2012 Aprilia RXV 550 vs the 2008 KTM 690E l- let the games begin

[MXNUT]

The RXV is living up to its primadona status, and also won't play in the cold, in fact it won't start..

Seriously though..its been escalated back through the dealer network, and back to Aprilia to get it resolved...as we would be buggered if it has to be parked outside on a real trip...unless it has a blanky

Temperamental Italian Race Bike

[vegeman]

After reading shit loads about all the sxv/rxv's regardless if 450 or 550...the cold start is an issue. Lots of reasons, but the reality is that none of the reasons are particularly good. They all stem from some engine design, EFI, air intake, stress of cold on batteries, twin cyclinder balance, TPS adjustment, spark, starter motor crapola.

One thing that 'seems' to be consistent, is to completely replace headers and mufflers with full akarapovic and install new map....ouch spendy ($1800) - Those that have that dosh...say start issues seems to stop, and the bike goes like a rocket....eek

I have no doubt that the bike will sound bloody amazing, and I also think that with the map, and a better exhaust...it should have that top end that is currently missing.

By the time it arrives and gets installed, my frame and wires should be out of the leg...so we can get back to doing some 'tests'

I'm a bit nervous now that the his bike will be quicker, and I have to hear about it...and hear about it...and hear about it

[clint640]

I'm a bit nervous now that the his bike will be quicker, and I have to hear about it...and hear about it...and hear about it

How many kms on the Ape now? You know to make it a fair test it needs to get to 20k km with no major problems like the 690 has. You could vounteer to rack up a few k's on it to even things out

Clint

[vegeman]

How many kms on the Ape now? You know to make it a fair test it needs to get to 20k km with no major problems like the 690 has. You could vounteer to rack up a few k's on it to even things out

Clint

The ape has just over 2000Km's on the clock and its still working :-) (it is actually a nice bike to ride and the suspension is way nicer/plush than the 690's...I'm going to get the forks re-shimmed) but yes fair call, let the bike get to 20,000kms and then see. Festy won't care if it was rebuilt, quicker is quicker...so I know that will fall upon deaf and stubborn ears.

[Gremlin]

2k?

I've put 54k on my BMW (ok, so being a twin 1200 it's a little less highly strung I guess) since January last year... wasn't even riding it for 6 months of that...

I think you need some more reliability in your mixture

[nzcarnivore]

After reading shit loads about all the sxv/rxv's regardless if 450 or 550...the cold start is an issue. Lots of reasons, but the reality is that none of the reasons are particularly good. They all stem from some engine design, EFI, air intake, stress of cold on batteries, twin cyclinder balance, TPS adjustment, spark, starter motor crapola.

One thing that 'seems' to be consistent, is to completely replace headers and mufflers with full akarapovic and install new map....ouch spendy ($1800) - Those that have that dosh...say start issues seems to stop, and the bike goes like a rocket....eek

I have no doubt that the bike will sound bloody amazing, and I also think that with the map, and a better exhaust...it should have that top end that is currently missing.

By the time it arrives and gets installed, my frame and wires should be out of the leg...so we can get back to doing some 'tests'

I'm a bit nervous now that the his bike will be quicker, and I have to hear about it...and hear about it...and hear about it

Shipped from AF1 last week... should be here in two weeks... am rubbing my hands in anticipation, the uncorking process should be complete and then we'll see the power of this monster unleashed..... should solve the cold starting and the softer top end.... The orange hog should look great in my italian styled mirrors!!

[vegeman]

Hey,
Festy installed the full akra exhaust, had the map loaded and other tweaks to get it to run nicely...and the sound is awesome...the power in the mid-range is brutal...(reminds me of the big bore 2 stroke feel!)

With me only getting my broke body back on the bikes...testing and comparison has been a bit tough, but what I can tell you is that the aprilia still can't beat the 690.

We had a couple of test drags from zero, and the bikes were more or less the same...so that is an improvement as before, it would leave him/it behind. Sure he weighs 30Kgs more than me, but that's his prob for being a fat bastard

NB: Since those drags...I've now removed my 2nd and 3rd gear power restrictor so that's another 20% power increase ( i thought i had been done) and again, the power increase is there. So I think once we get a real drag test again, it will be bye-bye ape...what we will do, is get a lighter rider to test and see how that goes.

Final test on sunday was a classic top gear, wide open throttle test, riding on a slight incline and into a slight head breeze. BAsically a perfect test for raw horsepower. So this is nothing to do with weight as it is in accelaration, just pure pony power. There was a breif moment when I though the ape was going to get past, but his front wheel started to drop back behind and the 550 ran out of puff, and the 690 just kept pulling....oh yes - in your face!!

The 690 simply has more, and delivers it all the way to red-line, the 550 has a massive mid range...but not enough legs. Perhaps the real issue is that the aprilia only has 5 gears, and it really needs that 6th. I also think the cam and associated performance curve needs work. If he had the SXV cam and setup...I think it would work better ie less mid range, and more top end.