Aprilia

[phillvr6]

So, now its looking like the Z is no more, I'm starting to look for a replacement. Whilst I'm lookning at the sensible options for progression, the SV1000, the Fazer 1000, the Z1000 etc, I've got a yearning for an Aprilia.

Can you please give me any advise re running costs, reliability and how easily they fall apart when left outside all of the time.

Thanks,

Phill

[Kiwi_uk]

If you're going to leave it outside all the time I wouldn't go for an Aprilia.I have a 2004 Factory which has been great apart from the odd hiccup.

Kiwi

[Steve_T]

phillvr6 said:

So, now its looking like the Z is no more, I'm starting to look for a replacement. Whilst I'm lookning at the sensible options for progression, the SV1000, the Fazer 1000, the Z1000 etc, I've got a yearning for an Aprilia.

Can you please give me any advise re running costs, reliability and how easily they fall apart when left outside all of the time.

Thanks,

Phill

I have a Falco, which is a similar bike to the SV thou. It's reliable, the build quality is a lot better than my sv650, but there are a few niggles. The charging system needs sorting, with either a wiring mod or replacement rectifier from a chap in the US. The side stand is crap on EU models, leaving the bike almost upright and very prone to falling over, so you're best to source one from the US bike. Servicing is more expensive than a Japanese bike - apparently £250 minor and £350 major, but I do all my own servicing now. Some parts are definitely pricey. Apparently the standard rear shock is a bit pants, I have an Ohlins damper on mine plus revalved forks and the ride is sublime. The other gotcha is warped brake discs. An awful lot of bits from the mille swap straight onto the Falco, so there's some nice upgrades to 4 pad calipers, radial master cylinders and so on easily possible. I found it was a bit of a stretch across the tank for me (long ole tank), so I fitted some Gilles Variobars and now the Falco is extremely comfortable.

Steve.

Edit: Forgot to mention, there are some tricks in bleeding the clutch slave and rear brake caliper. Details are on the AF1 forum. The guys on there are based mainly in the USA with some from the Europe and some from Aus'/NZ. It's a regular fountain of knowledge.

Edited by Steve_T on Thursday 4th October 12:00

[randlemarcus]

RSVR, or Factory. Might agree with the outside thing, but a certain amount of prep for nasty horrid UK weather, and a breathable cover should sort it.

They are addictive in the way they deliver the power, and are truly memorable. I bought my 52 plate with very little in the way of service history, and 15K on her, and had a couple of silly issues (fork seals from sitting around for months before I bought her, bent steering damper from the POs lowside) but nothing outrageous. She sounded like the wrath of an angry god when on full chat with her Akro on, and I miss her.

While the Fireblade is a highly capable beastie, and better in a lot of ways, she's not as visceral as the Mille.

[sjtscott]

Steve_T said:

phillvr6 said:

So, now its looking like the Z is no more, I'm starting to look for a replacement. Whilst I'm lookning at the sensible options for progression, the SV1000, the Fazer 1000, the Z1000 etc, I've got a yearning for an Aprilia.

Can you please give me any advise re running costs, reliability and how easily they fall apart when left outside all of the time.

Thanks,

Phill

I have a Falco, which is a similar bike to the SV thou. It's reliable, the build quality is a lot better than my sv650, but there are a few niggles. The charging system needs sorting, with either a wiring mod or replacement rectifier from a chap in the US. The side stand is crap on EU models, leaving the bike almost upright and very prone to falling over, so you're best to source one from the US bike. Servicing is more expensive than a Japanese bike - apparently £250 minor and £350 major, but I do all my own servicing now. Some parts are definitely pricey. Apparently the standard rear shock is a bit pants, I have an Ohlins damper on mine plus revalved forks and the ride is sublime. The other gotcha is warped brake discs. An awful lot of bits from the mille swap straight onto the Falco, so there's some nice upgrades to 4 pad calipers, radial master cylinders and so on easily possible. I found it was a bit of a stretch across the tank for me (long ole tank), so I fitted some Gilles Variobars and now the Falco is extremely comfortable.

Steve.

Edit: Forgot to mention, there are some tricks in bleeding the clutch slave and rear brake caliper. Details are on the AF1 forum. The guys on there are based mainly in the USA with some from the Europe and some from Aus'/NZ. It's a regular fountain of knowledge.

Edited by Steve_T on Thursday 4th October 12:00

I had a falco from new for 3.5 years for daily commuting and my sole transport for 3 winters too (covered 23k miles) and agree with everything Steve_T says. Mine lived outside and got blown over in v strong wind requiring a new right hand clipon. I mainly had problems with ancillary components failing too rather than the actual engine and build quality. Engine always worked great (once running) only problems for me were charging/starting circuit and a dodgy aftermarket Datatool immobiliser circuit board failing on me. Other component failures 3x clutch slave cylinder (identifiable from loosing fluid level from the clutch - black fluid is normal I was told basically it wears away on the rubber seal due to a design fault), rear master cylinder failed, both front and rear brake light switches failed. Dodgy front tyre valve/assembly from the factory new which I sorted out at my local tyre place.
I found the official dealers to be crap and the then 3 year warranty to not be worth the paper it was printed on, I only ever got one clutch slave cylinder replaced under warranty Aprilia UK would not fix any of my other issues!!

[phillvr6]

I had a look at a Tuono in London today and they do look very nice. However I've also had my head turned by a Triumph Speed Triple and even the Triumph Daytona 675.

Descisions, descisions!

[sjtscott]

phillvr6 said:

I had a look at a Tuono in London today and they do look very nice. However I've also had my head turned by a Triumph Speed Triple and even the Triumph Daytona 675.

Descisions, descisions!

Did you look at the Street Triple 675? - v nice bike indeed when I test rode it!

[Steve_T]

sjtscott said:

Steve_T said:

phillvr6 said:

So, now its looking like the Z is no more, I'm starting to look for a replacement. Whilst I'm lookning at the sensible options for progression, the SV1000, the Fazer 1000, the Z1000 etc, I've got a yearning for an Aprilia.

Can you please give me any advise re running costs, reliability and how easily they fall apart when left outside all of the time.

Thanks,

Phill

I have a Falco, which is a similar bike to the SV thou. It's reliable, the build quality is a lot better than my sv650, but there are a few niggles. The charging system needs sorting, with either a wiring mod or replacement rectifier from a chap in the US. The side stand is crap on EU models, leaving the bike almost upright and very prone to falling over, so you're best to source one from the US bike. Servicing is more expensive than a Japanese bike - apparently £250 minor and £350 major, but I do all my own servicing now. Some parts are definitely pricey. Apparently the standard rear shock is a bit pants, I have an Ohlins damper on mine plus revalved forks and the ride is sublime. The other gotcha is warped brake discs. An awful lot of bits from the mille swap straight onto the Falco, so there's some nice upgrades to 4 pad calipers, radial master cylinders and so on easily possible. I found it was a bit of a stretch across the tank for me (long ole tank), so I fitted some Gilles Variobars and now the Falco is extremely comfortable.

Steve.

Edit: Forgot to mention, there are some tricks in bleeding the clutch slave and rear brake caliper. Details are on the AF1 forum. The guys on there are based mainly in the USA with some from the Europe and some from Aus'/NZ. It's a regular fountain of knowledge.

Edited by Steve_T on Thursday 4th October 12:00

I had a falco from new for 3.5 years for daily commuting and my sole transport for 3 winters too (covered 23k miles) and agree with everything Steve_T says. Mine lived outside and got blown over in v strong wind requiring a new right hand clipon. I mainly had problems with ancillary components failing too rather than the actual engine and build quality. Engine always worked great (once running) only problems for me were charging/starting circuit and a dodgy aftermarket Datatool immobiliser circuit board failing on me. Other component failures 3x clutch slave cylinder (identifiable from loosing fluid level from the clutch - black fluid is normal I was told basically it wears away on the rubber seal due to a design fault), rear master cylinder failed, both front and rear brake light switches failed. Dodgy front tyre valve/assembly from the factory new which I sorted out at my local tyre place.
I found the official dealers to be crap and the then 3 year warranty to not be worth the paper it was printed on, I only ever got one clutch slave cylinder replaced under warranty Aprilia UK would not fix any of my other issues!!

I've bought secondhand and have found that Aprilia East London can get parts for me in a reasonable time. One of the blokes in their gaff is a bit sullen, but they do at least let me speak to their mechanic, who's very helpful. I had the slave cyl go too, but I had bought an MPL one off ebay in advance. Not to bad to bleed following the guides on AF1. Summary of the bike - needs a bit of attention, but worth it.

Steve.

[phillvr6]

I'm currently seriously considering this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2003-APRILIA-FALCO-SL-1000-B...

Any additional advise as to what to look for / ask would be apreciated.

Thanks,

Phill

[Steve_T]

Things that I've done to mine are:

- Replaced the reg/rec to make sure the battery charges properly and solded the crimp connectors
- Replaced the battery - decent starting power is important to avoid killing the one way mechanism (sprag clutch) which is expensive to replace
- Replaced the front discs - expensive - they warp/pick up pad deposits
- Replaced the slave cylinder for the clutch, because the seals went
- Replaced the sidestand with one from a US bike - do this if you do nothing else!
- Fitted braided hoses
- Fitted a Power Commander, to smooth out the power delivery
- Fitted Gilles Variobars (clip-on risers) - it's a long stretch across the tank to the bars, these make the bike much more comfortable.
- Fitted a 13mm rear master cylinder - I can now hold the bike on the rear brake at the lights

Things that were already done to mine:
- Ohlins rear damper - I've not tried a bike with a standard one, but this is a known weak point
- Double bubble screen - not sure if this is necessary
- Scorpion cans - make sure you get the originals too - now sounds like the arrival of one of the four horsemen
- Rear hugger - as usual the fit is poor, I've not seen a good one yet!

What to check for:
- Crash damage
- Pulsing through the lever when you use the front brake - new disk time!
- Battery voltage shown on the dash - use the D button on the dash (far right) at tick over and 4k revs
see the FAQ here http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.ph... - this is the best Falco forum I've found. The guy mentions he keeps in on an optimate, thus avoiding the battery charging problems.
- The bike is hard on the chain (all big twins are) - make sure it's in good nick - no tight spots and well lubed, no wear on the teeth - a new chain and sprocket set just cost me 140 notes.
- Make sure the brake calipers have received regular attention to keep them clean
- Expect the back brake to be next to useless - this seems to be normal
- Some folks report clutch problems - I've not had this yet, you might get this if the guy was a wheelie king.
- Check that the steering is smooth from lock to lock (ideally with the front wheel off the floor) and that the bike tracks in a straight line, no weaving - you're checking the head races are ok here.
- Check that there is no slop in the front wheel bearings - front wheel between your legs and turn the bars left and right
- Check for any play in the swinging arm & rear suspension - you'll need an Abba stand or similar to get the back wheel in the air, there are two different variants of adapters for the Abba for different Falcos. Feel for slop when pulling the wheel left and right and by lifting and lowering the rear wheel.

There's probably more to check too - have a look for buyers guides on google for general pointers.

Steve.

[sjtscott]

Steve_T said:

Things that I've done to mine are:

- Replaced the reg/rec to make sure the battery charges properly and solded the crimp connectors
- Replaced the battery - decent starting power is important to avoid killing the one way mechanism (sprag clutch) which is expensive to replace
- Replaced the front discs - expensive - they warp/pick up pad deposits
- Replaced the slave cylinder for the clutch, because the seals went
- Replaced the sidestand with one from a US bike - do this if you do nothing else!
- Fitted braided hoses
- Fitted a Power Commander, to smooth out the power delivery
- Fitted Gilles Variobars (clip-on risers) - it's a long stretch across the tank to the bars, these make the bike much more comfortable.
- Fitted a 13mm rear master cylinder - I can now hold the bike on the rear brake at the lights

Things that were already done to mine:
- Ohlins rear damper - I've not tried a bike with a standard one, but this is a known weak point
- Double bubble screen - not sure if this is necessary
- Scorpion cans - make sure you get the originals too - now sounds like the arrival of one of the four horsemen
- Rear hugger - as usual the fit is poor, I've not seen a good one yet!

What to check for:
- Crash damage
- Pulsing through the lever when you use the front brake - new disk time!
- Battery voltage shown on the dash - use the D button on the dash (far right) at tick over and 4k revs
see the FAQ here http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.ph... - this is the best Falco forum I've found. The guy mentions he keeps in on an optimate, thus avoiding the battery charging problems.
- The bike is hard on the chain (all big twins are) - make sure it's in good nick - no tight spots and well lubed, no wear on the teeth - a new chain and sprocket set just cost me 140 notes.
- Make sure the brake calipers have received regular attention to keep them clean
- Expect the back brake to be next to useless - this seems to be normal
- Some folks report clutch problems - I've not had this yet, you might get this if the guy was a wheelie king.
- Check that the steering is smooth from lock to lock (ideally with the front wheel off the floor) and that the bike tracks in a straight line, no weaving - you're checking the head races are ok here.
- Check that there is no slop in the front wheel bearings - front wheel between your legs and turn the bars left and right
- Check for any play in the swinging arm & rear suspension - you'll need an Abba stand or similar to get the back wheel in the air, there are two different variants of adapters for the Abba for different Falcos. Feel for slop when pulling the wheel left and right and by lifting and lowering the rear wheel.

There's probably more to check too - have a look for buyers guides on google for general pointers.

Steve.

I'd add check the clutch fluid level if its below max then the slave is leaking period, it may leak slowly or quickly I had both. Clutch fluid colour will most prob be black as the std clutch slave cylinder eats seals. There were aftermarket replacements some people fitted or you might have got one that hasn't failed yet (bonus).
Also check the (flimsy) wiring/operation on the front and rear brake light switches (both mine failed) i.e. make sure the brake lights are working correctly.
Also check for damage on the oil cooler which sits right in the path behind the front wheel.. I had a leak on mine that needed a complete replacement which I got second hand.

Edited by sjtscott on Thursday 8th November 12:14

[phillvr6]

Blimey, I'm half thinking about sticking with a Jap bike. Although the Falco does look a lot of bike for around 2 bags.

Phill

[Steve_T]

I agree it's quite a list, however I do bits myself and so list them, most folks pay others to do it and say it's an expensive bike to run. I won't leave something standard if I think it's not what I want, to that end I did quite a lot to my SV too. Now I've sorted the Falco, I get on start her up and ride. The build quality is far superior to the SV's budget build. The engine has plenty of character, handling is stable, suspension supple. Overall a great machine to ride. I would suggest you try one before you buy if you're not sure.

Steve.

[gareth h]

I recently traded my 04 speed triple for a new Tuono, you can get some great deals, £6400 for a brand new bike, what really swung it was being able to extend the warranty to 4 years for an addit £140!
Oh and it goes..stops..and handles like you wouldn't believe.

[Steve_T]

gareth h said:

I recently traded my 04 speed triple for a new Tuono, you can get some great deals, £6400 for a brand new bike, what really swung it was being able to extend the warranty to 4 years for an addit £140!
Oh and it goes..stops..and handles like you wouldn't believe.

The warranty points to something as well - it's not that much, so the chance of a problem with the bike is similarly not that likely on average.

Steve.

[hornetrider]

I bought a 54 plate Falco earlier this year off of Ebay. 4k miles, no history, but immaculate. I checked none of those things above and have had no mechanical problems either.

My issues with it are it fell over off the sidestand when I was loading luggage for the Bulldog (arse!) - this is a known issue of having a crap sidestand, I actually had a stand adapter sitting in the garage at the time, lesson learned the hard way.

Only other problem was it stalled a few times when lukewarm (then I found the idle adjuster) and the datatool alarm virtually drained the battery after about 6 weeks of no use - a 20 quid Optimate equivalent from Fowlers has sorted that out.

To ride, its an amazing bike. Addictive power delivery and awesome grunt from low down. Wheelies going into 3rd on the power and the noise from the carbon fibre cans is something else.

I also now have the Ohlins rear damper and can confirm its a huge improvement.

When mine went over on the sidestand it bent the rhs clip-on which I have now had straightened. I agree with Steve above that the bars are a bit of a stretch, but rather than blowing a wad on Varios I will be putting the clip-ons back on above the top yoke to add some height.

A lot of people are fine with the riding position as its pretty sporty not tour-y. But as my other bike is a Hornet and I've not owned racerep bikes before I prefer a more upright riding position, so will be making the change.

I couldn't do anything other than wholeheartedly recommend the bike, I love it.

That said, I saw a new Tuono R at the Bulldog dripping with carbonfibre goodness, Akras, Ohlins etc etc and if I had a bigger budget I think that would be my ultimate bike.

[brummiewedge]

Had my Tuono through the summer, love it and no problems.

[phillvr6]

Have you fellas who have come across problems had the Mk1 (silver framed) or Mk2 (black framed) bikes?

[brummiewedge]

Mines an 03, was bought with 5K on the clock,as i say no probs.

[hornetrider]

Mine's a black framed one in (a very rare) green.