The day I took delivery of my Gomoto SuperMoto I was a bit skeptic about the build quality and had my doubts about the 200cc engine.  But I was determined to put it through its paces and see what it has to offer.

First thing you notice about the SuperMoto is that it’s actually a stunning looking motorcycle.  Except for the horrid looking round mirrors (which I soon replaced with after-market mirrors) one cannot find a fault with the aesthetics.  Mounting the bike, you realize how narrow it actually is, this is good for navigating heavy early morning traffic.  The wide handlebars ensure you have ample control over the bike and your arms are in a comfortable position at the same time.  Looking at your instrumentation you’ll see the lack of a rev-counter along with an analog speedometer and an odometer (with a trip meter).  Not the prettiest of consoles, but good enough for a budget commuter.  But wait!  As with all good television commercials, there’s more! Stepping off the bike again and looking at your rear tyre, you’ll notice she’s a 130/30, a nice fat piece of rubber which really adds to the appeal of the bike.  You also get inverted front forks and braided brake hoses on the front as well as the rear brake which in fact is not a gimmick and really works marvelously!

 I was instructed by the dealership not to ride the bike over 70km/h for the first 1000km and this proved to be somewhat of a challenge on its own, though it’s actually near impossible to hurt the engine in the riding in period because, frankly, the engine does not have any power beyond 70km/h.  What you do notice though, is that as you put on mileage, the engine becomes a bit less stiff, and gradually gains power as the pistons start to make themselves at home inside the engine.  With my first re-fuel, I calculated my consumption and arrived at the astounding figure of  31km/l.  Albeit the slow speeds at which I rode, I was still impressed by this low consumption.  Needless to say from there on I chose the scenic route to work each morning and back home in the afternoon in an effort to put on kilometers as soon as possible.  By the time of the second service at 3000km, the little SuperMoto loosened up so much that I could see 117km/h on the speedometer.

Handling on the Gomoto is what you would expect from a sub R20K motorcycle.  The suspension is okay, not great, but okay.  The front forks have too little travel and don’t absorb the imperfections in the road as much as you would think they do.  Cornering on the bike is a pleasure thanks to the wide handlebars and as I mentioned before, the brakes really do work and you get awesome feedback from them thanks to the braided hoses.  My only concern is riding such a lightweight motorcycle in Cape Town’s infamous winds.  You really are buffeted because of the upright seating position and the bike needs a bit of a bigger screen, not that it would make any difference anyway, because headwinds are the least of your worries in such conditions.

The SuperMoto would appeal to anyone tired of spending hours in traffic to get to work each morning.  With the added benefit of low fuel consumption, you’ll not only save money, but arrive at work with a smile on your face and ready to face the many challenges of the day.  At around R16K, this little motard is a sure winner.

If you're interested, contact Abré v/d Westhuizen from Bikes & Quads @ Venture on 021-9750825 or go to www.bikesandquads.co.za .