My First Gilera Cougar 125

I've read loads of the posts from here and thought I'd join and share my adventures of biking. I passed my CBT last jan and rode a Yamaha SR125 since. I just sold it to a dealer as it was on it's last legs, enging knocking e.t.c so I just bought my second bike on saturday for £800. It's my Gilera Couguar, purchased in Birmingham and rode all the way to Loughborough in Leicestershire. My god, I've never had such a hard journey
I am still on 'L's so motorways are a big no no, but due to Birminghams friendly roads, I ended up on the M6 after an hour of trying to find a way out of the city. That was the first time I've ever been on a motorway and it isn't too bad, just a bit worrying that i'd get a right smack from the police if they saw me, but didn't. Nearly crashed it coming off the first junction on a major right turn - turned too wide and skidded everywhere to gain control at 50mph but lived to tell the tale! I'd never ridden anything other than a CG125 or an SR125 and there's a HUGE difference between those two and a Cougar 125. It took hours to find my way back even with the help of maps and petrol stations.

The dealer sold it to me with a years MOT and only 4400 miles on the clock. It looks near new and certainly seems to ride clean. The only thing that really baffled me was the lovely sound, almost like crockery being jumped about coming from the left side of the bike throughout most of the ride. What was it? Well, I found out when I got into Loughborough (and lucky this happened less than a mile from my destination). The noise suddenly stopped as I approached a roundabout and went to slow down. I eased on the front brake and the rear, only the find the front brake lever eased ALL the way back to the handle and wasn't responding, at the same time as a black nissan sunny cutting me up. I clamped down on the rear brake harder until I stopped, and pulled over just before the roundabout. The entire front calliper was dangling from it's cable and walloping the wheel . Wasn't that wonderful! I could have died if it were on the motorway! Luckilly that's fixed up now and no more crockery noise and dodgy break. had to split the pads apart and bolt it back on with no damage. A lesson to anyone buying a new bike - even if it has an MOT = CHECK IT OVER... AND AGAIN... AND AGAIN..... Then ask all your mates to check it over, then just to be sure, check it over!!! It's too risky otherwise. I'll never buy a bike without checking it over a million times.

---

You've been silent-kev'd

Wise words, I always do brakes, tyres oil and filter on everthing I buy, regardless of previous owner, MOT or not.

---

Stop parking bay theft.
Incur ye not the wrath of the mighty Captain Cropper and his equally mighty Chuckle Brother Minion!
CLICK HERE TO REPORT A CRIME ONLINE
2007 Stolen Bike List

Too add salt to the wound - up on further inspection of my newly puchased vehicle;
tax disc + holder left the bike on the way home due to vibration.
And the chain guard is cracked and broken at the base of the rear bolt so it will just have to be removed. The bike requires fork seals as it seems to be leaving a small trail of oil up the bars & the headlamp is just bright enough to be legal. Oh well...

---

You've been silent-kev'd

Still, on the bright side it's not developed any of the Coguar's near-legendary electrical problems yet I nealrly bought one when I was doing my CBT but I cunningly bought an absolute shitter of a Virago 125 instead... Oh well.

How long does it take for the DVLA to send back the V5? I still haven't got it back from the 23rd. I need it as my tax disc actually flew off on the way back from Birmingham and I failed to realise (going out on a limb and believing he actually DID tax it before the sale). GRrr, I hope I don't get pulled over without the disc...

---

You've been silent-kev'd

I seem to be having a really strange problem. My battery died (this is the third time this has happened), possibly due to a faulty alternator. So I charged my battery off the mains. However, when I fit the battery back into by bike, there was no response. No lights either. Then, after a little fiddling, I've found that my bike will start only if the battery is connected, but not actually re-fitted into my bike. I assume that this is due to a trapped wire when I put the battery back in, but I can't figure it out. I even tried running it without fully fitting the battery back in, just to test it, but as the battery is where it's meant to be, the bike refuses to start. Any solutions?

hey ive got a gilera coguar 125 and im having trouble with it! the throttle cable has two separate cables, one goes into the top of the carb and the other has come out of wherever it is suppose to be! could someone tell me where its suppose to go?

In response to benjiii, I also have a gilera coguar and my throttle cable is only a single. The only time I've seen two cables (actually it's one from the throttle twist grip which splits into two just before the carb) is on a two stroke. For example, a friend of mine has a kawasaki kmx and his throttle cable goes from one cable to two cables just before the carb. One goes into the carb (the usual throttle cable) and the other is attached to the two stroke oil pump. The only thing that I can think of in your case is that the cable has been changed at some time and the wrong cable has been fitted to your bike and because the gilera coguar is a four stroke motor, it does not need the other cable which is usually attached to the two stroke pump so it's been left hanging. I hope this is of some help to you.

hi all,i have a gilera cougar 125cc  2002 model.i like the but the bushings in the top yoke that keer the handlebars from moving are shot.does any one know where or who make aftermarket bushings for this problem.i am in belgium so i thought they would be easy to get from italy but no they stopped making them 3 years ago.

any help would be great.

hi i have just bought myself a gilera cougar 125cc and i have not to an ignition does anyone have any idea where i could buy one as ive looked everywhere online and cant find anything or if anyone know which wires to put together to get her started would be great aswell thanks

Sounds suspiciously like you've nicked it and want us to help you get it running...

---

arrrf.

all gilera cougars have only one throttle cable fitted as standard.. more like you bought a 2 stroke cable for say rc125 or 2 stroke dna ect..... ive got a problem with a cougar it looses the spark when left over night.. once running again..it will start all day.. anyone ever had a prob like this... Damo @ 2 wheel moto recycle.. any info willl help

 

I had a Cougar until it got written off, but that was one thing I noticed - how much the rear wheel loved spinning up on even the slightest damp patch, not to mention going over a grid in the wet round a corner! I think it was mainly due to the weight the back end had especially with me on it. But that was a really fun part to the bike, the weight and width of the machine felt like you were riding a much bigger bike than a 125.

One thing I made sure to do when I first got it home though was changine all the perishables: Engine oil, Brake fluid, Brake pads/shoes, Spark plugs and Fork seals, Oil filter, fuel filter and Air filter. The difference in the ride quality after was second to none. Slowly but surely buying more specialised parts to improve the quality of the bike. The first port of call was a new chain because my god it didn't half stretch. Moved up to Hagon twin shocks with adjustable pre-load - felt like I was on a memory foam sofa with them on. Swapped out the fork springs for softer springs to ease the front end better over bumps in the road. With a nice set of part-worn Bridgestone tyres the bike started to feel like it should of done from the start. I think everything I bought for the bike totaled up to about £600's worth of kit, but didn't half improve the bike! by far the best 125 I've ever ridden (Even if I do say so myself).

The only thing that let me down big style and it has been mentioned is the electrics. Italian electrics just don't seem to like British weather. Forever cleaning contacts, replacing fuses and bulbs. A problem they really should of sorted out before production.

Like Tattoo John's response to benjiii, I would expect the wrong throttle cable has been bought, which generally seems odd because they aren't exactly dear...

midlandsdoc I had the same problem, until I could find a piece of rubber with the quality for a bush I actually removed the old nackered bush and swapped it out for two metal washers. Not exactly the perfect replacement but it worked, no free play from the risers so in turn the steering was more responsive.

bikeboy85 I'm confused, does it not have an ignition barrel/switch? Like tappy said it raises suspicion as to wether the bike has been stolen..

hi ive had my 2001 gilera cougar for about 3 months and today i lost my only key while i was going to check my bank balance so i had to leave the bike there can anybody tell me how i can get my steering lock off and start my bike up 

 

Are you seriously asking someone to tell you how to steal a bike?

---

arrrf.