Aprilia millie vs the big 4

[SS90]

ok, took the bike for a ride, love the look and sound and its beautiful in the corners but. i dont like the brakes or the engine. i just want more at the top of the rev range. u hit the rev limiter and change gear thinking is that it. and it just stops pulling hard over 200 up till about 180 its ok but the zx10r any zx10r would leave it for dead. looks like im going to have to go for a jap bike.

That's quite a common response from someone who has mostly ridden Jappa's, and I can see why.

The thing is that the Vtwin just makes nice smooth (linear) power opposed to the (peakier) IL4.

Sure, the addrenaline rush (can be) higher on the IL4 due to the sheer "surge" of power, but (to me) the smooth rideability of the Vtwin always wins on the "grin factor" alone.

Ones man's float in a Gay pride parade is another mans Harley I guess........

[Stampy]

Hi up in the rev range is not where the Millie live's you have to get out of the I4 high reving mind set and stay in the cream of the torque, thumping out of corners, pulling the rev's to where you can keep the V2 in the meat of the torque, then my freind you have a very rewarding ride. here's a pick of my old 02

[crazyhorse]

Most sport bikes wheelie in first. Clearly you have limited knowledge of bikes. The aprillias are a taller bike, have fantastic power and go like the clappers. Good luck in your decision. I personally would love to own a millie, but am happy with what I got now.

[Nonbeliever]

IF you're a strait line junkie ( sounds like it) then I understand, but once you appreciate what sportbikes are all about then pure hp is only a fraction of the attraction.

[Sensei]

Will could suggest alot here with things you can do to sort the Milles power etc , but it looks like you still need a Jap bike for awhile longer . Once ya have a new ride sorted a ride is on the cards .

[blue eyed savage]

yeah i will be looking for the jap inline 4. and cant wait to be out riding agane but its a matter of finding the righ bike for me now im thinking r1. and yeah u could say i have limited knowledge of bikes. iv only done about 60,000ks on all my 3 bike's put togeather the cbr954 was cool but i crashed it dont know how many iv done on my flatmates zx10r mabe only 5,000 but i do know what i do and dont like and there are know chicken stips on the bikes i have ridden but we all know thats not anything to go by, and yes i do get my ass of the set in the corners.

[george formby]

I've only ridden a Tuono & loved it. Amazing feedback & handling. It was also comfortable for me, I'm a bit lanky. Brilliant motor in the corners. Far better for me than a blade I rode recently, not sure how a mille would compare but I do like the way Aprillia do things for my style of riding which involves the mimimum of straight bits.

[reemit]

Got me a mint 99Mille recently after 30 years of jap, french, brit, jap ,jap jap, yank, yank, jap, jap. At first I thought shit I screwed up, but then I quickly got to know the Mille, changed my riding style a bit, and now get a real buzz when I know im going for a ride just like I did with a Moto Martin CBX1K in 86.
You can really push the thing hard in the twisties and it will stay composed. Not only does it ride well but its got top looks, turns heads and seems to be well built. One or two odd quirks on the older models that need fixing like the crappy rear brake cos the fluid get boiled by the motor, and the wierd clutch.

[mashman]

Got me a mint 99Mille recently after 30 years of jap, french, brit, jap ,jap jap, yank, yank, jap, jap. At first I thought shit I screwed up, but then I quickly got to know the Mille, changed my riding style a bit, and now get a real buzz when I know im going for a ride just like I did with a Moto Martin CBX1K in 86.
You can really push the thing hard in the twisties and it will stay composed. Not only does it ride well but its got top looks, turns heads and seems to be well built. One or two odd quirks on the older models that need fixing like the crappy rear brake cos the fluid get boiled by the motor, and the wierd clutch.

heh, some things don't change... my rear brake has a similar problem. Hard to say why I love this bike, but i do. There is a 1060 kit which gets exceptional reports and indeed a supercharged version which looks completely insane... so there's more power to be had from the beast with a very high degree of reliability, should one want the best of alll worlds... ohhhh i wish i had the cash for the 1060!

[reemit]

There is a 1060 kit which gets exceptional reports and indeed a supercharged version which looks completely insane... so there's more power to be had from the beast with a very high degree of reliability

Yep Im just looking to unleash the power that I know is there mate. Need to get Akros, PCIII, Filter, and gearing then it will be even stonkier, gotta sell summat first though. Them Akros are some serious dosh.

Hard to say why I love this bike, but i do.

My thoughts entirely, its got that fkn "je ne sais quoi". Even with the crappy rear brake.

[Hotchefnz]

Heres my fifty cents worth - would agree with mashman 100% - thought I had made a mistake buying mine, just a different feel, higher than my previous rides, and shitty rear brakes................ two weeks in and I will never change. The bikes are great - I use mine every day and commute 300 km a day to and from work and still look forward to getting up in the morning, starting her up and riding her. As mashman said in the twisties they handle well, though chew through the gas on hills, sound great, look great. Mine has just clicked over 65,000 and not once have I had a problem. I cant speak more highly of them. Every day takes 15.74lts just so reliable, the one thing it teaches you is to be smooth with gear changes - they dont like low revs ( chain chatter ) and very quickly you find that as stampy said -

Hi up in the rev range is not where the Millie live's you have to get out of the I4 high reving mind set and stay in the cream of the torque, thumping out of corners, pulling the rev's to where you can keep the V2 in the meat of the torque, then my freind you have a very rewarding ride.

They are a fantastic bike -