deflect . But not here , its really good at keeping head-buffeting to nil . In my first hour I found myself swooping round corners like a schoolkid , enjoying the ride merely for its own sake . There ’ s magic here , but it does have some areas that could still be improved . Theres a real buzz in the engine as you reach 7000rpm plus and not much really happens above that . It ’ s Italian , it has quirks , and a bit of personality , but mostly it ’ s like a bloody good pizza and a cracking glass of montepulciano , conviviality plus . I cannot comment on reliability , or engine build quality , both of those would take a hell of a lot more digging and time . The finish is terrific , plastic yes , but most are these days , it looks integrated and well-designed . The navy colour scheme I rode was attractive . There are some cool touches - like blue lights around the bar-mounted control buttons , in dim light they glow clearly . Where improvement could be made is , the two-pot twin discs up front . I found they pulsed a little at slower speeds in traffic , and set up a small judder in the forks when braking firmly to stop . The bike is good enough that it deserves to match stopping power with that zappy , smart livery . But here ’ s the kicker , you can own this for less than 10 grand , brand spanking new . Time will tell , but on the face of it , this is a contender .
38 KIWI RIDER