Aprilia RSV1000R
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Squid
Squid
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 47
Aprilia RSV1000R
Just got back from a ride on the latest RSV1000R. First impressions: Wow what a bike.
Got off my 03 superhawk(yosh slipons, jet kit, air filter, one down on front sprocket) and got on the RSV for a 30 min. ride.
The brakes, suspension, handling and topend power were Great!
I was hoping for more below 5k. What I love about my Superhawk is the pull below 5-6k.
The RSV didn't produce much until 5000-5500rpms.
Overall it's a world class machine. I would love one.
But, around town or the county the pull of the superhawk down low is more fun.
Anyone ride a motorcycle with as much or more torque below 5k than our superhawk?
Paul
Got off my 03 superhawk(yosh slipons, jet kit, air filter, one down on front sprocket) and got on the RSV for a 30 min. ride.
The brakes, suspension, handling and topend power were Great!
I was hoping for more below 5k. What I love about my Superhawk is the pull below 5-6k.
The RSV didn't produce much until 5000-5500rpms.
Overall it's a world class machine. I would love one.
But, around town or the county the pull of the superhawk down low is more fun.
Anyone ride a motorcycle with as much or more torque below 5k than our superhawk?
Paul
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Superstock
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 358
yup, benelli TNT. I-3 and its actually rated with more torque then the good ole hawk and it starts at about 2500RPM. its not the highest HP or fastest bike out. BUT its got the most personality and hawk like character.
plus mine has full brembo radials, forged wheels, fully adjustable suspension, 50mm forks. one of my friends said "it sounds like if Ferrari made a diesel."
also maybe a factory tuono, but i never got a chance to ride one, dont know where and how it kicks in.
plus mine has full brembo radials, forged wheels, fully adjustable suspension, 50mm forks. one of my friends said "it sounds like if Ferrari made a diesel."
also maybe a factory tuono, but i never got a chance to ride one, dont know where and how it kicks in.
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MotoGP
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From: Phoenix, AZ
Senior Member
MotoGP
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From: San Clemente, CA
I've only seen one of those Benellis, and I was staring at it for 5 minutes, nice bike. How about parts availability though?
Duc Hawk
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From: Malibu's canyons
Last edited by Moto Man; Aug 7, 2009 at 09:38 AM.
evil man of nothing
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Posts: 4,516
From: Boynton Beach, FL
I've yet to get my hands on one but probably a 1200 Bandit-along with the superhawk probably one of the best used bike buys on the planet. And of course the newer 1250, both torque monsters. And I used to own a '00 ZX12r with mild mods that obviously made the superhawk feel like an 883 sportster at any rpm 
Last edited by captainchaos; Aug 7, 2009 at 10:02 AM.
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MotoGP
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,631
From: Montreal
Bandit 1250 is the torquiest bike I ever rode. You can lug it down to 1500 rpm in sixth gear while two-up, roll on the gas and hang on. The thing is incredible. I rode the new Speed Triple at the 2009 model press launch and really enjoyed it although I am quite confident my VTR would walk away from it in a roll-on (up to triple digit speeds anyhow).
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MotoGP
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,631
From: Montreal
On another note, I wish Ducati put the 1198 engine in a ST-type of chassis, man would that be sweet. I would also love to get a ride on one of the Moto Morini 1200s, bet you they are a blast too! Finally, the RC8 has a great engine too, very torquey from down low (more so than 1098) and pulls quite hard on top too.
I could ride in
SuperBike
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From: Dayton, TN
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Superstock
Joined: Jun 2006
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I agree, some Harleys pull like a bobtail big rig at low rpm's, but there's not much to excite after that, since like a big rig tractor most Harleys have more torque than hp.
I've only seen one of those Benellis, and I was staring at it for 5 minutes, nice bike. How about parts availability though?
I've only seen one of those Benellis, and I was staring at it for 5 minutes, nice bike. How about parts availability though?
i was specifically looking for a ST type bike when i was looking and came down to the TNT and Tuono. as far as others the RC8 is great, and the RSV4. probably my favorite 2 pure sport bikes. looked at some others, the beull 1125, and some even more rare. never found a moto-morini dealer in the states, etc. ive owned twins and I-4's and did NOT want another I-4. didnt think i wanted an I-3 but im glad i got it. like i said, not the fastest, not the most refined, awsome in its raw, emotional power. personally i couldnt have picked a better hawk replacement then this benelli.
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SuperSport
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From: San Diego, CA
I've ridden a bandit 1250, very torquey but the superhawk just feels so much smaller and nimble. The Bandit was surprisingly smooth as silk, but at the expense of character, or maybe it was just because it had stock exhaust. The superhawk definitely has character.
I see lots of Harley bashing on here, but honestly wonder how many of those posting have ever ridden one, and no, sportsters don't count.
I see lots of Harley bashing on here, but honestly wonder how many of those posting have ever ridden one, and no, sportsters don't count.
Last edited by CentralCoaster; Aug 7, 2009 at 12:10 PM.
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MotoGP
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,132
From: Phoenix, AZ
I mostly do the Harley bashing in a self deprecating fun kinda way. To be honest they are decent machines for what they do.. just way over priced as image machines. (especially the $75,000 poorly riding choppers I see all the time round here.. but working a mile from Paul Yaffe's shop might have something to do with it)
evil man of nothing
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,516
From: Boynton Beach, FL
I've ridden alot of harleys. My girlfriend has an '03 anniv heritage, and I used to work at a harley rental shop. I found it funny how I never used to think much of riding them...until I started riding them. They're not sportbikes, but they really are a blast to ride. There's nothing else like them. And the fit and finish of most imports I've seen is just not the same-they just look and feel a little "cheaper" than a harley. My faves are the deuce-nice handling and power (for a big cruiser), the roadking, and also liked the vrod-awesome power but wasn't much for the feet forward riding position. I just don't like floorboards scraping every time I go around a turn, so fatboy, heritage, etc not my fav in that respect. I like anything on two wheels though so I'm not really a fanboy for this or that. You just have to ride them kinda like driving an old stock musclecar. I've always thought the brakes were horrible especially-twice as heavy with half the brakes of a good sportbike...never been a big fan of that either.
Last edited by captainchaos; Aug 7, 2009 at 02:06 PM.
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I've ridden a bandit 1250, very torquey but the superhawk just feels so much smaller and nimble. The Bandit was surprisingly smooth as silk, but at the expense of character, or maybe it was just because it had stock exhaust. The superhawk definitely has character.
I see lots of Harley bashing on here, but honestly wonder how many of those posting have ever ridden one, and no, sportsters don't count.
I see lots of Harley bashing on here, but honestly wonder how many of those posting have ever ridden one, and no, sportsters don't count.
I always wanted an Aprilia though. Beautiful, well-made bikes, unique, character, all that jazz.
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MotoGP
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,452
From: San Clemente, CA
But yes, I have ridden one. A friend bought a 1980 Low Rider (I think it was 80 cubic inches) back in 1984. It was the first time I experienced gobs of torque. I liked it, but not enough to own one since I like twisties.
I've also ridden 1942 flatheads and early 1950's Harleys with tank shift and foot clutch. '42s had spark advance on the left twist grip.
Last edited by VTRsurfer; Aug 7, 2009 at 06:23 PM.
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Superstock
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hey guys, thought id chime in with this one. my parents have a sportster 883 and honestly its a through and through harley davidson despite being the "girl bike" of the bunch. its still got that rambunctious narrow angle vtwin with a certain rumble that no other twins have (probably because its an ancient design ahha).
anyways, it doesnt have crap loads of torque like the bigger bikes, but its plenty to have crap loads of fun on. riding solo and with my gf makes almost zero difference. compared to my superhawk, i can definitely tell that having my gf on loads the engine a little more. the sporty just hauls right through the weight despite being like 600 lbs.
also, the sporty is one of those bikes where u can whack the throttle wide open with out hanging on for dear life, and because of that, it makes it tons of fun to ride.
the only thing i might gripe about (minor grips really) is the feel of a harley. its completely different than a modern japanese sport(ing) bike. at first i equated the feel to like a driving a truck with a manual transmission since the harley trannies really are that clunky and rough and unrefined. however, a previous poster's analogy that its more like driving an older muscle car makes the most sense. the roughness of it gives it the character, but its definitely not the kind of roughness that makes the bike a negative. just different.
the sporty we have is an 883 low, so the rear suspension is pretty stiff. first time i rode it back from escondido to orange county, my back was hurting from getting jostled on the 5 and 405 freeways. its a bit cramped for me with the stock seating position. the pegs get in the way EVERY TIME i come to a stop. i dont know how many bloody times ive smashed my shins by accident. the brakes are GARBAGE, theyre not even kidding when they say twice the weight, half the brakes. front forks are spongy but with the weight rearward bias, it doest bother you TOO much. ground clearnce = 0, scraping metal parts making turns is an every single ride occurrence. the speed isnt there like on the hawks. really gotta wind it out a litte more to get up to and stay at 80mph. also its pretty easy to loose steam if youre not paying attention. passing power, thus, isn't as great as with hawk.
oh, im not going to even bother comparing my rc to any of this. just isnt fair
anyways, what it all boils down to is that the sporty (and in my book the rest of HD) isnt bad or worse than JP sport(ing) bikes in anyways. theyre just different in the way that a toyota supra or 350z or even 300zx TT is different than a 64 gto or 67 malibu etc (im not a muscle car guy if you cant tell). it truly is a fun bike to just hop on and go romp around town.
did i mention that sound from the 45° vtwin with GROSSLY uneven firing is HIGHLY addictive? its one of the greatest sounds accelerating away from a red light with that great cracking and sputtering and thumping...
oh wait, were supposed to be talking about rsv's.... ahha whoops. great bikes, they remind me of the newer and cooler little bro to my rc51's haha (that is, if were talking about the current gen rsvr's and factorie's) hard to beat with the ohlins suspension stock. MCN did a comparo on the rsvr, rc51, ducati 1098 i believe, rc51 came out on top as the easiest and most forgiving bike to hustle around while still coming with a pretty damn decent (though underpowered) engine and suspension package. its a bargain to boot...
anyways, it doesnt have crap loads of torque like the bigger bikes, but its plenty to have crap loads of fun on. riding solo and with my gf makes almost zero difference. compared to my superhawk, i can definitely tell that having my gf on loads the engine a little more. the sporty just hauls right through the weight despite being like 600 lbs.
also, the sporty is one of those bikes where u can whack the throttle wide open with out hanging on for dear life, and because of that, it makes it tons of fun to ride.
the only thing i might gripe about (minor grips really) is the feel of a harley. its completely different than a modern japanese sport(ing) bike. at first i equated the feel to like a driving a truck with a manual transmission since the harley trannies really are that clunky and rough and unrefined. however, a previous poster's analogy that its more like driving an older muscle car makes the most sense. the roughness of it gives it the character, but its definitely not the kind of roughness that makes the bike a negative. just different.
the sporty we have is an 883 low, so the rear suspension is pretty stiff. first time i rode it back from escondido to orange county, my back was hurting from getting jostled on the 5 and 405 freeways. its a bit cramped for me with the stock seating position. the pegs get in the way EVERY TIME i come to a stop. i dont know how many bloody times ive smashed my shins by accident. the brakes are GARBAGE, theyre not even kidding when they say twice the weight, half the brakes. front forks are spongy but with the weight rearward bias, it doest bother you TOO much. ground clearnce = 0, scraping metal parts making turns is an every single ride occurrence. the speed isnt there like on the hawks. really gotta wind it out a litte more to get up to and stay at 80mph. also its pretty easy to loose steam if youre not paying attention. passing power, thus, isn't as great as with hawk.
oh, im not going to even bother comparing my rc to any of this. just isnt fair
anyways, what it all boils down to is that the sporty (and in my book the rest of HD) isnt bad or worse than JP sport(ing) bikes in anyways. theyre just different in the way that a toyota supra or 350z or even 300zx TT is different than a 64 gto or 67 malibu etc (im not a muscle car guy if you cant tell). it truly is a fun bike to just hop on and go romp around town.
did i mention that sound from the 45° vtwin with GROSSLY uneven firing is HIGHLY addictive? its one of the greatest sounds accelerating away from a red light with that great cracking and sputtering and thumping...
oh wait, were supposed to be talking about rsv's.... ahha whoops. great bikes, they remind me of the newer and cooler little bro to my rc51's haha (that is, if were talking about the current gen rsvr's and factorie's) hard to beat with the ohlins suspension stock. MCN did a comparo on the rsvr, rc51, ducati 1098 i believe, rc51 came out on top as the easiest and most forgiving bike to hustle around while still coming with a pretty damn decent (though underpowered) engine and suspension package. its a bargain to boot...
Junior Member
Squid
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 11
From: PA now VA
I'm considering an Aprilia Falco. Haven't heard of them until last week.. and now I think I'm hooked on this being my next bike. I'm still a superhawk skeptic, as in, I've loved my Honda for 10 years, love the v-twin, but if I have a chance for an Aprilia at about the same price as a SH, with 400 miles total, I'm there.
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Squid
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3
First, let me say that the Super chicken is a great bike. Best sounding bike IMO. I've ridden a few SH's, and I now own an '03 Aprilia Tuono. Gotta be honest though, if you are focusing on sub 5k power, than you should be riding a cruiser. (BTW, not bashing, I came off a HD to the Tuono), but sport twins are meant to be flogged well past 5k. The RSV's 998 rotax motor is known for having a stock flat spot around 5k, but that's nothing an intake, exhaust and Power commander won't fix.
I'd agree that the Speed III will beat the SH in all-around ability, and I would put the Tuono on par. SIII has a smoother engine with the I3, and the Tuono has the better chassis. My dream would be to see a mix of these two, and we might get it if the RSV4 Tuono comes around. It's sad that Honda jumped out of the V2 sport bike scene, and the SC needs to be revived by Honda, but only time will tell.
synpse, if you are considering a Falco, look for a Tuono, or a Mille. Much more bang for the $. Come over and lurk the Ape forum before you decide. apriliaforum.com Thanks for listening to this visitor's rant...
I'd agree that the Speed III will beat the SH in all-around ability, and I would put the Tuono on par. SIII has a smoother engine with the I3, and the Tuono has the better chassis. My dream would be to see a mix of these two, and we might get it if the RSV4 Tuono comes around. It's sad that Honda jumped out of the V2 sport bike scene, and the SC needs to be revived by Honda, but only time will tell.
synpse, if you are considering a Falco, look for a Tuono, or a Mille. Much more bang for the $. Come over and lurk the Ape forum before you decide. apriliaforum.com Thanks for listening to this visitor's rant...
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Squid
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 33
Best bike ever!
I have a sorted 04 Aprilia Tuono. It came with Ohlins. Aprilia/Akrapovic full exhaust and matching chip, and I found some black Marchesini wheels to trade out the blue OZ's.
This is the best bike I have ever ridden by a huge margin. So much more powerful than my G/F 'Hawk. Words can not describe how outstanding this bike is in every respect from quality, reliability, and most important suspension, handling and power. I am still crazy about her since early '04
This is the best bike I have ever ridden by a huge margin. So much more powerful than my G/F 'Hawk. Words can not describe how outstanding this bike is in every respect from quality, reliability, and most important suspension, handling and power. I am still crazy about her since early '04
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Squid
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3
I have a sorted 04 Aprilia Tuono. It came with Ohlins. Aprilia/Akrapovic full exhaust and matching chip, and I found some black Marchesini wheels to trade out the blue OZ's.
This is the best bike I have ever ridden by a huge margin. So much more powerful than my G/F 'Hawk. Words can not describe how outstanding this bike is in every respect from quality, reliability, and most important suspension, handling and power. I am still crazy about her since early '04
This is the best bike I have ever ridden by a huge margin. So much more powerful than my G/F 'Hawk. Words can not describe how outstanding this bike is in every respect from quality, reliability, and most important suspension, handling and power. I am still crazy about her since early '04
-ApeRider aka Dr. Zaius
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Squid
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 33
She Looks better with a rider on it
Someone snapped a photo of me in the parking lot at a track day:
This bike has loads of torque at 3,500 RPM and will easily wheelie off the throttle in second.
I will admit to one small flaw keeping this bike from doing everything. She needs more legroom in order to be a perfect touring bike. This is my ONLY complaint but most sport bike riders don't care. I love the "Policeman" style seating position.
This bike has loads of torque at 3,500 RPM and will easily wheelie off the throttle in second.
I will admit to one small flaw keeping this bike from doing everything. She needs more legroom in order to be a perfect touring bike. This is my ONLY complaint but most sport bike riders don't care. I love the "Policeman" style seating position.
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