One year on: Aprilia SL750 Shiver

**Hitcher** · 30th December 2009, 15:50

Originally Posted by Gremlin

The dorsoduro 1200 looks promising

I think you'll find it, and the Shiver of the same capacity, are currently a fantastical wet dream. The frames of both bikes are definitely built with a bigger donk in mind. And such a bigger donk would only add about 5kg more to the weight. In such an eventuality, I can understand the purpose of the "R" mode.

**Gremlin** · 30th December 2009, 16:19

Definitely an interesting option, but pretty much ruled out with your experience with Aprilias in NZ. Also, when Zapf had an Aprilia Tuono, the servicing of the bike in Auckland (only one dealer) wasn't... the best.

Back in 2008 when I got the KTM 990 SM, the Shiver 1200 was a faint option, the Dorsoduro 1200 a very promising option, but given that the dorso 750 wasn't out, and both 1200 were ages away... all ruled out.

There was a belief 2010 would see a new KTM SM, the 1198, to replace the 990, but it seems this is only going to be in my dreams, as the SM doesn't actually feature in the 2009 line up, only the SMR and SMT.

Triple X in Auckland has a 990 SMT demo right now.

**Pickle** · 30th December 2009, 16:24

Thats a shame about the dealer / importer attitude with the Aprillia as a number of friends here in Oz have them & are getting a good run out of them, 1 RSV1000 has over 100,000kms on it & only ever had one shim replaced - who in Wellington services KTM twins?

**Hitcher** · 30th December 2009, 16:36

Originally Posted by Pickle

Thats a shame about the dealer / importer attitude with the Aprillia as a number of friends here in Oz have them & are getting a good run out of them, 1 RSV1000 has over 100,000kms on it & only ever had one shim replaced - who in Wellington services KTM twins?

Don't get me wrong, I love my Shiver to bits. It has done everything I have asked of it. An electronic speed sensor failure (a well-documented fault with the early Shivers) and dashboard condensation (ditto) are not exactly life-threatening issues. All that's missing is a distributor who gives a shit and who isn't determined to wring all the enjoyment out of owning a motorcycle they are responsible for importing.

TSS Red Baron in Lower Hutt sells and services KTM twins.

MD · 30th December 2009, 18:25

Originally Posted by Pickle

Thats a shame about the dealer / importer attitude with the Aprillia

Can we please get this straight - all the Dealers around Wellybum are good. Its the Distributor in question.

I know of people who have had, shall we say, issues with Triumph as the NZ Distributor/Importer for MV and now ApeLoves, but not with the Shops and their staff trying their best.

THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH TRIUMPH PARTS AND BACKUP! In fact I am impressed that anything I have asked for is either in the shop or here overnight. Better still Triumph have figured out that certain parts were in demand. They sussed out the problem and sorted it, well done e.g. the only issues I have had with the 675 are; three number plate holders breaking (worldwide problem as evidenced on 675net.com) and a retifier cooked. All replaced immediately under warranty. Triumph NZ tried to blame me at one point and refused to replace anymore plate hangers - the shop stuck it to them! But the icing on the cake was that the factory now send out a stronger made part. I'm testing it for them at present. I like that, see a problem, fix it. Novel attitude. Same with the rectifier being cooked by the exhaust pipe. The 2009 model has the rectifer relocated to a cooler climate

What I suspect is a problem is that Aprilia - the factory, can't get their shit together and supply parts obviously in need of replacement by loyal Purchasers and fail to respond to a flood of demand for certain parts. I can picture Aprilia factory staff as ostriches burying their heads in the sand. "What? two thousand orders for replacement clutch fluid seals, no I can't see a pattern. Ignore it and certainly don't provide replacment parts to these pricks of Owners with Bikes they can't use". Harsh maybe but I know of two Owners who waited up to nine months for clutch fluid bottle seals. Bugger me, I'd switch to another brand faster than a Hayabusa can accelerate.

Sorry Hitcher, back to your topic. So what European twin is left for you to be considering?
BMW maybe. Nah, not you. Only leaves Ducati or KTM. Now the new Multistrada looks the biz to me. but will be typical Ducati overpriced and unreliable.

What you want man is a Tiger! Go on, you know you do. Twins are so yesterday's headlines.

ps- is that 1200 Dorsodura for real or a pipe dream! That would be mindblowing over a hill top road like...

**FROSTY:Me** · 30th December 2009, 18:31

Hitcher just wondering if you've thrown a leg over any of the 1000cc Cagiva raptors.

**James Deuce** · 30th December 2009, 18:33

MD, the same people shagging Aprilia's reputation in NZ do a really good job with Triumph. Can you seriously say you're completely happy that on the one hand Aprilia gets NO support and Triumph owners get coddled in soft downy loo paper?

If they can't support the brand they should ditch it before it starts to do Triumph's reputation in, which going by your post you suspect may well be the case.