the Arc du Triomphe…
The roundabout at the Arc du Triomphe has about 5 lanes, no traffic lights and no white lines so if someone wants to turn off, all the traffic has to slow down grudgingly (or not) It’s crazy. Yet there are pushbikes and smaller scooters and all sorts on there and no-one seems to crash!
The dresscode on Parisen scooters is also hilarious. Dressing for the office is popular so the guys wear suits and the girls wear mini skirts and high heels (they like those apron cover things for obvious reasons.) I also saw roller blades on a pillion and a baseball cap worn under a helmet with the strap open. Cordura/leathers are rare.
The Republican Guard
Now to me the French Republican Guard are something that we fought at Waterloo. Apparently they are now part of the gendarmerie and ride around on big blue police style BMW’s in semi Napoleonic uniform. And they look way cool.
Motorbikes_French_Republican_Guard_Bastille_Day_2007
It shouldn’t work, turned back facings and aiguillettes shouldn’t go with police BMWs but they do. Obviously we will have to get the Household Cavalry over here off there horses and onto some Honda pan Euros or similar.
Have they got it right?
Maybe, they have a lot less hangups about riding than in this country and bikes particularly maxiscooters are much more part of the scene. Visit recommended.
Dangerous Roof helmet – Motorcycle News
May 5, 2008 at 2:24 pm | In My Gilera | Leave a Comment
I have one of these and everything this guy says is true.
Dangerous Roof helmet – Motorcycle News
On the other hand, I love my helmet and judging by the comments on MCN so does everyone else who has one.
It seems to be one of those situations where the quirkiness and sexiness of the helmet is more important that the comfort. I can vouch for the function as it saved my face last time I fell off and it’s ventilation is miles better than it’s predecessor but my main gripe with it is that it doesn’t fit in the helmet bay of my bike!
This helmet reminds me of my Gilera DNA. There’s a lot wrong with it (the bike lacks presence, brakes are poor, it has less storage space and comfort than it should) but it doesn’t matter because perfection is boring.
Gilera DNA group on Facebook
April 11, 2008 at 3:39 pm | In Gilera, scooter sites | 1 Comment
I’m not a great fan of Facebook but lots of people are and I notice they now have a Gilera DNA group with a respectable 30 members. Go see if you are interested in such things.
Further to Gilera GP800 and Aprilia Mana News
April 9, 2008 at 9:37 pm | In Aprilia Mana, Gilera | 2 CommentsI’ve had a certain amount of comment to my last post that is worth responding to. I think sometimes people lose sight of the fact that my site is called Gilera DNA.org and therefore that is the bike that frames my point of view. I like the DNA because it is small, light, reliable, cheap and has a motorcycle like feel. The Mana and the GP800 are large, expensive, heavy and unproven; I only include them in the blog because the Mana is the descendant of the DNA and the GP800 is a Gilera and shares an engine with the Mana. I’m not really likely to like them 100% am I?
To respond to specific points:
- On the reliability and recall of the Aprilia Mana.
Many moons ago Piaggio released the long awaited 500 version of the X9 but this machine had a design fault which meant the bike wobbled at high speed. This was very disappointing at the time. It shows that Piaggio (who own Aprilia) are capable of cocking up majorly on a larger bike. Again, they could of made the Mana without the electronic gear control thus there would have been one less thing to go wrong, but they chose to include it so I’m going to be suspicious.
- On why I would want a geared larger motorcycle.
I don’t subscribe to the gears as being ’sporty’, my objection to large capacity scooters is simply one of fuel economy. Fuel is very expensive these days and gears make for a more economic vehicle. I would favour scooters that go in the Piaggio Hys direction.
I could drone on but I hope this clears things up for everyone.
Gilera GP800 and Aprilia Mana news
March 17, 2008 at 4:06 pm | In Aprilia Mana, Gilera | 5 Comments
Saw this review of the Gilera GP800. From the photo it looks quite manageable, not the barge on wheels I originally envisaged…or maybe that man is 6′6″. I agree with them that it’s hard to categorise and anyone who wants a bike bike that size should surely get get something with gears.
Gilera GP800: Have a hoot as you commute – Telegraph
This next article illustrates why the GP 800 may however be the better bet against it’s sibling engined alternative, the Aprilia Mana. I was always suspicious that the push button gear change on the Mana was over complicated and likely to be unreliable and that indeed seems to be coming to pass.
wish you were here : Aprilia Mana Recall
I think the Mana should just have had a regular CVT transmission like the GP 800 and it’s ancestor the Gilera DNA. This is why.
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