TNG Milano Scooter Review
by Kat
(Victoria, BC, Canada)
Scooter Underground
The TNG (Twist n'Go) Milano scooter is probably one of the better purchases for the dollar anywhere in North America. Lower price point than others, but not lower performance or quality.
The body metal is a bit thinner and lighter on a TNG Milano than other 150's but the workmanship is still great quality. Not EURO egofrill expensive, more like quick commuter, normal person budget.
Hey, if you have to get to class or to work, the Milano is a great set of two wheels. And if it's not fast enough already, I can do performance modifications.
These make AWESOME rentals because they are really durable. I rode one on vacation and the rental guy said that for a small company, CMSI takes care of any issues, and there is a 2 year warranty. Speaking of durability -
In 2007 the older model was entered in a 24 hour endurance race and TNG Milanos placed 1st and 4th out of 56 entries - despite having come right out of the crate and facing massive factory sponsored competition from team Honda who placed 2nd and 3rd. This thing runs forever.
Sure, everyone knows that 95% of all scooter components are made in the same Asian factories. There is no such thing as a French, Italian, or Japanese product. There are only marketing brands.
What you want to avoid like the plague are the grey market scoots being dumped into the market. Many of these are salvages. There is a reason some companies don't get certified for DOT; it's because they can't pass the minimum tests.
Just like there is no way I'm taking on a car without a Snell or DOT tested helmet, I'm not risking my life on a bad ride.
Anyway, TNG does a dyno test on every unit before shipping it to you at the dealer, and in 2 years I've had ZERO downtime.
Negatives? Apparently some monkey designed this seat when blindfolded. It works, but once you get used to riding - go find a more customized seat. Take care of your butt.
And you might want to upgrade to the highest wattage headlight/taillight bulbs possible if you ride at night or in bad weather. I know there are little halogen bulbs that snap in, but there are also some pretty bright LEDs. Just make sure that you test the LED tailight/brake light to make sure you can always see it at an angle and not just straight back.
We ride year round - so it's SEE and BE SEEN.
The Twist n'Go Milano is fast, fun and really damn affordable.
Go ride. More info on Twist n'Go here:
Twist N'Go
A battery tender like the Battery Tender Jr. can make all the difference in whether your scooter will start right up each spring, after being stored for months.
Just about every scooter owner needs to have a battery tender, sometimes called a trickle charger. Unless you are lucky enough to live in a climate where you can ride all year long, chances are your scooter will be put on ice, figuratively-speaking, for at least a couple months every winter.
One of the key steps in winterizing a scooter is to protect your battery from draining during its "rest" period. This can – and will – happen if you leave your battery sitting untended in your cold scooter over the winter, even if it's in a garage or shed.