Aprilia RSV whats it like?

[YamR1,V64motion]

hi, just wondering if any of you own the latest shape RSV or RSV factory i saw one the other day in black and i have to say i think it looked great and sounded great but i dont really know much about them apart from they seem to be much better value than a Ducati 999, really i wanted to know what thier like compared to an inline 4.

[mrandy]

Although they look a bit lardy they are realy light and nimble and so easy to ride with that lovely v twin torque,great bikes and real good value for money if you buy the ohlins shod model

[Furyous]

Much more reliable than a current Ducati.

Spares prices are better than they were a few years ago, altho spares availability can still be a prob.

Hardly ever see one in broken down.Rear brake pretty much universally crap.

Loud bike though, be carefull with racepipes if you have track days in mind.Best get Akra road baffled ones, half the weight of the std dustbin.

HTH

F

[YamR1,V64motion]

as much as i love my new Fireblade theres something about a twin that appeals for some reason, and i wouldnt mind giving 1 a try, really the only 2 viable options in the superbike area would be the RSV factory or a Ducati 999 still i cant decide if i just love my fireblade too much, anyone know of any dealers in surrey/sw london where i can get a test ride?

[BIIOAB]

I test rode an RSV and then the Factory virtually back to back - have to say the Factory felt in a different league...

[FortJefferson]

I had one in 2003/4 when they came out. It's the sort of bike you wear as apposed to sit on. Problem was it made feel too good and I crashed, bike was a rite off. My advice would be if you buy a new one put some decent tyre's on it.

[carrera2]

[quote=YamR1,V64motion]as much as i love my new Fireblade theres something about a twin that appeals for some reason, and i wouldnt mind giving 1 a try, really the only 2 viable options in the superbike area would be the RSV factory or a Ducati 999 still i cant decide if i just love my fireblade too much, anyone know of any dealers in surrey/sw london where i can get a test ride?[/quote]

Last time I was in there Infinity in Farnborough had a few in there - might be worth a call.

[bagpuss 996r]

leave it out with the reliability issue know of more brakedown and recalls on jap stuff and they still call ducatis got 2 and had nothing that has not got me home.

[BobM]

I love my 04 Factory. I was thinking of a Ducati 999 but the Factory will knock spots of it in terms of value, reliability, servicing costs etc. Mine worked out £5k less than the equivalent Ducati, Ohlins front and rear, Ohlins steering damper, loads of carbon etc.

Budget for a pair of cans though, the mapping to pass the new Euro emissions runs it very weak low down and makes it very snatchy. No need for a Power Commander though, the dealer can just switch the ECU over to map 2 when you switch cans. Also gone for larger rear sprocket to make it even smoother round town.

Done 2.5k miles on mine since I got it in February with no issues other than the crap back brake. Huge engine braking though so not really too worried.

[rsvmilly]

Aprilias are fab! The latest RSVs are slightly less torquey than the older ones but more agile.

Aprilias are heavier than the Jap bikes but I have both and believe me, the weight doesn't hinder the agility. The Ohlins suspension gives such a good ride, like a magic carpet compared with my R1. It just encourages big lean angles at high speeds. And the twin pulls very strongly from 3500rpm.

They just don't have the high speed rush that 1000cc fours have.

Try one. You might hate it and that would make your mind up.

[YamR1,V64motion]

the only twin ive ever ridden was a 749 and it was raining and cold but i was impressed by how it gripped etc, the Mille hasnt ever been a bike ive thought of until recently but i saw a black factory go past the other day and it sounded great and looked great too not to mention that really the Factory is cracking value seeing as how you can get an 04 one for £7k now, im just a little concerned about future depreciation on them compared to my current bike.
so on a decent set of twisty roads how badly are you going to lose out to an 1000cc 4 given that both riders are of similar ability?, also are servicing costs more similar to that of a Ducati or a japanese bike?

>> Edited by YamR1,V64motion on Tuesday 30th May 13:31

[BobM]

YamR1V64motion said:

the Factory is cracking value seeing as how you can get an 04 one for £7k now, im just a little concerned about future depreciation on them compared to my current bike.?

I guess the resale values will have been hit by the over-import of the 04/05 models - I got over £2.5k off the list price of my new 05 model Factory when I bought it in February.

YamR1V64motion said:

so on a decent set of twisty roads how badly are you going to lose out to an 1000cc 4 given that both riders are of similar ability?, ?

I wouldn't be the person to comment but the guys over in the Aprilia forum reckon they can gain on the Japanese machinery in the corners. Whether that's the rider or the bike I dunno.

YamR1V64motion said:

also are servicing costs more similar to that of a Ducati or a japanese bike?

Japanese. First service @ 600 miles free, next service I think @6k but no belts to change etc.
edited cos the comma in your username broke the quoting!

>> Edited by BobM on Tuesday 30th May 15:56

[rsvmilly]

YamR1V64motion said:

so on a decent set of twisty roads how badly are you going to lose out to an 1000cc 4 given that both riders are of similar ability?, also are servicing costs more similar to that of a Ducati or a japanese bike?

Bike magazine have a handling circuit and for ages the Mille R (prececessor to the Factory) was the fastest bike around it.

I've dropped the forks of my RSV and it turns in quicker than my R1.

Servicing costs are closer to Ducati than Honda but at least you don't have the expense of annual belt changes. The tricky bit is finding somebody to work on them - dealers/workshops who'll work on them are thinner on the ground than for Jap bikes.

Also, some of the parts are ludicrously priced. A well known example is the levers. They are made by Brembo and are identical to those on the 748/996 etc. Ducati charge about £20 each whereas Aprilia charge nearer £70.

>> Edited by rsvmilly on Tuesday 30th May 21:37

[YamR1V64motion]

thanks for all the advice guys, i went to test ride one today and was very close to been let out on it but they wouldnt let me because i only had the photo card part of my licence on me so i will have to do it another day, you will also be pleased to see the comma in my name has gone