ATTENTION 04/08 Aprilia onwers !!!

[Sensei]

Some may know of this but alot don't so listern up if you value yourself & pillions life . The rear suspension links pictured below are now known to break on the 04 through to pressent spec bikes Tuonos & RSVR & Factorys . One has already done this in NZ writting off the bike & luckly not killing the owner & now a good mates brothers bike is now looking like this has happend to his 04 Factory putting him in a Hospital with not much chance of pulling through 10% chance of living . These break while you are riding !! so you know what would happen if the back end of the bike collapes completely while riding bike goes straight ahead !!! Importer Downunder in CHCH & Mt Eden M/C know of the 06 Facotry & now know of the 04 from mate wanting some bloody answers why nothing has been done from Aprilia world wide . I have told all the people down here to check or stop riding their bike till some answer are brought forward by the dealers etc . There are replacement parts through AF1 Aprilia in the USA & for $50 us dollars its a no brainer to get your Linkage plates removed & replace with out delay . Please don't think it want happen to mine as there is alot of these which have broken now in Ausy & world wide now . First pic is the differance from the 98/03 link plates to the 04/08 plates no wonder they are breaking 2nd pics what they look like broken . 3rd replacement plates .

[Fatjim]

Not wanting to knock you because your doing the right thing but any garentee (sp?) that the AF1 will be any better? And if these break sure as shit Aprilia won't want to know you.

This kind of thing needs a recall from the factory, or an aftermarket fix thats backed up by a qualified engineers report.


BTW, that af1 site is got me all horny for a tuono the other day.

[MotoGirl]

Not wanting to knock you because your doing the right thing but any garentee (sp?) that the AF1 will be any better?

There's a wide range of these available and some of them are made from the same metal they're using in aircrafts, or even titanium or billet aluminium.

The issue with the linkages is that they've tried to save weight by minimising the metal in the plates, hence why they've got the hole in the middle, then shot peed to make them stiffer, which hasn't worked.

We've seen replacements on the Aprilia forum and they're solid, i.e. have no hole in the middle.

[Clivoris]

Funny you should mention this Sensei. Gave mine a thorough clean and inspection yesterday. I have the 03 linkages so not stressed about this. My bike originally came with some aftermarket linkages to lower it. They were lovely bits of anodised engineering compared to the originals. Shame I didn't like the chopperised look.

BTW, that af1 site is got me all horny for a tuono the other day.

Gwaan man. Get one. It love you long time.

[Fatjim]

There's a wide range of these available and some of them are made from the same metal they're using in aircrafts, or even titanium or billet aluminium.

1. Firstly, having a wide range available is not a good thing. This is a fairly focused part and has little bling value. Having the right part in there to do the job is whats important, and if a factory, albeit an italian one, cocks up on this I'd have little faith in an aftermarket comapany doing any better.

2. Why is the part breaking? Is it over stressed? if so in what way? Is it metal fatigue? This part is constantly under a consideralble amount of changing forces. just because a part is made out of aircraft grade aluminium, or titanium, doesn't mean its not going to let you down.


If it was me I'd be waiting on a replacement from the factory. They are the ones who will be under threat of legal action in the states if they don't do it properly, and that will be the primary driver for getting this fixed properly, remember accountants build bikes now. I doubt AF1 would be in the same boat.

[MotoGirl]

1. Firstly, having a wide range available is not a good thing. This is a fairly focused part and has little bling value. Having the right part in there to do the job is whats important, and if a factory, albeit an italian one, cocks up on this I'd have little faith in an aftermarket comapany doing any better.

2. Why is the part breaking? Is it over stressed? if so in what way? Is it metal fatigue? This part is constantly under a consideralble amount of changing forces. just because a part is made out of aircraft grade aluminium, or titanium, doesn't mean its not going to let you down.


If it was me I'd be waiting on a replacement from the factory. They are the ones who will be under threat of legal action in the states if they don't do it properly, and that will be the primary driver for getting this fixed properly, remember accountants build bikes now. I doubt AF1 would be in the same boat.

I agree, but what's the worst that can happen? It might break and this isn't any different to what the stock part is doing. aprilia are pretty good at denying liability so I can't see too many people parking up until they do a recall and replace the part.

[Fatjim]

I agree, but what's the worst that can happen? It might break and this isn't any different to what the stock part is doing. aprilia are pretty good at denying liability so I can't see too many people parking up until they do a recall and replace the part.

Yeah, good point. As an interim it might be better to go with an aftermarket, but I'd still go with the recalled part when/if it happens.

Any idea if the part breaks later, rather than sooner?

[MotoGirl]

...I'd still go with the recalled part when/if it happens.

Oh, absolutely! We've known about this for some months and haven't heard of any replacement part being issued by aprilia.

Any idea if the part breaks later, rather than sooner?

We've read about bikes that have been raced or have HUGE km on them and they haven't broken. For the instances we do know of in NZ, I'd be interested to hear how those bikes had been ridden and how many km they had on them.

[howdamnhard]

Shot peening , or "peed" as you call it,is used to help prevent cracking by instilling compressive stresses into the metal(sought of like drop forging on a micro scale).However if a part is still to light and flimsy it still will crack.


[QUOTE=MotoGirl;1420231]
then shot peed to make them stiffer, which hasn't worked.

[Sensei]

Peter Tanner has been spoken to buy Downunder as well as Aprilia NZ about check his linkages I have been told but the roads are alot more harsh on these plates than on a track , there still is hell of alot of force on on the track but not like what we have to put up with on our roads . Hey at the end of the day said my bit take what ya want from it or not . All here are replacing theirs