NOT FOR SALE (Aprilia RS250)

Member Name: Latin Lover

Product:	Aprilia RS250
Date:	08/02/09 (337 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: one of the best motorcycles ever produced, FACT

Disadvantages: not ideal for shopping

I have owned my RS250 from new since 1996, in that time I have done over 15,000 trouble free miles, I have thrashed the life out of it almost every time I ride it, in the past I have used it for commuting in all weathers, on a 600mile + rain soaked trip to Assen it never missed a beat, it is now however semi-retired as a classic and only gets out now and then. In the 13 years I have owned it it has cost me a front brakelight switch, 1 set of rear pads( yes the fronts are the originals! ), two sets of plugs two batteries one chain and sprocket kit and three sets of tyres, it has never had a rebuild of any kind although I admit it should probably have one in the interest of preserving the engine, it starts easily when it gets used, but it is harder to start at first after being left for long periods, I never turn the fuel off and I never get problems with the carbs, the bike is still in fantastic original condition (bar a few scratches and chips from use) and all I do to keep it this way is wash it regularly with heavy duty truck wash (especially after riding in bad weather) followed by a wax shampoo and use spray protectors to vulnerable parts, It's lucky if it gets polished twice a year, a friend of mine is involved with club Aprilia (uk owners club) and has in the past asked me to let them show it at the N.E.C. to demonstrate how good Aprilias can be.

So to destroy a couple of myths......

it's unreliable........
It is a very high performance v-twin 2-stroke not a 1000/4, it will need more care and attention, it's mechanically sound and the finish stands up if you look after it, same as any other bike, yes?

it's uncomfortable and a pain to ride around town, well yes and no.....

I'm about 5'10" and it fits me perfectly, I've done over 300 miles in a day and was no worse than any of the 40 odd other riders at the end of the trip, around town it can be heavy on your wrists but it's definately no worse than any other sports bike and considering it only weighs about 140kg I'd say a lot easier than most wouldn't you?

The pillion seat is a joke.....

My wife who's 5'5" tells me it's fine for her but prefers it if i fit the grab rail,
she would even go as far as to say it's comfortable!

My mate who's 16 stone says it's a joke.......

But would you want a 16 stone pillion on a bike like this?......... er..no.

It's not economical..........so what, if you want economy get a CG 125.
you know you've had fun when you only get 12mpg!!!
but an average 35mpg is possible.

you're in trouble if you drop out of the power.......

don't drop out of the power then, learn how to ride a high performance 2-stroke, brake later, harder, change down more gears, 10,000+ rpm into bend, 7000+ rpm out of bend gives best results, it will do about 100 in third, rev it!

it hates traffic...it takes a lot to pull away cleanly, you need to rev the nuts off it.....

motorcycle journalist bollox, only if you try and do a GP start every time you pull away, yes, true if you want to impress but not obligatory, try going down 1 tooth on the drive sprocket on standard gearing, you'll be amazed what a difference it will make as a road bike and it will still do about 125mph

It has cost me a fortune...........

like any vehicle buy the wrong one and it will, most have been raced and crashed at some point in their life and this will show unless they have gone to a lot of trouble to hide it, drilled bolts for lock wire, bore x stroke on barrels, scratches and dents on the frame but nice shiny 'original' bodywork, low mileage clocks and controls without wear, race exhaust systems with evidence of damage or nice clean originals that look like they've hardly been on the road, non original rear sets, suspension upgrades, pre-mix only fuel, you name it, open your eyes, if it don't look right don't buy it.

It doesn't go as well as people say they do.....

then there's something wrong with it, from burnt out plugs, a dirty air filter/dirty carb to worn rings or a worn or damaged bore or piston, power valves worn or sticking......don't blame the bike / manufacturer, if it doesn't go as it should there's something wrong so don't buy it without expecting problems and large bills sooner or later.

I love this bike and would never sell it unless I really had to (or they made the 400/500 version they threatened us with), it has been a fantastic bike and I for one am glad I never bought a GSXR 600/750 back in '96, even today it still gives me a thrill and a smile when you out brake the big bikes into a roundabout and throw it in and gas it out like they can only dream of, yeah they'll get past you again on the straight but a little more humble this time, and how many bikes can still attract so much, possibly more attention than they did 13 years ago when they were new? park this anywhere and people will gather and appreciate it's engineering and beauty, from the Biaggi Chesterfield replica colours in honour of the man that rode them so hard and to make me want one so badly, to the sound from the pipes, that made me sound like him every time I screamed down the road.

Find a good one if you can, experience it and then hold on to it, because if the men in suits get their way we may soon be banned from riding them on the roads, only allowed to bring them out on parades and classic events for fear they will destroy the ozone and kill us all, we will probably never see or hear the likes of these bikes again, soon race rep 2-strokes will be as rare as any other classics you see at bike shows, it took them 30+ years to become classics, my Aprilia became a classic in 10 years and a legend within its own lifetime......................enough said.

Summary: I'd do it all again

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