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“Well, I had read many reviews about the Gilera Cougar...”

written by p0ng0 on 19/06/2008

Good Points
Very comfortable, economical (100mpg+), good handling, looks like a bigger bike.

Bad Points
Poor quality chrome in places, no centre stand, isn't a bigger bike!

General Comments
Well, I had read many reviews about the Gilera Cougar before deciding to buy it, and they were all positive. Even my typically skeptic father could not find a bad word written about this relatively rare machine on the internet. Of course, having gone ahead and put my deposit down all the negative reviews shot to the top of Google..... well this is my experience.
Firstly, it's only fair to establish my viewpoint. I am a 30 year old man who has struggled most of his life to realise the all too common dream of biking. I have bought this bike because I NEED transport that is cheap and reliable. In all honesty I couldn't afford to run a car.
I paid £795 for a '51 plate with 2500 miles on the clock. Apart from a ew surface rust patches (over half of them polished out) and some badly flaking chrome on the seat rails the bike was ideal.
It has a 4 stroke engine which I believe is related to the Honda City Fly OHC lump, and makes a very easy starter each day. Half choke is all that is required from choke and don't worry about the throttle at all - just press the button and she pops to life, easy as anything. The engine takes 5 mins to warm up, settling to a pleasing burble, and then it's off with the choke and away you go!
On the road I find that although it is not as zippy as a two-stroke, the engine develops a pleasing amount of torque for such a little lump and makes what is honestly the most pleasing burble-noises I have ever heard from a 125cc machine. It has plenty of go for the important 0-30mph sprint off the lights, is easy to filter on and therefore faster through town than any car you care to mention. Some people in £25k cars don't like that, but then they could always join you on two wheels?... heh....
The bike wears Pirelli mt75 tyres, and handles beautifully, as long as you remember what it is and what it's for! The problem with a lot of reviews of these machines is that people seem to consider it surprising that you occasionally have to drop a gear on a 10BHP bike to climb a hill! 5th gear on this machine is an overdrive really, and makes rumbling around in the endless 40mph limits a very easy and pleasant experience. I am 6'3" and 15 stone and not only does this bike fit me but it carries me up hills quite happily at 55mph in 4th gear before returning to burble-mode at the top in 5th. I have had it on the dual carriageway, but to be honest I don't like thrashing a bike to 70mph and although a few miles is fine, you'd be missing the point of riding if you made a habit of it.
Try as I might I can't get it to do less than 100mpg! Ideal since my car does 40mpg and petrol isn't getting any cheaper! £5.50 for 100+ miles.... £15 per year to tax it.... £112 per year to insure it fully comp.... I'm happy enough with that.
All a bike like this needs is careful cleaning and lubrication. Use some WD40, autosol, and elbow grease. Keep it covered up (I use a plastic sheet) when you can and you'll find you have a perfectly good tool for commuting, days out or even just learning to ride on.
My impression of this is still dented by some negative reviews but I can only look after it and hope it looks after me. One thing's for sure - it beats riding a scooter and being tarred with that particularly anti-social brush.
Buy one. You won't regret it.