Gilera Nexus 500

When running great fun, but hideously unreliable, my bike has 16,000km. And spent most of its time in my ownership of the road, I have changed, starter motor, starter clutch, flywheel, numerous electric faults, bad wiring, ie flimsy. I love it and hate at the same time, at 6ft plus it's not comfortable and kills my back after 1 hour. This should be a great bike but it's very flawed. It's put me off scooters, and if you cant ride a bike without Feering a call to the AA, best avoid a Gilera, big shame as it handles pretty well from memory. Still of the road now with yet another fault, won't start just clicks, and it's not the solinoid as I have replaced this unit. By a proper bike.

Now when my scooter works its great, good fun etc etc. But I am not impressed by build quality or electrics. Having waited nearly three months for a replacement Sprague clutch, and other related parts I have finally got the bike back on the road. Now it's covered an alleged 11,000 kilometres. Today having only got the bike back barely three weeks I now have an alarm that won't turn off... Main headlight switch decides to turn off when you need it...will now spend hours working out where to find the issue...Next time I would buy another bike. Scooters are fun but to complicated, and try to find a reasonable mechanic is hard.The Nexus has great potential, poor quality let's it down, damn shame it's almost a great scooter...

I bought my Nexus 500 a year ago and have now covered just over 5000 miles. Its a good scooter for touring with sufficient power for most occasions. Fuel consumption is around 60mpg although if you take it easy you can get 65+. I fitted a Gilera Top Box to improve storage - the underseat storage doesnt match the capacity of the TMax, Silverwing or Burgman, and the small compartments up front are so small they are virtually useless. I cant understand why they couldn't provide more(and bigger) storage up front. The windshield I have set on its highest setting although it could still do with being a couple of inches higher to cut down the wind blast from over the top (i'm 6' tall). The seat I find too hard after about an hours riding and really could do with some redesign. The scoot does ride and corner well, although if you hit any bumps mid-corner you will find that the stand touches down - quite entertaining trying to corner at speed on two wheels and a metal stand. Would I buy another? Yes, its great fun to ride but it certainly could be improved upon - better storage, changes to the centre stand that hangs down too low, and a better design of seat. Oh and even more power would be great

My new Nexus 500 is on the way to Bucharest right now, I cant tell you much about this maxi-scooter but every one told me that is the best on the market. I bought it because a few weeks ago I sold my 1000RR Honda and I dont have the time to travel to Germany for the 2008 model, so for the few sunny days that we have left in Bucharest I'm riding the new Nexus 500. I just hope that I will have the time to adjust myself to the bike, any way the looks of this bike are great (mine is red with black).

Regards to everyone and safe riding!

Overall, I consider this 'super scooter' to be more than that, and I love it so much, that next year, I'm getting the 800 version! I think it's great value! Not to be so sniffed at by 'real bikers' happy riding! this baby has speed and the look on bikers faces when you pass them on the motorway is funny! It handles great and gives great weather/wind protection! I've toured all over england and it's been great fun. wonderful to drive into work with.

Sadly much as I like my Gilera Nexus, I am selling it for a more reliable scooter. Its a nice ride and excellent power for motorways and longer journeys, but due to the weight of the bike and the poor engine design for short journeys, its not good for general short commute, or stop start traffic.

After many years (nearly 30 ulp....!) I have been riding on the road I have never not had a bike of some description, from worn out MZs to shiny new Harleys through every Jap bike make and a fair few Euro ones too, depending usually on what I could afford.

A knee injury forced me to look for a bike that I could move my leg in ways impossible on a conventional bike and refrain from using a rear footbrake.

After trying and considering the whole caboodle I decided upon this Nexus and I haven't been disappointed.

It gets up the noses of many a "true" biker (most of whom's true biking is done with "pint in hand"), handles superbly, does the ton and takes me and my Son to rallies like the Bulldog Bash too. Some people hate it with a vengeance and refuse to believe it can do what it can do. Others absolutely love it.

The motor is a stonking big fuel injected single and absolutely brilliant!

It has a lot of plastic. Any bike neglected is going to deteriorate. Some do it quicker than others. Look after the Nexus and it will reward you and still look great 3 years on. There is a 3 year old one that I often park next to, and the owner leaves it out in all weathers on the coast, and I mean RIGHT on the coast, 50 yards from the sea. Is a it pristine? No but it does look better than it has a right to given its treatment.

My knee injury still hasn't healed 100% but has enough that I can ride a conventional bike again. So, I'll be selling the Nexus and getting something else then, right? Too wrong, it's staying! Any bike with this much character combined with this much practicality is a winner!

This machine looks nice, but you would be better off taking your money to a Honda dealer, for the cost of this "scooter" you will get something with 10 times the reliability that is built to take the UK weather.

The Gilera Nexus 500 is a great machine to ride around on - lots of power and does a couple of hundred miles at 70mph, with no trouble at all. The wind and weather protection is really good. It's not a bike, though.

Happily buy another Gilera Nexus 500, could always do with even more power, best maxi scooter, much funkier and agile than a Yamaha or Suzuki.