GP Sports Article in Motorcycle Magazine
2007-11-14 17:35:29
Posted by: Abatayo, Dennis
Updated by : Quioco, Fatima
First of all, GP stands for Grand Prix, the principle of motorcycle
racing, which this bike is obviously evoking. the letters G and P when
applied together to a car or to a bike invokes images of speed, of
high velocity drama, of racing triumphs and successes.And the company emphasis is not an empty boast. They equipped the GP Sports 125 with not only the aesthetics to make the bike look like it can go fast but they also endowed it with the necessary equipment to make it go fast.
GP EQUIPMENT
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To stand out from the 110cc underbone commuter crowd, Granstar
installed a 124cc motor in the dual-tube underbone frame of the GP
Sports 125, sandwiched by a third
down tube that is firmly bolted to the lower front of the motor, making it stressed member of the frame. The four-stroke air-cooled CDI-fired Single with electric and kick start is mounted upright near the vertical (ala Suzuki Raider 150) with its carburetor drawing air from an air box mounted underneath the seat. The motor dumps the spent gases into a stainless steel exhaust pipe that features an increasing stepped diameter as it connects to the low-restriction stainless steel muffler, which helps it develop a bit more power and a better exhaust note. The exhaust system and its attendant exhaust note alone is sporty enough to warrant the bike " Sport" moniker. |
But the Granstar did not stop there. They mated 5- speed rotary transmission to harness the power generated by the Single and they used a sport-bike staple chain-and-sprocket drive train to deliver that power to the rear wheel. A black 3-inch wide 17 inch 5-spoke Y-design cast wheel shod with a Dunlop TT900 low profile tire measuring 90/80-17 transit the power to the ground through the tire sticky compound and aggressive thread pattern. A box-frame rear frame arm is attached to a mono shock system to squelch road undulations while providing lateral and torsional rigidity for improved stability and cornering response. A rear disc break with a mechanical anti-lock brake system (ABS) provides the required stopping power. At the front, a similar Dunlop TT900 tire measuring 80/80-17 wraps a black 2.75-inch wide cast wheel equipped with a large almost-radial type disc brake. The two piston caliper of the disc brake is equipped with a mechanical ABS and attached firmly to the large diameter telescopic front fork suspension while an adjustable chrome lever on the right handle bar actuates this front disc brake hydraulically. A similar adjustable chromed lever is likewise found on the left to actuate the clutch. The sum of its mechanical parts alone more than justifies the bike GP Sports moniker. |
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The bike aesthetics command a second "GP" - only this time, it stands for great packaging. Granstar endowed the GP Sports 125 with just the right look to emphasize the bike sporty nature. The high-gloss red paint of our cover bike was so rich and evenly applied that you would think the bike was one-off custom instead of a production bike. The bike fit and finish is up to par with the most Japanese bikes, even surpassing the quality of some of the more popular ones. |
The headlamp and tail lamp cluster sport the "integrated" look that we like about the bike. The clear dual lens headlamp cluster integrates the signal lamps into its housing as does the clear-lens tail lamp cluster, eliminating the need for stalk-mounted signal lamps that easily break during a tip-over or a slide. Furthermore, the absence of appendages improves the bike aerodynamic efficiency, which in turn, helps the bike fuel efficiency. Thus, this integrated design not only looks good aesthetically, it also looks good economically.
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The
ergonomics of the Granstar GP Sports 125 demands another "GP" for the
General Patronage. Casual observers may dismiss the bike as "just a
run-of-the-mill underbone commuter" but Granstar made sure that the
riding position of the bike is more than just "run-of-the-mill" . They
carefully chose and installed components to fit the 95-percentile of
the Filipino motorcyclists comfortably. The handlebar, seat and foot pegs conspire to provide a riding position like that of a standard bike-upright torso, feet underneath comfortably bent knees and arms comfortably reaching the handlebars with the right angle bend at the elbows. All the controls are within easy and comfortable reach with each control providing a rich, polished feel. Unless you are approaching six-feet-tall or four-feet-small, the bike is utterly comfortable to ride around the city or on long trips outside the city. |
However, when you would rather ride fast than ride economically, the GP Sports 125 will respond willingly to your ham-fisted throttle inputs and it will accelerate smartly to rotate the needle clockwise towards the 160-mark on the blue-colored speedometer face. Just watch the needle on the blue-colored fuel gauge because it might go from "F" to "E" quite swiftly too.
A GP FOR EVERYMAN
Finally, as if by design, the Granstar GP Sports 125 deserves another "GP" and this will pertain to its Great Price. Granstar Motors has always kept an eye on providing the everyman with an affordable motorcycle with its "Pinoy Budget Bike" pricing structure and its motto of "Your Dreams, Our Passion".
Featuring : Jennifer Lee and the Granstar GP Sports 125
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