Wanted: Aprilia Tuono

[Sparkz]

I am starting to get serious about buying an Aprilia Tuono, my dream bike (misguided or otherwise).

If anyone is looking to sell theirs in the nearish future, please send me a PM. I will probably only be able to afford an earlier model, but hey, let me know anyway.

Also, any advice on what to look out for that goes wrong would be nice.

[White trash]

Brilliant choice of bike mate. A huge lark to ride and by far Aprilia is the strongest built of all the Italian marques.

Check out www.ktlbikes.co.nz

Kerry's got some fantastic machinary at great prices.

[Reefer]

Great choice. My dream bike too. One day.

[98tls]

Give Clivoris a pm he has one and seems to love it.

[Clivoris]

Excellent choice young man. I came to my bike via an SV out of a desire to find something more comfortable and a bit more exciting. By coincidence I got it via KLT before Kerry was famous for sponsoring Wellington's answer to Posh and Becks.
Up front, I was disappointed with the power delivery. My seat of the pants impression was that it wasn't as powerful as my SV but much of this may have been due to different engine characteristics. The standard exhaust completely neuters the thing IMHO. The handling was weird at first. The 03-05 models fall into corners, and it is very sensitive to rider input especially with the motox bars. Great if you're a confident rider, scary if you are used to making more steering input. The bike itself is stable as will go where you point it. I had to work on relaxing the upper body, and have slowed up the steering slightly by dropping the forks through the triple clamps. The suspension was way better than the SV but could still be better. I've struggled to find confidence in the front end but that may be down to set up and the fact that I lost the front end on crappy tyres and a cold road in the early days.
These guyswill talk your ears off about the recommended mods. I scored a Renegade full exhaust off tardme, picked up a power commander second hand, deresricted as much as I could, got the power commander mapped by someone what knew what he was doing, and freed up just over 120hp at the rear wheel. More importantly, this removed the awful flat-spot at 5,500 revs that they come with standard and it pulls like I used to, throughout the rev range. It will wheel-stand in second gear if I bounce around on it like an ape or abuse the clutch, but it isn't an uncontrollable wheely-beast like some will tell you. Dropping a tooth off the front sprocket is highly recommended on these things too, but that is probably true of most litre bikes.
Some quirks that have got up my nose are: the parts follow up from Italy and the need for a fully charged and healthy battery. The engine runs pretty high compression and if the battery is sad it will start the bike but in the process reset the dash (clock, trip-meter etc) due to some Italian deal. My experience has been that it's needed a bit more attention than an oriental, but what hot babe doesn't.
In the end, I am loving it still (1&1/2 years) and it suits my riding well. I like high speed touring when the conditions are right and East Coast/Rimutaka hill twisties. It does it all well and I don't mind the wind buffeting. I'm used to tucking down when I need to. They are pretty good value now too. If I did it all again I would try to get one that has been sorted already with the derestrictions etc but it is probably easier to get one via an importer like KLT. They tend to be pretty original though so plan for future spending.
I considered a Super Duke as well, but at the time they were more expensive (might still be) and had small petrol tanks so weren't as friendly for touring. Speed triples are pretty horny too but I like the twins. Ducati's S4r is a well sorted package but my good mate has one and it would have been too twee if I had one as well.
Sorry for the novel.

[flame]

yep....what WT said. Kerry Jeffs at KTL will look after you he's an awesome AWESOME dude. His bikes are dam mint too .

[White trash]

Good novel Clive.

That's exactly what this site needs more of, seat of the pants, factual owners expeience. Good on ya

Trophy arrived today too thanks.

[98tls]

Excellent choice young man. I came to my bike via an SV out of a desire to find something more comfortable and a bit more exciting. By coincidence I got it via KLT before Kerry was famous for sponsoring Wellington's answer to Posh and Becks.
Up front, I was disappointed with the power delivery. My seat of the pants impression was that it wasn't as powerful as my SV but much of this may have been due to different engine characteristics. The standard exhaust completely neuters the thing IMHO. The handling was weird at first. The 03-05 models fall into corners, and it is very sensitive to rider input especially with the motox bars. Great if you're a confident rider, scary if you are used to making more steering input. The bike itself is stable as will go where you point it. I had to work on relaxing the upper body, and have slowed up the steering slightly by dropping the forks through the triple clamps. The suspension was way better than the SV but could still be better. I've struggled to find confidence in the front end but that may be down to set up and the fact that I lost the front end on crappy tyres and a cold road in the early days.
These guyswill talk your ears off about the recommended mods. I scored a Renegade full exhaust off tardme, picked up a power commander second hand, deresricted as much as I could, got the power commander mapped by someone what knew what he was doing, and freed up just over 120hp at the rear wheel. More importantly, this removed the awful flat-spot at 5,500 revs that they come with standard and it pulls like I used to, throughout the rev range. It will wheel-stand in second gear if I bounce around on it like an ape or abuse the clutch, but it isn't an uncontrollable wheely-beast like some will tell you. Dropping a tooth off the front sprocket is highly recommended on these things too, but that is probably true of most litre bikes.
Some quirks that have got up my nose are: the parts follow up from Italy and the need for a fully charged and healthy battery. The engine runs pretty high compression and if the battery is sad it will start the bike but in the process reset the dash (clock, trip-meter etc) due to some Italian deal. My experience has been that it's needed a bit more attention than an oriental, but what hot babe doesn't.
In the end, I am loving it still (1&1/2 years) and it suits my riding well. I like high speed touring when the conditions are right and East Coast/Rimutaka hill twisties. It does it all well and I don't mind the wind buffeting. I'm used to tucking down when I need to. They are pretty good value now too. If I did it all again I would try to get one that has been sorted already with the derestrictions etc but it is probably easier to get one via an importer like KLT. They tend to be pretty original though so plan for future spending.
I considered a Super Duke as well, but at the time they were more expensive (might still be) and had small petrol tanks so weren't as friendly for touring. Speed triples are pretty horny too but I like the twins. Ducati's S4r is a well sorted package but my good mate has one and it would have been too twee if I had one as well.
Sorry for the novel.

Just out of interest what compression are they running mate?

[madmal64]

What a bloody good write Clive.

[Clivoris]

Good novel Clive.

That's exactly what this site needs more of, seat of the pants, factual owners expeience. Good on ya

Trophy arrived today too thanks.

Cheers Jimmy. Be a bigger trophy next year. No pressure.

Just out of interest what compression are they running mate?

11.8:1? I don't know for sure if that is higher than an SV/TL but have been told it is higher.

[Clivoris]

I am starting to get serious about buying an Aprilia Tuono, my dream bike (misguided or otherwise).

If anyone is looking to sell theirs in the nearish future, please send me a PM. I will probably only be able to afford an earlier model, but hey, let me know anyway.

Also, any advice on what to look out for that goes wrong would be nice.

One more thing. If you can afford it get the factory model. Yummy Ohlins and light wheels. I cruise the internet daily hoping for these bits to turn up cheep.

[Ivan]

Mmmm these bikes are nice....

I had the priverlage of getting to ride the RSV1000 Mille the other day first 1000cc I ever rode and wow how awsome,

Only issue I found It doesnt respondto dropping ya arse of seat and turning in like a RS125 HOnda....

And it had fancy Ohlins was so nice

[BarBender]

Excellent choice young man. I came to my bike via an SV out of a desire to find something more comfortable and a bit more exciting. By coincidence I got it via KLT before Kerry was famous for sponsoring Wellington's answer to Posh and Becks.
Up front, I was disappointed with the power delivery. My seat of the pants impression was that it wasn't as powerful as my SV but much of this may have been due to different engine characteristics. The standard exhaust completely neuters the thing IMHO. The handling was weird at first. The 03-05 models fall into corners, and it is very sensitive to rider input especially with the motox bars. Great if you're a confident rider, scary if you are used to making more steering input. The bike itself is stable as will go where you point it. I had to work on relaxing the upper body, and have slowed up the steering slightly by dropping the forks through the triple clamps. The suspension was way better than the SV but could still be better. I've struggled to find confidence in the front end but that may be down to set up and the fact that I lost the front end on crappy tyres and a cold road in the early days.
These guyswill talk your ears off about the recommended mods. I scored a Renegade full exhaust off tardme, picked up a power commander second hand, deresricted as much as I could, got the power commander mapped by someone what knew what he was doing, and freed up just over 120hp at the rear wheel. More importantly, this removed the awful flat-spot at 5,500 revs that they come with standard and it pulls like I used to, throughout the rev range. It will wheel-stand in second gear if I bounce around on it like an ape or abuse the clutch, but it isn't an uncontrollable wheely-beast like some will tell you. Dropping a tooth off the front sprocket is highly recommended on these things too, but that is probably true of most litre bikes.
Some quirks that have got up my nose are: the parts follow up from Italy and the need for a fully charged and healthy battery. The engine runs pretty high compression and if the battery is sad it will start the bike but in the process reset the dash (clock, trip-meter etc) due to some Italian deal. My experience has been that it's needed a bit more attention than an oriental, but what hot babe doesn't.
In the end, I am loving it still (1&1/2 years) and it suits my riding well. I like high speed touring when the conditions are right and East Coast/Rimutaka hill twisties. It does it all well and I don't mind the wind buffeting. I'm used to tucking down when I need to. They are pretty good value now too. If I did it all again I would try to get one that has been sorted already with the derestrictions etc but it is probably easier to get one via an importer like KLT. They tend to be pretty original though so plan for future spending.
I considered a Super Duke as well, but at the time they were more expensive (might still be) and had small petrol tanks so weren't as friendly for touring. Speed triples are pretty horny too but I like the twins. Ducati's S4r is a well sorted package but my good mate has one and it would have been too twee if I had one as well.
Sorry for the novel.

Nice one Clive.
Definitely my next bike.

[BarBender]

Oh and would love to run one up the East Coast...

[Sparkz]

Cheers for that guys. Great review Clivoris, sounds like its still the right bike.
BTW, a Ohlins rear shock has just closed on eBay and the Tuono Ohlins forks are due to close soon. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/April...spagenameZWDVW