For 12 years now the Cagiva Mito has been every learner's wet dream. From the looks that inspired the Ducati 916, to its seven-speed gearbox and zippy (in derestricted form) motor, the Mito's got everything a young lad could want. With EC emissions legislation threatening to stifle the two-stroke forever, Cagiva had to work hard to get EURO1 approval.
There's a catalytic converter inside the exhaust pipe, but Cagiva say the new engine retains its power and performance.
A liquid cooling system, laminar induction and an exhaust regulation valve are the main technical characteristics of the two-stroke single. The exhaust regulation valve, through an actuator, partially closes the exhaust valve at medium and low speeds making it more effective without altering the performance at higher speeds.
Electric starting and separate lubrication are also features of the engine, capable of producing 11KW of power.
A new rear suspension linkage puts more weight over the front end to improve handling, while the 40mm Marzocchi USD forks have been revised along with the Sachs shock to provide a smoother ride. There's less preload and more rebound damping front and rear to achieve this.
There's plenty of other big sportsbike features, such as the Brembo gold two-pot caliper biting a 320mm semifloating front disc and a 230mm at the rear. And there's a steering damper mounted 916-style across the top yoke.
Could there be a finer introduction to sports biking?
