Aprilia Tuono

Hi All,

Saw one of these today, the 07 model and fell in love with it.

If I chop my bike in against it, I get it for 170 a month over three
years, this a just about affordable, but I have a few concerns.

After being used to 4 cylinder bikes and enjoying the high revs, how
am I going to get on with a twin? Its a high power twin, but im
concerned that I wont like it (the dealer cant give a test ride).

I was going to get a GSXR 750 K8, but may well swing toward the Tuono
instead.

Is it practical to carry a pillion on the Aprilia, or will it be as
bad as the GSXR?

And generally speaking, what is the backup like and how good is the
availability of accessories?

Anyone in the know ?

 

Walk away.

 

Gawd knows. It'll be different thats for sure. I love 'em, and prefer twins
to fours. Money no object?, Bandit for work, honking great big v-twin
sprotrocket for fun.

Then walk away and find one who will. Are you anywhere near
Leeds/Bradford/Sheffield?

Not without a test ride. You'll either love it within the first five miles,
or hate it. Do not fool yourself in to thinking you'll grow to love it.

Mwahahahahahaha. Actually, for short rides, it isn't too bad. After, ooh, 10
miles, your pillion may well want to get off.

Backup depends mostly on your dealer and their persistance. A good dealer is
worth paying a little extra for the bike if the service over the life span
of the bike is also good.

The dealership I'm based at has sold quite a few. Mechanically the bikes
seem fine, at least they don't litter the workshop floor. Most spares are
easy to obtain, but some take ages. Months even. Again, the persistance of
the dealer helps here. Owners seem to love them.

As an aside, I took a KTM 950 out for a spin today. When I win the lottery,
I'm having one. Lock to lock figure of eights at an indicated 1mph, so its
balance is good at low speed. Corners?. Sublime handling. The drive on exit
from corners..... Brakes?. Can you get bras for your eyes. You know, to
hold the eyeballs in when using the brakes on a KTM. Acceleration?, this is
why I love big v twins. The authority in its 'shove' from seemingly
anywhere in the rev range made even the TLR seem asthmatic.

Christ that bike is impressive to ride. Bloody comfy too.

Yer sig sep is busticated.

 

I'd try for a test ride if possible.

I can't compare to modern sports fours, but there's bags of low-end
grunt (enought to make a TL1000R seem a bit gutless) and then at 6K
the engine suddenly develops a load more and really pulls.

The lower revs will probably take getting used to; you may alsol find
yourself not bothering quite so much about using all the revs because
of all the grunt. I tend to ride quite a bit slower in actual MPH
terms than on my TLR because of the windblast, but it's a hoot to ride
on twisty roads. The front end goes light very easily and will loft
over crests in the road if you're at all enthusiastic with the
throttle. Suspension's a bit harsh on the RSV Tuonos, dunno about the
Ohlins-equipped RSV-Rs.

Brakes are very good and the chassis feels light and
confidence-inspiring.

I've not carried a pillion on mine, but as it's mostly an RSV Mille,
pillion provision is pretty cramped like any other sports bike. Not
only that, but the pillion pad's not huge and slightly shaped to look
like a seat hump. I'd say that the only plus is that the pilion will
probably be shielded a bit more from the windblast by the rider.

Accessories: dunno.

Spares: if it's not a routine spare like a filter then Aprilia are a
bit shit TBH, with patchy spares backup. The good news is tha you
shouldn't need major spares because they are reckoned to be pretty
reliable. Spares are also /very/ pricey.

Other odds: Neutral can be hard to find. The clutch slave cylinder can
weep (mine does very slightly).

Supposedly, the slipper clutch can wear the plates out quite quickly.
No problem on mine so far.

If the battery's shagged then the engine will kick back on the
starter, which is bad for the starter clutch and causes the
instruments to reset, which is a pain.

Talking of instruments, if the sun's in front then it reflects off the
top yoke and makes the speedo hard to read. One of these days I'll
stick some black gaffa tape on mine.

 

Well then don't buy it.

 

Depends how much time you spend *up there* - I'm afraid to say I see
that sort of speed all too often (like, every bloody time I go on my
'milk run' down the A1 to see the dogs*) and it's very bracing for short
periods. Unfaired, I find 80/90 is *weightless* and little, shortish
(sensible?) spurts are/should be no real problem, but....


*....if I can't get it under control, I'm going to have to put myself on
a lifetime ban - I'm way too old for that sort of mischief and when I
got back yesterday (after a particularly nippy stint, *snowploughing*
the outside lane) there was a fucking 'Copper Chopper' hovering almost
overhead the house...

???

 

The fairing's not brilliant. I've had neck ache after only ten
minutes' riding at less than 100, though this was into a stiff
headwind. I wouldn't try 130+ for extended periods.

 

OK, better make it a fairing or a flyscreen, at least then....

 

Having done 100-120 mph, with a peak of 140 for 60 miles (or more), I can
only agree. Ask WC (Wanker(ed)) for his experiences with a Fazer

 

No. There's a comma missing.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..88203../..24080.../..31896.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR Clues: 00 Pts:0000 Miles:0000

 

No

 

It's a pity you couldn't do "100-120 with a peak of 140" on Saturday.

I felt sorry for Christofire and Monz who waited for you because they
missed a decent (1) paced ride.

(1) An SV650 kept up so it wasn't particularly fast.

 

He did it on Saturday.

 

I know, I know. And I am truly sorry for them. I did however, after lunch go
back to the hotel, so they could have a decent ride. I think I need a few
decent trackdays and possibly a car license. The bike being my only mode of
transport is what I think is holding me back. I REALLY don't want to be
relegated to public transport.

 

It must have been the post rideout lemon milkshake that gave him the edge
for his Sunday's hooning ;-)

 

I almost feel guilty about my previous post.

 

You can never go wrong with a proper lemon milkshake. Especially the
expensive kind

 

backup depends on your dealer. if you're in the london area, the aprilia
centre are good people but don't have a lot of space so you may need to
be flexible.

accessories, try taking a peek at http://rsvr.net/

 

and how many folk read this and thought "yeah right"?
--
Adie
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