Aprilia comments on Honda reliability

[Zapf]

From http://www.motorcyclists-online.com/o1_640_Aprilia--to-launch-Shiver-family-with-new-engine-range-and-V4-race-bike-on-track.html

Chat to Piero Soatti, Aprilia Product development

PS: One of the most important things that we do is the bench testing at the factory. Every new engine is run for 50.000 kilometres before being put into production. This is very important for reliability.

TS: Have you got any examples of changes you have had to make after this reliability bench test?

PS: Yes, many, but specific to the SL750 we had a problem with cooling the rear cylinder in the beginning. On the road tests this problem didn’t really show up correctly. But when the engine was stressed at high revs for a long time in the bench we had some engine seizures. These seizures were caused by water not circulating properly at the back of the rear cylinder-Causing it to overheat. We solved the problem by introducing a direct water line to the rear cylinder.

50.000 kilometres is always our test as very few motorcycles actually do so many miles. But we once tried a Honda CBR1000RR engine on our bench and it never died! It was impossible to seize that engine under normal service circumstances.

[Jantar]

...50.000 kilometres is always our test as very few motorcycles actually do so many miles. ....
Huh? They have to be delusioned. That is only 2 years normal riding.

[Mully]

*waits for the "homo" comments to start flying*

[sAsLEX]

It was impossible to seize that engine under normal service circumstances.

One mag tried to kill a bike, Kwak something rather I think it was.


First they ran it sans water........ not much happened.

So then they drained the oil as well and held it on the rev limiter..... its burnt out the exhaust and the fact the spark kept cutting out meant it started blowing the muffler apart....... but refill it with oil the next day and you could hardly tell it had been thrashed to within an inch of its life.

[Mully]

One mag tried to kill a bike, Kwak something rather I think it was.


Did it have USD forks? Cos otherwise it was shit.

[McJim]

Bugger - my bike is approaching 50,000km - It's Italian - does that mean it's gonna shit itself and die?

[skelstar]

Did it have USD forks? Cos otherwise it was shit.
Yeah, that joke isn't old at all :mellow:. Got anything new?

[pete376403]

Huh? They have to be delusioned. That is only 2 years normal riding.
Average lifespan of a sportbike in California between showroom floor and write off is six to twelve weeks* - they wont have clocked up too many Kms

* this is an "internet fact" seen on many sites but I have not been able to find any official certification.

[Mully]

Yeah, that joke isn't old at all :mellow:. Got anything new?

Nope. Nothing. :crybaby:

[pete376403]

One mag tried to kill a bike, Kwak something rather I think it was.


First they ran it sans water........ not much happened.

So then they drained the oil as well and held it on the rev limiter..... its burnt out the exhaust and the fact the spark kept cutting out meant it started blowing the muffler apart....... but refill it with oil the next day and you could hardly tell it had been thrashed to within an inch of its life.
Twas either Fast Bikes or Performance Bikes and it was a kawasaki 6000

[Paulus]

50.000 kilometres is always our test as very few motorcycles actually do so many miles. But we once tried a Honda CBR1000RR engine on our bench and it never died! It was impossible to seize that engine under normal service circumstances.

Remember Toselands WSBK bike last year when he did almost an entire race with no water in it after an early crash (albeit a wet race)!

[Dargor]

50.000 note thats a . not a ,

50.000 == 50
50,000 == 50000

Are they being stupidly accurate or dont they know the difference. That looks like 50 km to me.

[Mully]

note thats a . not a ,

50.000 == 50
50,000 == 50000

Are they being stupidly accurate or dont they know the difference. That looks like 50 km to me.

In Europe, they often change the two from how we do it. Drives me mental when I deal with European documents.

[sAsLEX]

Huh? They have to be delusioned. That is only 2 years normal riding.

50k on a dyno is probably done continuously.

You sir are a legend for riding 50k in two years without rest!

[Mental Trousers]

In some countries
50.000,00 = 50 thousand
whereas for us it would be
50,000.00 = 50 thousand

[steveb64]

Bugger - my bike is approaching 50,000km - It's Italian - does that mean it's gonna shit itself and die?

Yep. :( - err you mean it hasn't already? Better start saving for those new bits... :whistle:

Just had to replace the swingarm and tank on mine at 42,000. :p

[jcupit69]

Bugger - my bike is approaching 50,000km - It's Italian - does that mean it's gonna shit itself and die?

iv got an aprilia 2 stroke.....this thread is making me very nervous :sweatdrop

[AllanB]

I own a new Honda - that comment gave me a chubbie :rolleyes::banana::banana:

[Hellraiser]

I own a new Honda - that comment gave me a chubbie :rolleyes::banana::banana:

Your a honda owner ........ it not the comment giving you a chubbie it the pictures of men your looking at.

[skelstar]

Your a honda owner ........ it not the comment giving you a chubbie it the pictures of men your looking at.
Oh, a 'homosexual joke', how original.

[breakaway]

pshhh you Honda haters are just jealous of our machines for having superior build quality and better speed / handling. Just come out and admit it.

[Hellraiser]

Oh, a 'homosexual joke', how original.

LOL ..... wasn't trying too be original.

[Oakie]

My Honda has 43,400km on it and I'm aiming to get 100,000km out of it unless I can afford something newer before then. Regular servicing and a restrained right wrist are the key. (Oh, and avoiding other idiots on the road.)

[James Deuce]

Bugger - my bike is approaching 50,000km - It's Italian - does that mean it's gonna shit itself and die?
No. Your one is air cooled.

[James Deuce]

iv got an aprilia 2 stroke.....this thread is making me very nervous :sweatdrop
You should be rebuilding the top end on that thing every 20,000km minimum.

[Fatjim]

Oh, a 'homosexual joke', how original.

Touchy subject eh Skel?

[skelstar]

Touchy subject eh Skel?
Yeah, well you always said you were going to be the one to 'out' me ... I just didn't think it would be so soon.

[jcupit69]

You should be rebuilding the top end on that thing every 20,000km minimum.

The service manual says every 12,000km :crybaby:

[AllanB]

Your a honda owner ........ it not the comment giving you a chubbie it the pictures of men your looking at.


Ok - that comment killed the chubbie, must 'head' off to the 'tits or arse' thread now.

[James Deuce]

The service manual says every 12,000km :crybaby:
It's will be less than $500 and you can do it yourself.

[jcupit69]

It's will be less than $500 and you can do it yourself.

Thats the plan....found a site in the US that does forged racing internals for the rs at the same price as the standard ones :clap:

[James Deuce]

Noice!!

Love those RSes - one day! :)

[jcupit69]

check out www.af1racing.com, there probs the best place for rs parts as they race them in the us. Theyv got everything from wheels to cranks to gaskets, whole lot