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Gilera Runner ST/SP
Well everything old made new again! The return of the legend itself the Gilera Runner. Now will we see it here?
The much-awaited Runner VXR 200cc makes its entry into the market, with the entire range being given a new set of colours.
With a four-stroke, four-valve, water-cooled engine delivering 19 bhp of power, the Runner VXR 200 is the top of the Runner range, available alongside the other displacements: 50cc carburettor and electronic injection two-strokes and a 125cc four-stroke.
The Runner gets a fresh colour range in 2006, with three all-new Race colours and a replica of the Moto GP bikes to emphasise its “scooter with a bike inside” sport pedigree.
With over 330,000 units sold since 1997, the Gilera Runner has been a smash hit in the sport scooter category. Using motorcycle-style build, technology and components, the Runner offers unmatched riding pleasure while maintaining the scooter’s ease of use.
The Gilera Runner has been kitted out in a totally new colour range and new graphics for the 2006 season to emphasise its sport feel and enhance its sleek, aggressive styling.
The three striking dual-colour “Race” combinations red/black, grey/black and yellow/black in which all four engine displacements, from 50 to 200cc, are now available, evoke a world of high-speed cornering and breathtaking acceleration. With graphics that evoke the chequered flags on racetracks, the three Race versions bring all the excitement of the circuit to everyday town traffic.
Fans of racing and the exploits of Moto GP champions can now choose the Runner SC (Squadra Corse). Available in 50cc injection or carburettor versions as well as a 125cc, the Gilera Runner SC’s paintwork is inspired by that of the bikes that Simone Corsi and Marco Simoncelli will be racing in the world speed championship in the 250cc and 125cc categories respectively.
The Runner VX 125 and Runner VXR 200 are also available in a classy Shiny Black.
Runner: the linking ring
Sleek, aggressive lines and race-inspired styling; three displacements and four high-performance liquid-cooled engines; extra-lightweight, rigid cycle parts, a 14” front wheel and the best brakes in the category: these are the features that set apart the new Gilera Runner to make it the sport scooter par excellence and the point where the scooter meets the motorcycle.
The design of the new Gilera Runner reflects the concept of a scooter with the soul of a motorcycle. Weight distribution follows sport bike trends. As the Gilera Runner has a “top-heavy” front and tapering rear end, the rider is seated as on a sports bike, with full control of the vehicle.
The striking front reflects the vehicle’s power; the sleek rear its dynamism.
Painted parts and technical elements alternate on the sharp contours of the Runner’s side panels. The colour and composition of the seat and inside front shield close off the cradle that hosts the rider and offset the shiny side panels.
The headlights are in the classic Runner shape; a single transparent sheet covers the two lamps with the Gilera logo above. The tail lamps now place the circular elements hidden on the earlier versions in plain view.
A signature feature of the Runner is its aluminium-reinforced side insert, which emphasises the vehicle’s rigidity and forms a fundamental part of the frame.
The new design of the analogue-digital instrument panel is in line with the Runner’s sporty look. Backlit in red, the instrumentation includes an analogue rev counter and LCD display with a speedometer, total and partial mileage counter, fuel gauge, cooling liquid temperature indicator and a clock. A comprehensive set of warning lights includes a fuel reserve, turn signals on, high beam, engine oil level for the four strokes, fuel/oil level for the two strokes and an injection check for the PureJet.
Cycle parts
Within the Gilera Runner’s big, racy panels is frame innovation that goes well beyond current sport scooter standards.
The double cradle frame in high-strength steel tubes with pressed sheet metal reinforcements has been re-designed to obtain the highest torsion rigidity and optimal shock absorption. This results in taut handling and full use of engine power.
Frame design is a key element of the overall styling of the Gilera Runner with its deep central tunnel, a standard feature on the Runner since it was launched in 1997, which is geared to faultless performance. This configuration offers riding sensations totally unlike those of a step-through scooter, as the rider actually feels the machine working.
With the fuel tank hidden under the central tunnel, the vehicle is more low-slung, centralising the load to ensure elastic manoeuvring and stable, precision steering.
The suspension is also geared to performance. The front suspension on the two 50ccs uses a 30-mm upside-down fork, while the 200 and 125cc use a 35-mm conventional fork. There is a hydraulic monoshock at the rear on the two 50ccs while the 200 and 125cc have a double hydraulic shock absorber with adjustable spring preload.
All four versions of the new Gilera Runner feature bigger wheels. The new light alloy wheel rims are rigid and lightweight with a racy six-spoke design, and measure 14” in front and 13” at the rear (compared to the 12” rims on the earlier versions). They mount a 120/70 tyre in front and a large 140/60 at the rear dimensions worthy of a sport bike, for total stability and curve taking that no scooter can manage, with the rider in full control at all times.
The brakes are a fundamental aspect of the Runner’s predilection for turbo-charged riding. Thrilling acceleration and reduced stopping space are easy to achieve thanks to the two disc brakes on the 50cc (220 mm front, 175 mm rear) as well as the 200 and 125cc (240 mm front, 220 mm rear). All four new Runners have a twin-piston floating calliper in front.
Engines
The new Gilera supersport comes in four different versions 50, 125 and 200cc with high-tech liquid-cooled engines. All four units offer benchmark performance, as a result of which the new Gilera is faster away from traffic lights than most other vehicles.
The all-new Runner 200 VXR, equipped with a powerful, high-tech 200cc four-stroke, liquid-cooled engine with four-valve distribution is meant for a male clientele wanting a racy, sensation-packed ride even with a scooter. With a 19 bhp power output and torque of 17 Nm, the Runner VXR offers just that. As it can be comfortably used on motorways as well as in town, the VXR is a truly multipurpose vehicle and environment friendly too.
The “in-between” Gilera Runner has a 125 cc four-stroke, four-valve, liquid-cooled Leader engine with a 15 bhp power output. The Runner 125 can be ridden by anyone with a full car licence and offers sparkling performance, especially in terms of acceleration and progression, making it perfect for the ‘stop-and go’ use typical of town traffic.
The Hi-Per2 Pro PureJet on the electronic injection version of the Runner is a performance benchmark, offering acceleration and progressive pick-up while substantially cutting fuel consumption and emissions. The other 50cc engine, a HiPer2 Pro carburettor, makes the Runner a clear winner in the 50cc carburettor scooter category in terms of performance.
Both 50cc versions use the upside-down snakebite exhaust, which optimises performance on these sparkling two-strokes and keeps them well within Euro 2 limits with its two-way catalytic converter.
Accessories
A wide range of accessories can be used to personalise the new Gilera supersport scooter and make it even more practical, enjoyable and safe to ride:
– Windscreen
– 28-litre rear top case
– Electronic alarm
– Standard anti-theft device
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