RIDING CAGIVA'S works racer Mito is more fun than having a fag behind the school bike shed. It's the same sort of nerve-tingling, adrenalin-pumping thrill, but believe me, it feels far, far naughtier. Breathing in lungfuls of racing two-stroke oil is one of the great joys of life.
It's all about tunnel-vision excitement. Without mirrors you just don't know when Plod is creeping up, but somehow you simply don't care. Just keep your head down, screw that throttle open and hope for the best... Familiar?
With a claimed top speed of 120mph, this must be the fastest 125 on the block. However you look at it, the Race version of the standard Lawson II Mito is about the nearest thing you'll find on the road to a fully-blown grand prix maahine, Extrema included and it's not just the Eddie tag that gives it street cred. Those tasty looks, that smooth feel and the crackling sound are pedigree, while some red-hot performance will see this Mito burn off anything else in its class.
On the road it's a bit of a disaster. The lightweight moped chain stretches like a lakky band and the jetting is so crucial that the engine can become bogged down in cold, damp conditions. Not to mention the lack of mirrors and starter motor, although the bike push-starts with ease. Just don't stall at the lights, which is easier said than done, because there's no idle either.
Still, this Italian Cagiva race series-spec bike flew down from Peterborough to London on a still, warm day, easily reaching an indicated 180kph (112mph) and holding seventh gear with ease.
Round town it's nifty, but the tall first gear means you have to rev like mad to get a clean drag from the lights.
The ride back was altogether different — and plain hard work. The roads were damp and the heavy night air played havoc with the jetting. Carb set-up is so crucial that the bike comes with a workshop manual to enable you to jet up according to the weather and at the time I'd have preferred the less fussy Extrema. Petrol consumption plummeted from 42mpg on the southbound trip to just over 35mpg, hitting reserve after just 76 miles. And I had to fight to maintain 85mph, hardly ever getting into top.
The race circuit is the Mito's true home, and at Pembrey it made a mockery of the poor old Aprilia Extrema (which it should have done), along with a host of other, much bigger bikes.
The razor-sharp, almost nervous steering and the crisp power would even turn Mr Nice-But-Dim into a sadistic, fire-breathing demon. This Mito, which is both raced in Ministock and ridden on the road by importers Three Cross, is one of a limited bunch of specials built each year by the factory. The engine has been extensively breathed on and the suspension uprated, while some excess flab has been trimmed off. Race-spec wheels and tyres complete the package.
It has a useful midrange for a 125, but the motor screams to be thrashed and the race ignition allows it to rev freely to the 13,000rpm limit. That's great, because otherwise you'd have to concentrate on the wafer-thin powerband between 9500rpm and the ll,000rpm red line to stay alight. Slip below that and you need to nip down a couple of cogs to build the revs up again.
The Mito packs a punch like no other 125 coming out of corners and despite my extra weight and size, I was able to pull away from tiny Tim Thompson riding the Aprilia.
Handling is the other great Mito joy. Steering is so quick it's almost twitchy, but the bike is smooth and steady through even bumpy bends, thanks to the fully-adjustable race suspension.
The improved midrange, lack of weight, stonking brakes and excellent handling makes the Cagiva the perfect wet-weather racer. You can get away with whacking on the power earlier than you'd ever dare on a big bike. Race-compound Hi-Sport radials tyres also made a huge difference, biting hard while Tim slid around in the damp.
If I had a spannerman who understood barometric pressure, a luxurious motorhome and a Kocinski surly Southern drawl, I'd love to race this little beauty. But own it as a road bike? Gimme a fag any day.
