My Gilera Runner SP 180 DD Scooter
Never mind all that, what are the technical specifications?
I'd like to take a tour around the Runner SP 180 DD
You may care to visit also some of my fave Runner Links
Following the untimely demise of my Honda CBR900RRT Fireblade (of the Urban Tiger stylee) I was in a quandry as to what to get as a replacement. Let me say here and now that I do not consider this little beauty any kind of replacement for an Urban. But I did need a little commuter to tide me over until I could make my mind up what machine to get next. Getting this little fella has meant that I have been able to put the BMW K100LT into semi-retirement, using it only for my Advanced Motorcycling observing and long-distance rides out. Next year (2000) I'll be scanning the, then current, scene to see what catches my fancy. For now my attention is on the SP180 and getting the most out of this little marvel.
So what made me go for a scooter then? Well, you'd never catch me riding around on the traditional scooter style machine. That's way too naff for me. However, I had caught sight of the recent trend to style these machines up and it has to be admitted that they are very eye catching. Being a bit of a poseur I simply had to have one. But before I committed myself I did take the trouble of riding a couple to see if I could really be happy owning one.
On a recent holiday in the Greek island of Crete I took a Runner FX125 out for the day. To say that it was mechanically dubious would be a little of an understatement. Bits were missing! Nothing critical to the running of the machine, I'd say, but nonetheless it was a tad worrying at first. Once on the road, however, all of my doubts were dispelled. The FX125 was "brisk" to say the least. I took the long way back to the hotel to pick up my passenger of the day, Dominic my 12-year-old son.
We rode off along the coastline to a resort called Malia which we had visited a few years earlier. The Greek roads held no surprises. We expected them to be crap and they did not let us down. They were very crap indeed! The FX125 took all the bumps and surface irregularities (cor, there's polite!) with ease, not getting unsettled at all. In fact the only scary moment, if you can call it that, was when the back wheel stepped out under acceleration on a hairpin bend climbing the mountainside. I felt it let go slightly, Dominic didn't, and it was over as quickly as it started with the machine continuing on it's course without any major dramatics. In all, we rode some 160Km that day. The only problem was a pair of sore bums, the seat is not that comfortable for long rides on hot days.
Back in Blighty a week later I wandered in to the local Metropolis shop near London's Cannon Street Station. What a thoroughly helpful bunch they are. There was no pressure and the store staff were very knowledgeable about their subject. No sooner had I asked for a demo ride than they fixed me up with one for a few days later (my choice). I picked the machine up on the day at 10am and headed off into the Kent countryside and home, some 25 miles away.
Picking my way through the London traffic as I headed towards the A2 (motorway-class road) was a breeze. The Runner FXR180 which was loaned to me kept pace with the surrounding traffic with consumate ease. Never once did the machine fall prey to any larger vehicles out-accellerating it away from the lights. The little machine was more than able to make progress with the rest of the traffic.
As I headed on to the A2 itself I did feel a twinge of trepidation. After all, it had been easy to keep pace with inner city traffic but how would the FXR180 fare on the three-lane highway that greeted us, with it's 70mph speed limit which is often exceeded at that time of day when the traffic is light? I need not have worried myself unduly. The machine quickly made 70mph to keep pace with the traffic. As lane three picked up some more I was able to maintain the progress to around 85mph at which point I could feel the Runner getting breathless. Dropping back into lane two and 70mph was a sensible idea; at that speed the scooter held it's own with the other traffic, having some little margin (up to 85mph) for the occasional overake. I have to add that at one time I did get the machine to a princely 90mph (indicated) for a few moments although at these speeds it is not very comfortable. The seating position is such that I had to pull myself forward into the wind blast with my arms, there was no leverage available from my legs due to the absence of a fuel tank between them. It was soon very tiring and bringing the speed back down to 60-70mph was a great relief.
I managed the round-trip within 2 hours, which included a stop for a cup of tea at home. This matches well what I would have been able to achieve with the K100LT or the Urban given that I am prone to keep to the kind of road speeds that will help me retain my driving license.
As I returned to Metropolis the salesman could see that I was suitably impressed. We had a jaw for a little while where I learned that he held the company record for a wheelie on one of these little Gileras. This being for a distance of 1.25 miles! Apparently all you have to do is to open the throttle sharpish and pull back on the bars when the machine will happily oblige for you. I'll find out, perhaps, once I've finished running it in.
As soon as the insurance cheque for the Blade arrived I banked it and placed the order for a Gilera Runner FP 180 in Fluo (that's flourescent red to you and I - quite a bit brighter than the piccy at the head of this page!). Two days later I got the phone call to say that it's ready to pick up, which I did a couple of hours later.
I'll miss the Blade, badly. It was an awesome machine as you'll read elsewhere on this web site. It will take a very special machine indeed to replace it. The Runner SP 180 has made it's mark on me very early on, I'm hooked on it's fun styling, extraordinary fuel economy, low running and insurance costs (Group 1) and, let's face it, low initial cost [quite a bit less than my annual British Rail season ticket!]. Whether I can truly do the commute on it day in and day out only time will tell. The early indications are that I can, very much so.
Cylinders 1
Bore 65,6 mm [Runner FX/SP: 55]
Stroke 52 mm
Displacement 175.8 cc [Runner FX/SP: 123.5]
Cycle Otto 2 stroke
Compression ratio 9.8:1 [Runner FX/SP: 9.9:1]
Max. power 21 hp/8,000 rpm [Runner FX/SP: 15/7,500 ]
Torque 19 kgm/7,000 rpm [Runner FX/SP: 14/7,000]
Fuel Unleaded fuel 95 octane min.
Induction Lamellar valve in crankcase
Timing system Piston-commanded
Carburettor Dell'Orto PHVB 20.5 / Mikuni VM20
Choke tube diameter 12 mm
Ignition Electronic capacitive (CDI) and variable advance
Starter Electric (Bendix) and kick-starter
Lubrication Separate with automatic mixer, flow regulated by engine rpm and gas valve opening
Cooling Liquid
Battery capacity 12 Ah
Electrical system 12 Volt
Gears Automatic CVT variator with torque server
Final transmission Gears in wheel-hub (13/31x12/42)[Runner FX/SP: Gears in wheel-hub (12/32x12/42)]
Clutch Dry automatic centrifugal
Total short running ratio 1/18.95 [Runner FX/SP: 1/22.31]
Total long running ratio 1/6.93 [Runner FX/SP: 1/7.37]
Chassis Cradled in welded steel tubes with reinforcements in pressed steel
Front suspension Telescopic fork with upside-down shafts (dia. 30 mm) and hydraulic shock absorber
Rear suspension Single-arm with double effect hydraulic shock absorber and helicoidal spring
Front brake Stainless steel Ø 220 mm disc with hydraulic command
Rear brake Stainless steel Ø 240 mm disc with hydraulic command
Front wheel rim Die-cast aluminium alloy, 3.50x12"
Rear wheel rim Die-cast aluminium alloy 3.50x13"
Front tyre Tubeless 120/70-12"
Rear tyre Tubeless 130/70-13"
Fuel tank capacity 12 lt
Oil tank capacity 1.8 lt
Max. speed 120 km/hr [Runner FX/SP: 104]
Acceleration to 30 m 3.8 seconds [Runner FX/SP: 4.2]
Acceleration to 60 m 5.4 seconds [Runner FX/SP: 6.1]
Consumption (ECE cycle) 25 km/l
Exhaust and noise emissions According to norms
Max. length 1,780 mm
Width 720 mm
Saddle height 815 mm
Wheel base 1,303 mm
Moving weight 115 kg
© 1999, Danny Thompson
Last edited 4th September 1999
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