I've been a member for a while but not sure if I ever introduced myself and now I need to PM someone and have to make up my quota of posts so call it cynical if you like....
Based in SW London my bike history is littered with lots of sports bikes and racing but I was an early adopter of scooters when I first moved to London and buzzed around on a Yamaha Zip with a custom paint job by Dream Machine (anyone remember them?).
Anyway, in 2014 my friend kindly gave me his '08 26k mile Silverwing having deemed it too knackered to be worth much (it had been knocked over many, many times). Every panel was scraped, cracked or loose but everything else was fine - as long as you discount that coasting wobble thing they all seem to do.
He bought a new one while I took the old one and added a Malossi belt & fly clutch and Dr Pulley 24g weights. A rough Silverwing is the perfect antidote to the epidemic of scooter theft here in London: too uncool for the youthful scrotes and low value for parts resale due to the poor bodywork.
In 5 years I never locked it and despite leaving it all over town it only got stolen once; by drunk kids that dragged it 30 metres up the road from outside my house, probably looking to use it to ride home....
A few months ago, with most of the bodywork held on with duct tape but having past the MOT (safety test) again, I sold it on eBay as my friend was disposing of his '14. It had been run over by a bus, the bus co. paid him out and this time, I paid him something for it. I'm generous like that!
The only damage was a bent shock so I bought some VOPO adjustable shocks, added 24g Dr Pulley weights and did Gavin's air filter mod replacing the whole airbox & paper filter with a K&N hiflo. Sounds throatier, picks up a bit better but I think it runs a little lean at times.
I love the Silverwing. The most useful bike out of the many I've owned. I've uses it for everything except track days, though that could change!