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Do aprilia bikes really rot to death within 5 minutes of buying them? Does anyone ride their bike evryday on a commute or anything?

Oddkid wrote:Do aprilia bikes really rot to death within 5 minutes of buying them? Does anyone ride their bike evryday on a commute or anything?

Nooooooo they are better built than Hondas ..... it's the truth.

I commute on mine and ride it almost every day, throughout the year, I've had it for 5 years and people still ask me if it's new.

Where did you get this rotting idea from ? - they're not made by Suzuki or by "some other Italian manufacturer"

I find it really hard to believe the quality is better than Honda... though i can fully accept better than Suzuki.

Loads of people say Aprilia bikes dissolve over winter but i am inclined to think they get them mixed up with Ducati.

certainly for the rotax engined bikes, it is fair to say - honda build quality, austrian reliable engine, italian flair

build quality is very very good

i had a vfr before the falco, no comparison for grin factor and the build quality in my veiw is better.

Oddkid wrote: Loads of people say Aprilia bikes dissolve over winter but i am inclined to think they get them mixed up with Ducati.

Have these people ever seen an Aprilia?

There is a lot of "tarring with the same brush" based on the fact that Italian bikes over the years have had certain issues - but that sturr really doesn't apply.

There are a few odd problems (like starter relays) but they are generally easily resolved and don't relate to finish and longevity.

BTW apart from the Falco, EVERY bike I've owned has been a Honda.

owned a falco for seven years, not rot at all......never broke down or caused me any hassle whatsoever......

just brought a 52 plate futura, not rot at all (though the previous owners haven't exactly looked after some of the plastics)......

i also have a 07 plate kwak zx6r and thats got a lot more rot than either of them especially the preload adjuster on the rear shock.

I'll take build quality of aprilia over that of most jap bikes any day of the week.

hence why shortly the kwak will be gone, the futura is just so much a better road bike than the kwak could dream of.

Hi Oddkid - you may think many on this forum are biased towards the Prillas. it's true that the forum has a high proportion of Prilla riders/owners current and previous but........ this is the most informed, knowledgable and reliable set of mad anoraks i've come across on any forum.

Don't listen to the hype - listen to us. Many have more than one bike and most have many years of pedigree riding. The build quality and components on these bikes is the best I've ever owned bar none.

Hey i like anoraks! My biggest problem is my girlfriend has a fireblade and even though it scares the shi1t out of me, i can't help loving it. Once you get into the rev range and hit about 80 it all comes together and you really know why the blade has always been considered he best sports bike on the market.

I reckon a twin suits me much better but if i made the jump i'd hate myself for cutting myself off from the blade. My only consolation is i know Steph will let me play on the blade when i want to, its not quite the same though.

set your ape up

head to twisies

play

realise why you love the engine so much

I have had my Falco for 6 years and do not often commute, but ride all year round. I also had a Honda along side it, for more than seven years in total, and two other Hondas before that, including a VFR 750, which is supposed to be the best built Honda ever.
The Falco is the most reliable bike I have ever had and is better built than any of the Hondas I have owned (Full Stop).
After six winters there are just a few slightly rusted bolts on the callipers etc., nothing much more, no rotted away exhaust pipes or collector boxes like on the Hondas or anything else for that matter. I have never had to fit a new reg/rectifier to the Falco, every Honda needed one, Oh and a new battery to go with it after it cooked the old one
The people who have made these comments in magazines or whatever, have never actually owned a Falco for any period of time, they are just wrongly assuming it is what all Italian bikes do.
Ben Wilkins is a member on this site, (who used to be chief Road Tester on Ride magazine), he has had his Falco for more than ten years and rates the Falco build quality better than Honda. He has ridden every top sports bike and had most of them on long term test over the last few years, so I value his opinion.
As for the FireBlade,I know what you mean, I also have one of the last ZX-9Rs, the "lightweight" F version with around 150 bhp. (well 7 kilos lighter than the Falco and a lot lighter than earlier 9s)
It is very quick and very comfortable, but the Falco is instantly faster at normal road speeds without having to keep the revs up and much more fun.
As you say something like a Blade is certainly getting quicker above 80 and will get a long way into 3 figures much easier. With the 9R I find I need to go 20 mph faster to get the same fun level as the Falco and this leaves me at very silly speeds which could end up in a prison visit.
Ride the girlfriend's Blade when you can, just to remind you how good the Falco is!
The Blade is very nice and very fast but bland compared with the Falco.

HowardQ wrote: Ride the girlfriend's Blade when you can, just to remind you how good the Falco is!
The Blade is very nice and very fast but bland compared with the Falco.

errrr ...... Howard ....... Matt's after a Mille, not a Falco ......


That said, same applies

/nod

this heresy about coming to ridersite and talking about any other bike but falcos is getting dangerous

you've got mr hawkwind blathering on about his futura - surely the only bike in the world with a fitted pipe rack, the vertically challenged noncom occassionally talking about different hair dryers, and so on

I think we need to torch a couple of admins as an example

.....gets marshmallows ready to toast on D-rider

Hishy wrote:.....gets marshmallows ready to toast on D-rider

It's been a while since everyone was suggesting a burning .... but why always me


BTW I claim immunity from this as I do not qualify as a victim of Aladin's Fatwah - on a technicality: I'm a moderator, not an Admin .... and if moderators are being included, he needs to look out himself ......