I'm just spoilt rotton, 3 beauties in a day!

[Rashika]

had a ball yesterday, well, had fun anyway.

A friend asked me oh so nicely to return a demo bike back to Eric Woods for him seeing as he had work and all that jazz to do...poor bugger

Anyway he sidled on up to me at Ruapuna on sunday and asked for a favour.
Would I go out of my way and return the bike for him...he knew it was asking a lot but I'm such a nice person that I will go outa my way for a friend.... I mean, Hey, why not?

So I got to ride the lovely new Aprilia Tuono (RSV1000) home from ruapuna, with a little sidetrack to show off to my mumsy (hey mum, I've got a new toy!...what you just got a new car, bike what else NOW???......Kidding mum )
Oh she is lovely... LUV the handlebars, I felt like I was riding a trail bike, was very tempted to stick my leg out as i was cornering, it just drops in there sooooooo easily. Comfy to ride in the upright position, revs a little highly for me, but I am used to a HD twin, so understandably different. Has a bloody good roar, altho that is more from the non std pipes, optional extra thou or so for those so I've been told. Gear changes felt good, smooth and even, and throttle is pretty responsive, tho without the absolute hang onto your hats pull of the Buell.
I wouldn't want to be any shorter tho, 5.8 is prob about the smallest you'd need to be to be able touch the ground reasonably. I think it prob about 1-2cms taller than the Buell.
Not so sure about the dials tho, not easy to see, I kinda had to look a bit to figure out where things are, altho I like the digital speedo.

I tell ya what tho, if it is possible to luv 2 bikes at once, this would be the other woman/man/whatever floats your boat for me

So yeah, I VERY reluctantly handed it back to pick up the GXR1000K4, which I then trundled off on, once i figured out that damn 'clutch in' start thing... grrrr...blimmin japanese bikes.
Hmm.. hate to say it but it wasn't a patch on the Tuono, just doesn't have the same smile factor. Maybe i just dont like the sportsbike position or something, I dunno. Still a nice bike but just not for me... if the sore neck and wrists I had by the time I had gone a few blocks was any indication.

So I thought bugger it, gotta get that damn Tuono out of my system, time to head off and collect my baby Buell... so i did...and commenced to give her a good thrash around the port hills... Phew, I THINK it worked, i only thought about the Tuono once or twice that night, sigh.
Why cant I have 2 bikes??????


pleeeeeeezzzzzeeee buy it my friend... then I can swap sometimes sweetiepie ....cant I? Huh? Huh? go on, you KNOW you want it!

[WRT]

Those Tounos are mighty nice. If only they could sort out that bloody awful bikini fairing on them, I'd have gone for one of them instead of the RSV-R. The rest of the bike is beautiful tho, and I love the concept.

[Sniper]

Awesome read Rashika and well done on being able to play with such a cool toy

[SDU]

-
Why cant I have 2 bikes??????

Hey a girls gotta have her toys
I won't call you greedy if you have more than one, just think off it as a happy family in the garge:spudflip:

[slob]

I've been lusting after them Tuonos myself.. how's the handling compared to your Buell? Is it more nimble?

[dangerous]

A friend asked me oh so nicely to return a demo bike

That friend is 30UTD and yeah hes a bloody good bloke for giving ya the keys for his bikes.

I too rode the Tuono, up around the port hills. Very nice but I was disapointed in the lack of power under 1/2 revs (dident want to take it over 5-6rpm as it was brand new and not mine) but I expect it would pull like a school boy once the revs were higher like a SV/TL,VTR.
Now the riding position is great I'm really starting to like the naked upright wide bar style. The bike is so easy to hiff about, very tall tho and at speed I dont think the fairing is of any benifit what so ever.
This bike was fitted with the factory aftermarket can and ECU... the sound is different for a V2 as it uses a 2-1 pipe set up, awesome sound all the same be it a tad loud.

The K4 is wicked I have spent many an hour riding it, but it is uncomparible to the Tuono, wouldent want one but will always take an offer up to ride it.
Speaking of which 30UTD... be sure I get one last ride on it before you trade.

Rashika's Buell, once again spent many an hour on that bike too... funnny thing is all 3 bikes are so different, the buell is pure grin factor in the hills with a shit load a snot down low but lacks the top end were the other two bikes start to come alive.

[Suzi Q]

here are some cool photos of the Tuono that we had for the weekend

[Rashika]

funny seeing it again, yup it is a nice baby... would never be as good as the Buell (cos that is really where my heart lies), but it is a VERY VERY close second.
The handling is so easy.
I didn't really get a chance to test it completely, that southerly blow yesterday morning put me off going for a good ride, but from the ride I did get on it I would say it would be very comparable to the Buell. And when following 30UTD on Saturday, it certainly dropped into the corners sweetly.

Ta for posting the pics guys, didn't have any when i started the thread

[TonyB]

Geeze guys, in one of those photos if you'd taken a few steps forward you would have snapped my house. You shoulda cruised down the bridal path and said g'day... or not.

I got to sample the 02 Tuono and RSV within a few minutes of eachother a few years back. Very different bikes despite having esentially the same frame. Is it still virtually impossible to keep the front wheel on the ground?

[Rashika]

Geeze guys, in one of those photos if you'd taken a few steps forward you would have snapped my house. You shoulda cruised down the bridal path and said g'day... or not.

we did have a look for your place, but could only see that huge flash place across the road from you... you place is a bit hidden from way up there

[emaN]

Tuonos...tasty!
and from all the reports i've read (incl yours, Rashika) they are sweet bikes...
plus, they're italian

i feel a 'test ride' coming on

[Insanity_rules]

I'm so jealous Rashika, the tuono is the shiz!!!!!!

[WRT]

Ah, I see, the older model. Anyone ridden the new model?

[Big Dave]

the buell is pure grin factor in the hills with a shit load a snot down low but lacks the top end were the other two bikes start to come alive.

Exactly why I bought my Buell.
141kph and walking home.

It's as much fun/enjoyment at 100kph as many sprotsbikes at 160.
Plus it does dirt roads.

[slob]

Once my finances are sorted I'm going to have to test ride the Tuono and XB1200 Buell.. what I'm looking for is a fun road bike (as opposed to serious supersports bike) that feels like a supermoto but punts out at least 100 rwbhp..

Alternatively, I was considering putting something like a TL1000S through a streetfighter conversion (essentially fitting moto-x handlebars + ohlins rear damper for handling), but that may end up costing the same as the other two bikes, and may still not handle as well..