Words: Bill Hunter.
If you’ve read our previous report you’ll have noticed we’re compiling a long-tern review on this attractive and entertaining scooter. It’s now covered 421km since new and the running-in process has been slightly ignored, my fault. The ‘book’ says – “For the first 800km you must not exceed half-throttle”. Err, ok.
Anyway let’s ignore that, because this review is going to focus on fuel consumption from the frugal 125cc, fuel-injected engine. In the beginning I saw around 43km/litre +/- and as the kilometers rolled on it magically started to improve. So much so that I went off in a quest to see if I could achieve a remarkable 50km per litre. Well slap me with a wet haddock I did it, hurrah! The proof is in the picture for all to see, however I did have to ‘nurse’ the scoot’ a little to pull off this feat. Riding along with the green light showing in ‘ECO’ mode for a while was more tedious than an Elon Musk speech, to say the least, but rewarding all the same. Oh yes, you can cover around 100km for only R50 on an Avenis, superb figures or what? Realistically it’s more in the high 40s, but we’ll keep checking. Maybe it’ll get even better?
Then to add a bit of spice I decided to colour in the MRF letters on the tyre with a white tyre pen to add a MotoGP touch. Comically the tyre has one of the best names I’ve come across in my many years of journalism, the NyloGrip Zapper, a bit slippy in the rain though, but they are still relatively new and fine in the dry. You’ll also notice the application of rim-tape (nothing to do with hemorrhoid relief), also framing the LED headlight, to give the Avenis a slight GSX-R1000 appeal, maybe, oh, and some Yoshimura stickers to make it go even faster.
Either way it looks magnificent, don’t ya think? Well I do and that’s all that matters. Tune in next time to see what we get up to on the Avenis 125; I’m thinking carrying capacity tomfoolery.
Go to www.suzukimotorcycle.co.za for dealer locations – then go and buy one, today!
Thank you to www.trickbitz.co.za for their sticky ‘day-glo yellow’ rim tape (no giggling please).