Faults:

General wear and tear really, the odd scuff from getting in and out of garage, but nothing major.

The original exhaust was very rusty, but I soon replaced it with a lovely chrome Scorpion exhaust, which sounds and looks wicked.

General Comments:

I had a Piaggio NRG Extreme, which I thought was pretty quick, but then I went out and bought the Gilera, and wow... I mean I'd just pulled off the guy's drive and got going down this road, and on 3/4 throttle it was lifting onto one wheel. I had practically laid a brick, I was that amazed.

Within a week of getting it, I replaced the original exhaust with a chrome Scorpion one, which added a bit more power to it. I was then advised to replace the rollers with lighter ones to make the most of the exhaust, which I did, and was then even more amazed.

Top speed now stands at about 85mph, and it happily cruises at about 70-75mph.

The only other thing I've bought for the bike is some Kuso GP style clocks, which are amazing. All the modifications are courtesy of adrenalin-pedstop.co.uk, where the costs are reasonable and delivery is relatively fast.

It's really good on petrol, it's fairly comfortable, and the brakes and suspension are all good, although the brakes are perhaps a little too good for a little moped (it's not a bad thing, you just don't expect them to be this good).

As for acceleration, I've only been beaten once from the lights, and that was a copper, which to be fair I thought it would be best not to speed away from a police car.

It's very reliable; always starts first touch of the button.

This bike has the factory fitted immobilizer, and I keep it in a locked garage out of sight. Before I got the garage, I actually kept it in my living room, but due to my mother, that didn't last long.

It's cheap to tax and insure, and is a really fun bike to own, whether you're like me at 17 or older.

One or two words of warning though; try to avoid buying one that's been tuned and excessively modified, as they tend to get thrashed and not looked after, and also when you do buy one, make sure you're fully legal, as these bikes get lots of attention from PC Plod.

As a comparison for speed, my mate couldn't catch me on his Aprilia RS250 until I hit top speed (obviously this was done in a safe manner...).

These bikes are fantastic, although I wouldn't advise one to a beginner unless you know what you're doing. Also when buying, don't worry too much if it smokes a bit as they all do. It's a two stroke thing.

Faults:

Nothing major at all.

It doesn't always like starting when it's cold and damp though. (Who does?)

General Comments:

After riding a Piaggio Zip for 3 years, this bike is like a breath of fresh air. The Zip's engine seized up on me 3 times, so it was time for it to go.

The power of this bike is amazing for a scooter, it accelerates brilliantly and keeps going up to 50ish, where it finally sounds like it's having to work at last.

I've got it up to about 73 mph on the flat, which is more than fast enough for me! It keeps up with fast traffic well, and cruises along nicely at 50-55 mph, without working too hard.

It's a very comfortable ride, the suspension and braking are both excellent, and I don't look as daft on it as I did on the Piaggio (all 16 stone of me).

I use the bike for commuting 10 miles each way to work every day, and it's perfect for this use, great in town and on the open roads, but I've also travelled 40 mile journeys in one go, without any problems. Indeed, the bike runs better after a long run.

It does drink 2-stroke oil compared to a 50 cc and I'd recommend using a much better quality oil (a good fully-synthetic), as the performance improves greatly; the bike starts better, smokes less and is up to speed quicker. Even so, this bike still takes a good mile or so to warm up.

So, to sum up, I couldn't imagine being without it now, even in the cold weather, I'd rather be on this bike than in the car. It's a satisfying and fun ride, looks good and runs well, though I'm a bit dubious about the idea behind the vents for warming your ankles/lower legs!