Bike ?

jonela · 09-10-2015, 15:42

I have done a good thing or a bad thing and I can't decide ?
I have been toying with the idea of getting a bike for a few years now.Nothing too big as I haven't redden one for 35 years, so just something to start me off again. any way Today I took this in payment for re wiring a barn. It is a 125 cc Gilera Coguer 2002 7000 miles literally one lady owner from Jersey,so it hasent been hammered up the motorway .
It's in pretty good shape apart from a bit of pitting on the Chrome and the speed o doesn't work. any way is it worth my 30 hours labor. remember it hasn't actually cost me anything just my time.?

Dave_Askham · 09-10-2015, 16:05

Hi, having been a 'biker' for the last 36 of 39 years I have a little bit of experience on the subject....

In all honesty, the Gilera is not worth a fortune, they are not particularly well built nor are the best quality components, so are you going to make a killing, no I don't think so, I suspect it's worth approx £500 - 600 so you have not lost out per se.

Do you have a full bike license? if so I would get this up and running, have a wobble around your local village / Town, get back up to speed with the basics and see how you go.

I'm sure you'll not believe the changes since you last rode, the number of vehicles, their lack of respect for you as a biker, their failure to look and their many attempts to kill you. my motto when riding is to consider what is the most ludicrous thing any person / vehicle could possibly do, then be prepared for that. it's stood me in good stead.

I think you may find this 4 stroke 125 a little gutless / slow and you'll quickly find that a dual carriageway is a no no as cars and vans will be passing you like you are stood still unless you've got her flat out with the choke out....

most of all, you should go out, be safe and remember why you used to enjoy biking back in the day. I'm sure you'll be quickly upgrading to something with a little bit more poke and a more sensible top speed (Suzuki SV650) springs to mind...

jonela · 09-10-2015, 16:20

Cheers, Dave ,its not meant to be a serious bike just something to get me back on two wheels. and there aren't any motorways around here just country roads.
Here there is no mot for bikes and no tax and its 15€ a month to insure so it wont cost hardly anything to run, just a bit of fun

When I get back to the UK I will trade up

Dave_Askham · 09-10-2015, 16:54

Ah, I didn't pick up on the fact you were in sunny France, you'll still have some pleasant weather to enjoy the biking !!

If there is no MOT in france for the bike, be sure to check under the back mudguard near the rear shock mounts as these bikes are prone to the good old iron worm in that area, but i suspect yours will be OK with the description you have given.

the other advice would be to get a decent helmet and a pair of gloves and NEVER wear shorts and a t-shirt... correct riding attire is worth it's weight in gold when you are sliding across the tarmac on your arse - even at sub 30 mph....

:-)

johnb5177 · 09-10-2015, 17:16

I would agree with all that Dave has stated. As a lifelong biker, it has always amazed me the various ways other drivers, sheep, cats, dogs, cattle etc try to knock you off your bike.......ride in a 360 degree bubble of awareness, a good lid, gloves, and actually Lidls do a line of biking gear when it's on offer....the jackets and gloves are ok for fun riding and a reasonable price......just enjoy it and stay safe.......

Blocky10 · 09-10-2015, 18:40

That'll do nicely to get you back into it but as already stated it'll soon get boringly slow but don't rush into anything more powerful.
Top drawer advice already given above.

Ian

solarman216 · 09-10-2015, 20:51

Takes me back about 15 years, my son in law came visiting on a modern super bike, and offered me a ride, I jumped at the chance having been a past biker (Triumph Thunderbird) so stuck the skid lid on and went up the road, what a lovely smooth machine coming back along a country lane straight that in the car I regard 50 as a good speed, I notice a couple of pedestrians giving me the eye I was just puring along till I looked at the speedo, I was doing 90 plus, a very quick slowdown was initiated, this machine was capable of a whole lot more but not for me, Rick

Eloco · 09-10-2015, 22:08

I'll give you a month and you will be looking for something with more power

I was off the bike for ten years and went out and got this:-

Ride it all year all weather love it. Big green one for doing red one for smiles.

don simon · 09-10-2015, 22:22

I've had small bikes, I've had big bikes. I think that now I'd go down the James Hunt route of small bike, skinny tyres and miles of smiles.
Rag it and enjoy it.

Eloco · 09-10-2015, 22:39

As we all drive 4x4's it should be strokers and really upset people.

Love the smell of two stroke in the morning.

Blocky10 · 10-10-2015, 13:33

Here's my track bike. A mid 90s yamaha yzf 750. It's plenty quick enough for me. I've given up riding fast bikes on the road and just do track days and love it. My brother has a yamaha r1 full on track bike with all the race bells and whistles and it's an animal but he's a lot younger than me so bounce easier! uploadfromtaptalk1444480380186.JPG

Ian

macabethiel · 10-10-2015, 13:53

Like others on here I was a life long biker from 1964 (when I spent 3 months in traction with a fractured femur as a result of being a pillion on a Aerial Leader) until 2012 when I parted with my Yamaha XJ 900.

Loved the rush of bike acceleration especially in the pre-crash helmet days! Finally gave up as I started to struggle to get the XJ on the centre stand. Toyed with getting something smaller and lighter but wife was reluctant to give me "planning consent" lol.

I have kept my helmet just in case I drop on an old barn find bike from my youth !

Happy days.

jonela · 10-10-2015, 18:54

well got it home today and I'm very happy with it. I think I will run it round for a few weeks till the weather gets bad and then I will strip it down, bin all the plastic rubbish bits like the headlamp, indicators, and the speedo and replace with real ones. Wheels need a good clean, and some of the alloy bits need a referb. Can you still get solvolautosol ?

Blocky10 · 10-10-2015, 20:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonela

well got it home today and I'm very happy with it. I think I will run it round for a few weeks till the weather gets bad and then I will strip it down, bin all the plastic rubbish bits like the headlamp, indicators, and the speedo and replace with real ones. Wheels need a good clean, and some of the alloy bits need a referb. Can you still get solvolautosol ?

There's loads of bike related cleaning stuff now and also alloy cleaners.
Bike looks ok :thumbup:

Ian

jonela · 14-10-2015, 16:48

I am going to change the oil and set the valve clearance this weekend but in the hand book it says the oil should be 20-50 but I cant find this any where,I don't know if they still do it here, what would be the next best option 15-40 ?it also says synthetic is best but you cant get that until you get down to 10-40 ?
It's a four stroke Honda engine the same as in the XL125

09-10-2015, 20:51	#7
solarman216 Off road maniac Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bexhill on Sea Vehicle: Y60 Patrol Me, 3 ltr Mrs Posts: 17,431	Takes me back about 15 years, my son in law came visiting on a modern super bike, and offered me a ride, I jumped at the chance having been a past biker (Triumph Thunderbird) so stuck the skid lid on and went up the road, what a lovely smooth machine coming back along a country lane straight that in the car I regard 50 as a good speed, I notice a couple of pedestrians giving me the eye I was just puring along till I looked at the speedo, I was doing 90 plus, a very quick slowdown was initiated, this machine was capable of a whole lot more but not for me, Rick __________________ Ex banger racer now off road maniac Lokka on the front with manual hubs Diff lock on rear 3 inch SS straight through exhaust Manly winch bumper with 13000 lb winch 10 spike ground anchor, with multiple straps and blocks Super strong body cills capped with scaffold pole 20% stronger springs all round aggressive off road tyres on wheels so just swap. Aim to get stuck and be completely self sufficient in extraction, love getting muddy, 2ft deep is good but rare.

10-10-2015, 13:53	#12
macabethiel Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Derby Vehicle: Freelander & Jeep GC 3.0 Posts: 4,416	My bike days are finished ! lol Like others on here I was a life long biker from 1964 (when I spent 3 months in traction with a fractured femur as a result of being a pillion on a Aerial Leader) until 2012 when I parted with my Yamaha XJ 900. Loved the rush of bike acceleration especially in the pre-crash helmet days! Finally gave up as I started to struggle to get the XJ on the centre stand. Toyed with getting something smaller and lighter but wife was reluctant to give me "planning consent" lol. I have kept my helmet just in case I drop on an old barn find bike from my youth ! Happy days.

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09-10-2015, 16:05	#2
Dave_Askham Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: North Lincolnshire Vehicle: 05 Terrano 2.7 LWB Posts: 60	Hi, having been a 'biker' for the last 36 of 39 years I have a little bit of experience on the subject.... In all honesty, the Gilera is not worth a fortune, they are not particularly well built nor are the best quality components, so are you going to make a killing, no I don't think so, I suspect it's worth approx £500 - 600 so you have not lost out per se. Do you have a full bike license? if so I would get this up and running, have a wobble around your local village / Town, get back up to speed with the basics and see how you go. I'm sure you'll not believe the changes since you last rode, the number of vehicles, their lack of respect for you as a biker, their failure to look and their many attempts to kill you. my motto when riding is to consider what is the most ludicrous thing any person / vehicle could possibly do, then be prepared for that. it's stood me in good stead. I think you may find this 4 stroke 125 a little gutless / slow and you'll quickly find that a dual carriageway is a no no as cars and vans will be passing you like you are stood still unless you've got her flat out with the choke out.... most of all, you should go out, be safe and remember why you used to enjoy biking back in the day. I'm sure you'll be quickly upgrading to something with a little bit more poke and a more sensible top speed (Suzuki SV650) springs to mind...

09-10-2015, 16:20	#3
jonela Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Chateaunef du Faou, France Vehicle: 2000 LWB SE+ Posts: 906	Cheers, Dave ,its not meant to be a serious bike just something to get me back on two wheels. and there aren't any motorways around here just country roads. Here there is no mot for bikes and no tax and its 15€ a month to insure so it wont cost hardly anything to run, just a bit of fun When I get back to the UK I will trade up

09-10-2015, 16:54	#4
Dave_Askham Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: North Lincolnshire Vehicle: 05 Terrano 2.7 LWB Posts: 60	Ah, I didn't pick up on the fact you were in sunny France, you'll still have some pleasant weather to enjoy the biking !! If there is no MOT in france for the bike, be sure to check under the back mudguard near the rear shock mounts as these bikes are prone to the good old iron worm in that area, but i suspect yours will be OK with the description you have given. the other advice would be to get a decent helmet and a pair of gloves and NEVER wear shorts and a t-shirt... correct riding attire is worth it's weight in gold when you are sliding across the tarmac on your arse - even at sub 30 mph.... :-)

09-10-2015, 17:16	#5
johnb5177 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Swansea, S.Wales Vehicle: 02Terrano II 3.0 SVE Auto Posts: 1,586	I would agree with all that Dave has stated. As a lifelong biker, it has always amazed me the various ways other drivers, sheep, cats, dogs, cattle etc try to knock you off your bike.......ride in a 360 degree bubble of awareness, a good lid, gloves, and actually Lidls do a line of biking gear when it's on offer....the jackets and gloves are ok for fun riding and a reasonable price......just enjoy it and stay safe.......

09-10-2015, 18:40	#6
Blocky10 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Welcome to Norwich, a fine city Vehicle: 2004 Terrano 3.0 SVE Auto Posts: 3,601	That'll do nicely to get you back into it but as already stated it'll soon get boringly slow but don't rush into anything more powerful. Top drawer advice already given above. Ian

09-10-2015, 22:08	#8
Eloco Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: North West Vehicle: Terrano 3.0d 2003 Posts: 73	I'll give you a month and you will be looking for something with more power I was off the bike for ten years and went out and got this:- Ride it all year all weather love it. Big green one for doing red one for smiles.

09-10-2015, 22:22	#9
don simon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Gone. Vehicle: Terrano ii Posts: 2,215	I've had small bikes, I've had big bikes. I think that now I'd go down the James Hunt route of small bike, skinny tyres and miles of smiles. Rag it and enjoy it.

09-10-2015, 22:39	#10
Eloco Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: North West Vehicle: Terrano 3.0d 2003 Posts: 73	As we all drive 4x4's it should be strokers and really upset people. Love the smell of two stroke in the morning.

10-10-2015, 13:33	#11
Blocky10 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Welcome to Norwich, a fine city Vehicle: 2004 Terrano 3.0 SVE Auto Posts: 3,601	Here's my track bike. A mid 90s yamaha yzf 750. It's plenty quick enough for me. I've given up riding fast bikes on the road and just do track days and love it. My brother has a yamaha r1 full on track bike with all the race bells and whistles and it's an animal but he's a lot younger than me so bounce easier! uploadfromtaptalk1444480380186.JPG Ian

14-10-2015, 16:48	#15
jonela Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Chateaunef du Faou, France Vehicle: 2000 LWB SE+ Posts: 906	I am going to change the oil and set the valve clearance this weekend but in the hand book it says the oil should be 20-50 but I cant find this any where,I don't know if they still do it here, what would be the next best option 15-40 ?it also says synthetic is best but you cant get that until you get down to 10-40 ? It's a four stroke Honda engine the same as in the XL125