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2V or not 2V?
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Can anybody here think of a good reason why I shouldn't buy myself a new
'06 model Aprilia RSV-1000R?
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There is no X or Z in the name.
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Ahh!
Now I geddit.
When I'm shopping for a new bike, I score the model letters as if it
were a game of Scrabble and I buy the bike with the highest score,
right?
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Gixxer thou.
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Superior to the RSV in every way I expect and cheaper
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Reasons I've already considered, and rejected, include:
1. I'll probably stack it and ruin a beautiful bike.
2. I'll lavish it with approximately zero mechanical sympathy.
3. It won't make me any faster.
4. In fact, it would probably make me slower (if such a thing is
possible).
5. I don't know if I like V-twins, having had little experience of
riding them.
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You want to check this point. Some people who've ridden my (pre "Factory")
RSV have complained about excessive engine braking. The power
characteristics are quite different to a four too. Personally I love big
twins and have had a couple before, I never even noticed the engine
braking.
Others have complained about the riding position but it's no more radical
than most sports bikes. It's quite tall too, I'm 6 foot and it's
comfortable but it probably wouldn't suit a real shortarse.
It's well down on top end power compared to a modern sports 1000cc four of
course, I assume you don't mind this.
Apart from the fact that the engine is most emphatically not a four and
the height (if you're short), I can't think of a reason not to get one. I
love it.
Regards, Ian
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One way to find out then.
IMHO you have nor experienced an 'essential' motorcycle until you have
ridden a moderately powerful V twin (ideally with an angle of at least
60 degrees). Even better a well tuned single - but as a modern rider
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You just had to, didn't you!
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There are limits. I meant essential in the 'of the essence' sense.
Fundamental without being downright basic. Having said that the
*Peugeot* (no pedigree of making motorcycles have they the French)
engine in Rem Fowler's TT winning Norton was a potato-potato job, so, on
pure length of lineage, your 45 degree jobby is indisputably right up
there with the one-lungers.
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Not forgetting the belt drive...
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Intending no disrespect, it also seems closer in character to Rem's
mount somehow, than your Zed does to Duke's Gilera ;-)
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anything with less than 100 BHP will probably not be worthy of your
consideration.
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It's a pity there are no real big singles. I suppose that there are
supermotos, but that's all.
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BMW F650 & Aprilia Pegaso 650, both Rotax.
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Oh yeah. I was thinking more in terms of road bikes, but the F650
comes close enough.
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Triples, fours, sixes and eights (did any Morbidelli V8s actually get
made?) are wonderful beasts, but they are all so wide. OK so a v-twin
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Not modern ones aren't. The widest thing about the engine on my 10R
is the radiator, and I doubt that's any wider than the rad on a sports
V-twin.
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Fair point. You need a single to be properly narrow. The Saturno's rad
was definitely wider than the engine. but being 'naked' (even sans
original nose fairing) it was incredibly slim overall. The view from the
rear was just tyre, hump of single seat, ends of footrests and outlet of
silencer. Minimalism 'personified'.
Oh why, oh why did Piaggio not bring out the rumoured Nuovo Saturno MKII
with motor derived from the Rally dei Faraoni desert racer 750 Gilera RC
(70 BHP allegedly).
Of no interest to the speed is everything brigade, but I'd be first in
the queue.
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Twins can be wide - ever seen a TLR up close? Narrow they aint. They
need to be revved to get any serious oomph, too, which I didn't expect
from a Vee.
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Oh, puhlease. The CBX is only about 24" across the cases. :)
I imagine the likes of 10Rs and 'blades are considerably narrower than
you might think.
Even the Blackbird lump isn't that wide.
The Wing, on the other hand ...
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the *wrong* way can be wide as well (not an issue on an outfit anyway).
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Not an issue in any case, IMO.
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They make wonderful howling noises and immense power, but are not for me
(except perhaps a little watchmaker-like 250 four as a novelty). I could
probably learn to love a triple as well.
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The KH500 lump was wider than the CBX. Or at least, it seemed to be. I
still think you'd like one though. For about twenty minutes.
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Ah! I was thinking more in terms of Slippery Sam Trumpet than Kamikaze
Kwacker.
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So why not give it a try and then you may really know ?
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Are there any better reasons?
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You'll either love it or hate it. It will be completely different
to anything you've ever ridden before, and you'll keep
hitting the redline and thinking it's gutless until you
learn how to ride it properly compared to an IL4.
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OK ... I can live with that.
I just fancy something a bit different, which is why I'm not looking at
Gixer thous and the like.
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Don't dismiss it out of hand on the first go. You'll
want a couple of hours with it at least to mentally
adjust your riding style to suit, and before you can
make a more informed decision.
As for prices, you could probably pickup a year-old
or pre-reg Ducati 999 for the same kind of money...
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Hmmmm, I'm not that tempted there. The Aprilia seems like a pretty good
deal. £8,200 for a UK model or £7,500 for an import ... both with 0%
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If you want an Italian V-twin buy a pre used Ducati 998S. A bit of
shopping around should find a low miles 02/03 for 7 to 7.5. Utterly
wonderful.
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finance.
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Also, while I'mn on, is there any reason I shouldn't save myself £800,
or so, by buying an import rather than an official UK model?
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