2013 Cagiva Mito SP525

There are not too many bikes which will set the pulse of a learner rider racing as quickly as a Cagiva Mito, which offers a level of street cred for younger riders that other bikes will struggle to match.

The Mito first came out in the early ’90s and has been the recipient of a number of changes in styling and to keep it up to date mechanically.

Powering the Mito is a 125cc single-cylinder two-stroke engine with a bore of 56mm and a short stroke of 50.6mm. It’s liquid-cooled, has reed valve fuel induction and there’s an electronically controlled power valve to control exhaust port timing.

A six speed transmission is used with a wet clutch to get the power to the ground in true racer fashion.

An alloy double cradle chassis is used to house the compact engine and of course take the rest of the rolling stock, like the Marzocchi forks, Sachs shock, single 320mm disc with four-piston

The fuel tank holds 14 litres with two-stroke oil stored in a handy reservoir under the fuel tank which hinges up easily.

Its light weight makes negotiating peak hour traffic easier, and the power band makes for fun take-offs from pole position at the lights.

Time cutting-edge costs, and at US$8995 the Mito ’aint cheap. However, this is a serious European sportsbike, offering high performance, awesome styling and quality ancillaries, so the price can be justified.