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| Gilera GP 800 |
For as long as scooters have been available they have suffered from somewhat of an image problem. "Scooters are for people who can't ride real motorcycles" is something I've often heard. In fact someone said these very words to me while I was testing this very bike. He said, "Get a real bike." What on earth does that mean? Maybe he meant one that goes fast. Hmmm, can't be that, this scooter goes fast, probably faster than the idiot who mentioned the 'real bike' has ever gone on two wheels. Maybe it's something to do with the handling? Nope again, this scooter handles. Hell, it handles as well as any 'cruiser motorcycle' I've ridden. Is it gears then; does a real motorcycle have gears? Ahh, no again. There's a rash of new automatic motorcycles hitting the market shortly and they'll all be 'real motorcycles'. It seems there's no real designation for a 'real motorcycle'. The next time someone mentions the 'real motorcycle' to me I'll get them to explain it to me. Clearly I'm not quite astute or pig headed enough to understand it.
So I'm riding the GP800 and one could say I was moving at a 'slightly illegal' velocity. I crest a rise at a stupendous speed and what do I see in the distance…the pig headed 'real motorcycle' guy on his Harley Davidson. Well in a few brief seconds i'm mere meters from his rear tire. Mr. Harley man sees me in his mirrors and suddenly turns on new found speed. Sadly for him it's not enough, not nearly enough at all. To add insult to injury I decide to pass him on the outside of the next corner. The corner arrives and I casually lean the bike over then blast pass Mr. Harley…oh and I waved at him as I went past.
The GP800 is the maxi scooter we should have had years ago. It boggles my mind that it's taken this long for someone somewhere in the world to realize that if you attach a powerful motorcycle engine to a CVT transmission you instantly create the perfect motorcycle. Imagine this. You stop at the lights, no searching for neutral, no swapping feet to change gears then hold yourself with the rear brake if you're on a hill. Just stop, look around, relax, and when the light turns green it's simply twist and shazzammmm, you launch off at rocket speed ahead of all traffic and continue on your way. The GP800 runs an 834cc V-twin engine that makes 75hp and 75nm of torque. Not massive numbers compared to powerful motorcycles but massive in comparison to any other maxi scooter. Combine the torque on this engine with a fantastic CVT transmission and you get rapid and effortless acceleration. We clocked the Gilera at 5.4 seconds to 100kph (62MPH) which is enough to frighten most average motorcycles and pretty much all but the most rapid cars. The real knockout though is it takes absolutely no skill at all. No riding the clutch, no battling wheelie's; just twist and go…go fast. Not once in the entire time I rode the GP800 did anything - be it bike, car, plane, cheetah - nothing beat me to the next traffic light.
Handling wise the GP800 is superb for a scooter but still a fair way off a high performance motorcycle. The suspension does a fantastic job of dealing with bumpy roads at normal riding speeds but, if you really try and press on the bikes weight starts to show its hand and the Gilera begins to feel a little unsettled. It's certainly up to cruising at a far more rapid pace compared to every other scooter built to date. A Burgman 650 would have ABSOLUTELY NO chance of keeping up with the Gilera GP800, neither in a straight line or through a section of twisty corners. Gilera thankfully fitted a powerful set of Brembo discs that provide more than adequate stopping power for any normal riding and I didn't experience any really noticeable fade even during high speed riding. I am however a little surprised the GP800 doesn't come standard with ABS brakes as it seems like a feature all powerful bikes should have nowadays. In fact Honda have committed to running ABS on every bike they produce by 2010.
Ease of use wise the Gilera is pretty similar to most maxi scooters. The bike returned 4.5L/100kms (56MPG) which is actually surprisingly good for such a powerful and heavy machine. Don't expect to return that sort of MPG if the bike is ridden in anger though. The GP800 features a fantastic and class leading set of instruments to keep you up to date with all relevant information; it even has an outside temperature gauge. This is not as useful as a temp gauge in a car as…well, you're on the outside and when it's cold you tend to know it already. Gilera also give you a proper key with a remote release for the seat. In my book it's almost worth buying the bike for this alone.
The bad bits. The GP800 is a fantastic scooter but like most bikes it's not perfect. The biggest issue with the GP800 is weight. Like most maxi scooters it simply weighs far more than it should. When I first heard about the GP800 I thought all my Christmas's had come at once; then I saw how much it weighed. 235kgs (518lbs) is WAY too much for any kind of performance two wheeled vehicle. The weight makes the bike a pain in the ass to move around and blunts all of its performance figures. Hopefully Gilera and any competing brands will keep any new performance scooters to well under 200kgs in future. Storage on the GP800 is rather poor compared to competing maxi's with no glove box up front and an under seat storage area that barely holds a single full face helmet. Finally the powered windscreen is great idea but serves no real purpose as the highest setting is still too low, even for a midget. Oh…forget the centre stand too, it's damn near impossible to get the bike on it. Gilera should really sell the bike with a six month supply of Stanazol; powerful steroids are needed.
Summing up the Gilera GP800. Gilera really have moved the game on with the GP800, it is far and away a vastly superior bike to any other maxi scooter on the market. This is a scooter that totally blurs the line between scooter and motorcycle. The GP800 is perfectly capable of fast motorway cruising, long distance riding , aggressive A-road carving and it still beats the average motorcycle hands down in town because of its simple CVT transmission. Put simply…if you're in the market for a large capacity do everything bike for all types of riding, there is only ONE bike even worth considering. The Gilera GP800. The world's first Superscooter.
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 written by larrysb , June 18, 2011
I just finished a Tuscany by Scooter tour with Edelweiss. I rode a brand new Burgman 650 Exec, just like the one I own in the US. Another rider had a nearly brand new GP800. Honestly, I could outride him in the twisties. I had an easy time passing cars on the highway, especially taking advantage of the Burgie's electronic transmission with the power mode button. He was also a more experienced rider than I. The guide was on a 500cc Beverly and even in the tight mountain roads of Mugello, I was on her like glue most of the time! It was pretty serious riding.
Votes: -1
I think I will stick with the Burgman 650, despite its weight. It just does a lot of things really well. report abuse
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 written by mike nasalski , May 14, 2009
It sounds like a great bike, note I didn't say Scooter as anything over 100cc's isn't a "scooter". What defines a scooter, an auto tranny or the step through feature? So the transmission and convience make it less a "motorcycle? I've been riding for 40 years and owned everything from a honda 50 to a gold wing, dirt bikes, and cruisers and now on my second 650 burgman. Hey I'm not to proud to admit it's a great compromise in this day and age. It's plenty fast, economical...loads of storage reliable and I love passing and giving stock Harley's fits at stop lights. Come on people are you really that insecure that you need a "motorcycle". Try one you'll understand it. The Gp 800 sounds great until I heard chain drive.....come on!!!!! One of the biggest reasons for a "scooter" is the low maintance feature. Come on Honda or Suzuki build a 850 silver wing or burgman, it will sell, believe me.
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 written by Terry Gibson , November 21, 2008
I thought I'd stick something in here as I'm actually an owner of a GP800 - and the odometer has just gone over 5,000 miles so I've probably got the hang of it by now.
Votes: +10
Check out my blog at www.gp800.org.uk but to answer some of the points. Underseat storage - fair enough - but there's a V-twein under there. Where else would you like to stick the other cylinder. Even one lid is better than any conventional bike. Heavy yes, but it's easy enough to throw on the centrestand - only when the tang is wet is there a problem. If you're too wimpy for that, the fact that it has a handbrake makes it entirely stable on the sidestand. Handling yes, the rear shock does show it's limitations by being over sprung and underdamped Range to tank is phenomenal - over 200 miles if you take it easy. I commute in Central London and it's brilliant - at least as good as my naked K75 which is an excellent urban tool. Low speed stability is great as well. I could go on and on - but in summary, with the right level of expectation it is a valid alternative to a big bike in most circumstances. You just need the right mindset. report abuse
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 written by ketzals , July 28, 2008
Simon you keep telling me what I think. I never said bigger is better, I personally HATE large heavy scooters with a vengeance...more powerful is better though. At least it is in my book.
Votes: +8
My current rides of choice go. 2008 Honda SH300 for town (the best scooter for town work by a good margin) 2008 Honda CBR 600 for the twisties 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R for breaking the law As you can see there is no maxi scooter in there. They are simply too slow and too heavy for my tastes. However if I HAD to buy one it would certainly be the GP800. I'm doing a two week ride this summer and am yet to decide on what to take. I'm pondering on taking a scooter over a motorcycle...crazy talk. The Honda VFR runs 40-45MPG for most riders and the Triuph Sprint ST returns only slightly higher. Both of these numbers are based on owners claims; we are yet to test both bikes so it's possible our MPG test could differ. This is certainly no better than we returned for the GP800. In fact we were quite happy with the fuel economy of the GP800 as it did slightly better than it's competing scooters while offering better performance. We actually confirmed the MPG rating for our Burgman story via Burgmanusa.com, which is as you say a superb site for information on the Burgman. Most motorcycle frames flex to varying degrees, it's actually intentional in most cases. There's an interesting write up on how Kawasaki improved the handling of their latest Superbike by increasing the flex in its chassis in various directions. Same goes for MotoGP bikes. The Burgman certainly has more flex in it's chassis than the Kawasaki. Maybe as you claim it's not the chassis flexing but the suspension being either poorly mounted or unnecessarily soft. Sadly if feels like neither to me, the flex I and our other testers felt was best described as unwanted torsional flex. The best I could do to describe it would be to compare it to the motion a convertible car makes while cornering over road undulations. The chassis simply twists to a small degree which the rider/driver can feel. I'm yet to ride a maxi scooter that doesn't do it, GP800 included. It's possibly the result of the long wheelbase and low overall height of the average scooter frame. I must say the Honda SH300 felt fairly free of this problem so it's certainly solvable. The GP800 (as I said in my review) is WAY to heavy to be a real 'performance' option to a motorcycle but, it's certainly a sign of things to come. I also dislike the chain drive, although it is implemented very well. I would have preferred a more modern take. Maybe a belt system like Buel use. Obviously some people don't like the GP800 and think that it's pointless. I will just have to agree to disagree on this one. Hey, I wouldn't buy a Silver Wing or a Burgman or likely a Yamaha Tmax as they are all far too heavy and slow for my tastes. Other people love them. Some people like heavy metal...others like country. The fact remains, the GP800 is a hell of a lot faster than the competing maxi scooters. (read our test results for acceleration) If Gilera had bought the bike in at under 190kgs then I imagine it really would be a world beater, as it is, it's still the benchmark. I'll give up arguing about the GP800 as I actually enjoy the outside. Ignore all the negative things you read here, simply go out and try the scooter for yourself. PS We're currently switching our website over to a different platform. The new site will feature the full gallery on each bike. All of which feature shots of the storage areas. report abuse
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 written by Simon Evans , July 27, 2008
I readily admit, I don't know you at all... but by your words I shall know you.
Votes: -3
On the one hand your article perpetrates the supposition that this is the `daddy of performance scooters`, then in your reply you distance yourself and your comparison with other scooters to try to suggest that it's a competitor for the VFR's and Sprints, which I think we can agree are most assuredly not scooters either. On that basis your performance comparison - and indeed mine - are completely valid. A VFR will easily out-perform a GP800, and the Sprint will practically bugger off into the middle distance, while carrying more, braking harder, steering better AND returning better mpg. So in that comparison, the 850 is poorly-braked, inadequately suspended, and wimpishly-chassised. QED. In an idiosyncratic comparison of GP800-against-sports-tourer-around-town you might be right, but again the TMax will slaughter them all.In fact a VMax is a better town bike. Because even car drivers don't mess with a V Max! And if any of them were toting the same amount of luggage as under the seat of a Burgman it would render them all bulkier than any of the scooters you choose to compare against... There is no such `notoriety` attached to the Burgman that it flexes. It doesn't. The suspension can be improved, but the chassis does not flex. Please supply your sources for this `notorious` behaviour. I have never seen it mentioned on the Burgman USA forum, the biggest and best English-speaking knowledge base for the product, nor on either of the major Italian sites, including the one that supports a racing team equipped with Burgmen. I can also tell you first-hand that Suzuki GB have never received any such complaint from a UK customer. The throttle control of the 650 Burgman is simply a matter of rider skill and applied technique. Don't hide the BS with flim-flam - it WILL catch you out! What you have done is commit the cardinal sin of `bigger is better`: This is NEVER true of scooters, and only very rarely so of motorcycles. What the 850 really needs to be is 50 kilos lighter, 50% more economical, and simply be a better scooter. Not 50% bigger engined than other scooters. Not come equipped with a stone-age final drive system ("what's chain lube daddy, is it something grandpa used on his steam loco?") and have aerodynamics that actually allow it to use that engine to best advantage. It has none of these, and the Mana makes better use of the engine. MUCH better... To put it into context: Back in `85 I owned a GPz600R: 75 hp, 204 kilos, 55 mpg and that braked, steered and bounced around about as well as the GP800, mebbe better. I wouldn't want a GPz600R as as spurtbike today, and I don't want a GP800 as a scooter if its compromises affect its ability to `scoot` yet don't do enough to allow it to compete with other non-scooters. In short, it's barely better than a Harley, but without the brand cachet. Its not the daddy of scooters, it's the Victory! report abuse
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 written by James Bivens , July 27, 2008
I am not a fan of chain drive.
Votes: +0
I don't like the minimal storage capacity. Where is the ABS? I see my old forum friend Simon is alive and well. Raw speed is not everything. report abuse
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written by ketzals , July 27, 2008
That's a big call Simon...not riding the bike 'proper fast', clearly you don't know me very well. It's an awfully big call from zero information on the subject. I refrain from touting how fast and how aggressively I ride bikes as it's highly illegal and I'm comfortable with the size of my penis. (pretty average to be fair)
Votes: +6
Given that I spent some reasonable time riding a 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R back to back with the GP800 at let's say...fairly insane velocity's, I feel I'm confident in my review. Simon I do agree with most of your points, the GP800 is far from perfect...not so with the brakes though. Maybe the bike you rode was defective. I haven't yet ridden the 08 TMax although I am reviewing it shortly, given it's reputation I do expect it to be a fantastic handling bike with a similar problem to most other large capacity scooters...a weak engine. The GP800 is certainly vastly too heavy for my tastes but in direct comparison to other Maxi scooters we've reviewed it still manages to make them look old hat. I have ridden the Burgman 650 and completely disagree on the transmission, all of our reviewers disliked the Burgman's transmission system. The Honda Silver Wing is certainly a better benchmark in the CVT transmission department. It is absolutely not any better than the transmission on the GP800. Again I wonder if the bike you rode was defective. Actually while I had the GP800 a very talented motorcycle racing friend of mine rode it and shared most of my sentiments. The GP800 is miles from perfect but is certainly a step forward from the Maxi's we've had to date in the performance and to some degree in the high speed handling department. Trying not to be rude but you ask me if I've actually ridden the bikes...of course I've ridden them. It's what I do for a living. If you'd ridden a GP800 and Burgman at "high speed" around any corner with even average undulations it amazes me you'd even mention the two bikes in the same sentence. Victor. You are very much correct, the bikes performance is it's standout feature. Storage wise it's a real let down although still better than the motorcycles I ride. I never even thought about the getting on and off element as I am used to motorcycles. I'm quite happy to sacrifice the flat floorboard in regards to greater torsional rigidity. On such a powerful bike I think it's almost necessary. The complaints Simon made about the handling in regards to the flex etc would be vastly worse if it was step through. It's a real surprise Simon mentions them as the Burgman is notorious for flex at high speed and the Gilera is light years better in this regards. In terms of long distance riding my thoughts go along the lines of...it's comfortable if you are of average height. I can very comfortably sit with my feet forward or on the flat floor boards. I however am a midget at only 5"7 (171cm). One of our other reviewers is 6"3 and he also found the bike reasonably comfortable. I don't think it's as nice to sit on as the Burgman or the Silver Wing however. Both have much better back support for long hauls. It really is a question of what you want. The big Burgman or the Silver Wing are still going to superior over the long haul due to added storage and more comfort both from seating position and weather protection. But and it's a big BUT...you have to except massive sacrifices in the handling and performance department in comparison to a motorcycle with these two bikes. The GP800 is a big step forward in this regard. If you want the convenience of an automatic transmission, combined with the comfort and(some)storage a scooter offers over a motorcycle, then the GP800 is the only scooter currently available that comes close to offering some of the motorcycle dynamics. I personally don't see the GP800 as a Burgman, Silver Wing, TMax competitor. The focus has shifted. It's now it's own category of some sort. People who want ultimate comfort will keep buying the Burgmans etc. People who want ultimate performance will keep buying the latest Superbike. However people who want a nice general all round bike like a Honda VFR800 or Triumph Sprint ST will actually be able to get 'some' of the thrills with the GP800 with some added benefits. The Gilera GP800 is just easier to ride in town, same reason an automatic car is. Same reason a majority of cars sold are automatic, it just makes more sense in busy traffic. Summing up I think the GP800 suits someone who rides in town a fair amount but still likes to take long multiple day trips on some nice roads. Not a mad sportsbike rider, a casual sports tourer rider. Someone who's just a bit sick of wearing a backpack to carry milk and is over changing gears around town to and from work. The GP800 is genuine option for this sort of rider. That's my two cents... report abuse
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 written by david webb , July 26, 2008
i have had a short look at this beast,and like what i see but a test ride will have to wait till weather improves .storage might as well be a non event 1 helmet under the seat,nothing more preformance is not everything ,my burger eats this scoot in storage and comfort as well .
Votes: +1
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written by Simon Evans , July 26, 2008
So, on the one hand it's the Daddy of performance scooters, yet on the other its way too heavy, lacks storage space, weather protection isn't at all great and the riding position seems to be `one size fits nobody`.
Votes: +6
Then it ain't a scooter, is it..? Unlike you, I have actually ridden this machine to its performacne limits and under heavy load - i.e. actually riding proper fast rather than merely overtaking a Hardly owner, I find the headstock to be lacking rigidity, the rear end lacks damping performance, there is some suspension reaction caused by the chain final drive and the initial turn-in is somewhat vague, as if the torsional rigidity of the chassis is suspect somewhere around the riders feet, just aft of the motor. Although the front brakes are strong, they lack feel and under heavy braking the front forks lack compliance, caused I suspect by stiction from the same lack of chassis rigidity. The rear brake on the other hand is a very pleasant looking ornament - not much use as a brake, but very pleasing to look at. Did you actually ride this bike? The 08 Tmax would absolutely eat the GP800 alive in the twisties, actually isn't that much slower in acceleration, and certainly would outbrake it in any normal riders hands. The Burger 650 is more comfortable, has far superior weather protection, a much better transmission system, and could swallow a GP800 with its carrying capacity. On top of that it is ergonomically far more adaptable to the needs of disparate riders. Frankly, the GP800 is a scooter too far. The motor finds a much better home in the 850 Mana - where the storage space is equal, yet the fuel tank size, suspension and chassis so much better as to render it's scooter brother redundant. Not only that, but in the motorcycle application the transmission is far more advanced. So, tell us again why this is the only large capacity bike worth considering? report abuse
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 written by Victor , July 26, 2008
I'd love to take this one out for a spin, sounds like a blast to ride! My comments are going to sound like I'm slamming the bike, but this writeup left me with a few sincere questions. First, do you mount this bike by stepping through (over?), or by swinging your foot over the back? One of the benefits to a scooter is ease of getting on/off, so I think this matters. Second, how roomy is it? Can a tall person comfortably sit on it, and is it possible to sit feet-forward, or is the only practical foot position on the flat floorboard? Finally, how about a pic of the under seat storage?
Votes: +4
You mention the bike is great for long distance riding...can you expand on this, considering the low storage capacity and what appears to be a low amount of foot room? Thanks for the writeup, but it reads as a pure performance review...the bike's performance seems to overshadow the other things that make a scooter worth owning as far as this evaluation goes. I have no issue with claims that no other scooter can keep up with it, but the mantle of "best" seems to have been given to this bike using a rather single-minded view. report abuse
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