Faults:

So far only the headlight bulb has blown. I replaced the Xenon bulb with a standard halogen one, as I kept getting flashed by car drivers (obviously thinking I had my full beam on!). It's still a very bright unit and I've pitched the headlamp unit down a little.

My bike doesn't have a headlamp switch on it, so the lights are on all the time. The seal around the headlamp glass is very poor and there's a lot of condensation build-up behind the glass. This clears once the light is on for a while though.

In the recent cold weather of winter 2009, I left the bike standing (but covered) for a while. It now refuses to start! It also doesn't have a kick-start, which is a shame. However, it's due for a service (which I will probably do myself). Once that's done, it'll be back to being a fantastic little commuter machine! Prior to the cold weather it started first time, every time.

The clock also keeps randomly resetting, which is a bit of a pain, but the temperature gauge is very handy.

General Comments:

I absolutely love the style of the bike, and it's very easy and comfortable to ride, especially round town and through traffic. The little fat tyres are great for cornering, and it's slim enough to squeeze through lines of static traffic.

The back drum brake is a bit wooden, but once adjusted it's not too bad. The take-up on the throttle from a standing start sometimes seems a little slow, but I still beat cars away from the lights, and I'm sure some adjustments during the servicing will help.

I do need to remind myself that this is only a 125cc though, and not expect too much from the little engine!

The seat and riding position are comfortable and fine for the average commute. I've occasionally done 2 hours in the saddle though, which causes a little numbness! It's quite large for a 125 scooter as well, which suits my build and height, so I feel quite at home riding it.

Fuel economy is not bad - around 75mpg on average.

It costs around £5 to fill up.

Storage space is excellent. I have the matched top box on mine (which can leak a little in heavy rain). My helmet (a Caberg Trip Flip) doesn't fit under the seat, but goes in the box no problem. There's a centre 'glove box' by your feet and a little 'shopping' hook, which is handy on the odd occasion.

Weather protection is pretty good as long as you keep your knees tucked in! You don't get wind blast like you do on a motorbike, so you'll stay pretty toasty, if you have some warm gear on! The hand protectors on the handlebars are a fantastic feature, offering protection from the rain and cold.

However, I'm looking forward to summer riding!

All in all, an excellent scooter and I love it.

Faults:

The headlight switch has failed twice, first replaced under warranty while the second at cost (about £5). Given the bike is kept outside, the electrics have held up well.

The throttle return stuck, requiring manual shutting off the throttle. This was fixed at the first service (I actually preferred this 'feature' as it meant I didn't have to hold the throttle open on long runs).

The centre stand needed re-greasing after 3 years.

General Comments:

This was my first scooter and the Skipper had a good balance of size against cost. It's light enough to move round the car park - I'd dropped the previous bike 3 times.

It's slim with good low speed stability and handling, making it easy to place on the road and filter through traffic. Keeping the tire pressures on spec helps to reduce the white lining characteristic of small wheeled bikes.

The 125 engine is slightly under the UK learner limit and this tells once outside town. It's happy to cruise in the low 50s and can reach 65 on the throttle stop, but then the handling is quite scary (for me - a friend who's into scooters has no problem). Front end feel is almost non-existent, particularly on poor road surfaces, and the rebound unsettles the bike so braking in the last few feet at junctions is best done using the rear only.

Luggage carrying is good - it came with a top-box and the under-seat storage holds a full face helmet, plus there's a bag hook for keeping a small bag between the knees and a tiny storage box in the centre of the (not flat) floor board. The exhaust is low and so throw over panniers can be used on long trips. I miss the tank bag option on a motorbike as a place to put a map.

Fuel economy is about 60mpg (4 l/100km) which is a little disappointing, but my commute is 5 miles so mostly on a cold engine. It will do nearer 75mpg on a long run at 55mph. Insurance and servicing costs are similar to a small car, but parking, R.F.L., and congestion charge are a lot less.

I fitted the optional side stand, which is useful for short stops, but has no cut-out. This is not a big issue as the design means that the stand springs up the moment the bike is stood upright.

Faults:

Kick start pedal replaced under warranty.

New centre stand.

General Comments:

It's the same under the plastic body as a Gilera 125 2 stroke, so it has all the go, but with more room, and with no one wanting to steal it. It also has a clock.