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First post here so hello!

I have always liked the look of the Falco and have decided it is a good time to buy. Currently have a 98 Bandit 1200 S which if I had the space would hold onto as well!

Anyway, what would you advise I look out for when looking at a Falco? I have seen the thread about the UK/EU headlight so I am armed with that but are there any other specific points to look out for? How important is a full service history on this bike? I have heard that they aren't the easiest engine to home service so is a full Aprilia service history worth the premium? I have part serviced my Bandit, but that is a very easy engine to work on.

I live near to Slough so anyone know of any local Falco's for sale? I am on Ebay, Bike Trader, MCN, forums at the moment looking for the right one.

Thanks in advance.

Stu

Hi Stu

I'm not the one to give you any technical advice, there are plenty of good chaps on here who will do that.

I have just bought one, picked it up on Saturday having arsed around for weeks deliberating on which bike to buy and test riding a multitude of different makes and models.

It's feckin ace.

Buy one

https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=5016

main mod necessary is the crap eu/uk sidestand needs sorting

after that... well - how big is your budget!

and welcome - am sure others will be along to add their thoughts

Hi Stu,

The Falco is a great bike but needs a little more looking after than most other bikes - almost definatley more looking after than you are used to with the Bandit. They like to be started in a certain way, ridden a certain way, and even parked in a certain way (although a new sidestand will help). If you become familiar and close to the character of the Falco you will love it... if you dont, you will sell up and we wont see you again

But one thing is for sure - you wont find a more helpful bike forum than this one...

Welcome to the site Stu!
I am rather biassed, as I have been riding for 40 odd years, have had dozens of bikes and have now had the Falco for 5 years. It is the best bike I have ever had and is the most reliable, (I've had quite a few Hondas, still have a CBR1000F). Will keep it now until a finally pack up biking.
I have always loved 1200 Bandits and had considered buying a 1200S Bandit when I got the Falco, glad I went with the Falco.
Not sure what other V/Twins you have had, but it took me up to about a thousand miles to retune myself after years of IL4s, after that I've never looked back. Perhaps it just suits me perfectly, but even after 5 years I still get a bloody great grin every time I ride it.
Get one if you can find one, I think you'll love it.
As far as servicing goes, I had mine serviced by an Aprilia dealer until they shut down, (none that close now), so since then have tended to do everything except major work myself, and this is probably the case for many people on here, so most of ours won't have full Aprilia Service History.
Get one with as much history as you can and as usual talk to the seller about what they have done themselves, also give the bike a good check over yourself, including things like steering head bearings, (cos like the 1200 Bandit, they do like to wheelie). Ask them what mods have been done, main obvious items are the sidestand which is not great as standard and any rear shock change will be a bonus. Many of us have fitted belly pans, huggers and different screens etc. but these are down to personal choice.
Good luck finding one.

Hi Stu,

Woodbutcher on this forum has what looks like a nice silver one for sale. Slough and Coventry can't be much more than an hour away from each other as the Falco flies.....

Though changing plugs and checking valves is fiddley they don't need doing very often so though not a great mechanic, I service mine myself. I think the premium for maintaining a dealer history will only be realised if selling on a reasonably new one.

Unfortunately I must disagree with Syltiz, mine has been so reliable that I have never had an easier bike to live with. Like most on here mine has few tweaks and It'll bimble around or take off like a rocket, handles and stops very well also. Mine now has about 45K on the clock and I'm hopefull it'll continue in the same manner for the next.

Appart from signs of general neglect or having been up the road, there is the starter motor sprag clutch to watch out for. The only other point is a general one that is hard to be sure about, and that is the mindset of the previous owner; whether they gave the bike time to warm up before using some of the performance available. Other than the said abuse of a cold engine, this is not the sort of machine some one is going to thrash to an inch of its life, on the public roads.

Yep, as has been said it's a good bike and very reliable.
There are occasional issues but we know how to fix most of them if they occur.

Again, as mentioned, Woodbutcher unfortunately has to sell his:
https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=5016

Personally I'd always sooner by a bike or second hand bits and pieces from someone whose been a member here for a while - they are a good crowd and although no one can guarantee that there won't be future problems, they will tend to be honest about things they sell (I think that's true in general but especially to other forum members).

Although further away, this one was recently posted up by Bikefish
https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=5005

.... and HisNibbs posted up this week about a couple he'd seen in a dealer
https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=5042

If you are keen to buy one I have a near mint yellow one with under 10000 on the clock, which I am having to sell, god damn it. It is on the IOM and manx registered but I would part with it for a lot less than the bikes advertised in Midland Superibikes.....

Thanks for all the prompt replies!

This will be my first VTwin that I have owned - my bikes have been over the last 8 years, CB400, Hornet 600, ZX6R, Thundercat, VFR800, ZX9R, Thunderace and the Bandit 12. So all inline fours bar the VFR! All the bikes I have owned I have upgraded to my taste, usually in the form of race exhaust, aftermarket suspension (Ohlins, Penske, WP and currently have Nitron on the Bandit) and on the Thunderace, engine mods which took it to 160BHP at the rear wheel! I have ridden both the Falco and Firestorm before. Remember the Falco being more comfy and better suited to my 'athletic' build.

Fancy a twin now and the noise they make with race cans just commands respect

Thanks for the links D-Rider, Woodbutcher's bike does look a good 'un plus it has all the bits and is the right colour but I can't really stretch to what he is asking for it with all the bits. My budget also depends on what I can get for my Bandit, although might be worth a pm to Woodbutcher........

Thanks again

my first v-twin as well.

I'm now hooked for life

Hi all,

Hi Stu, the bestest bike you can get and melt your credit card at the same time, with alittle help from these guys

melt??

we do far more than that

and in all honesty i would pm woodbutcher and see if you can do a deal for his bike and bits

but get him to return it to original standard ... then put the bits on one at a time, one per month - just to see why you bought them....

What sfoley said.

I took one for a test ride, just 'kicking tyres" to see what was around, bought the thing that day.

I came from a 1200 Bandit to mine. Kept both for a while in case I had made a mistake with the Falco... Ha Ha, some chance. The Bandit went shortly afterwards.

Re maintainance i do all my own and the Falco is no harder than the Bandit.
I've done the valves on both and they were both a pain

Mine is now on ebay, just in case you know anyone who is looking for one. I need to rationalise my vehicles with all the extra expense coming in as a result of trying to build a house - whilst still paying the mortgage on the existing one. I love the bike, but something has to give...