2001 Aprilia reviews

Hello I just had to chime in on my '01 Aprilia Futura. This bike not only does everything I need it to, but it does it well. This is a sport/cruiser with the emphasis on "sport" with the ability to cruise. I found the riding position to be agressive yet comfortable with almost no arm or shoulder fatigue that you feel on pure sport bikes on long rides whether I'm flying solo or two-up. The hard bags literally take seconds to remove or install and the bike looks and handles great with or without them. Power is just a wrist flick away in any gear throughout the rev range ( be sure and hold on tight ). Steering is light, controlled and rock solid in corners once you dial the bike into your own personal liking, which is a snap due to the user friendly adjuster on the rear shock. The design ques and the sweet exhaust note make you the topic around other bikers. I'm still in shock that I found a bike this good for a price like this. Keep up the good work Aprilia you have a fan for life. Sincerely, Tim Holmes Durham NC Show less

I purchased a Scarabeo 150 in Feb 2003. My wife has a Kymco 50cc scooter and we wanted something bigger for me so we could both ride together. The 150 is comfortable for my 6' 235lbs and has enough power to go around 70MPH. So far we get about 65 MPG. I have about 250 miles on it so far and have found it to be pretty quiet easy to manuver and fun to ride. The only draw backs are that you have to order a large windshield (even with a full face helment you qet wacked with a lot of bugs and road debris). Secondly the small amount of storage space tends to limit length of trips for us. (Maybe I am biased about the storage space because my other motorcycle is a 2002 Goldwing). In Texas any two wheeled vehicle with a motor over 49.9cc is considered a motorcycle and requires the "M" endorsement on your drivers license. The Scarabeo 150 meets the motorcycle rule in Texas so smaller riders or those new to motorcycling can get their track (parking lot) time practicing for the DPS exam without needing all the clutch/foot brake coordination. Over all if you are looking for something unique simple to ride and far less expensive to buy and ride than most other scooters on the market this Aprilia warrants a test ride. Show less

I have owned an Aprilia Scarabeo since October 2002 and I love it. It is perfect for me. I bought it for "fun" and like not having to shift when driving around town. Also, it is much more comfortable than an entry level motorcycle. At 6'3" I am hunched over on a lot of motorcycles and am uncomfortable when driving. Show less

I bought this bike in early December 2001 and it is now 01/22/02 and I have 1,300 miles on it. I have to say that it is an awesome bike all the way around. This is my second street bike. My first, which I still own, is a 2001 Bandit 1200S with 12,000 miles on it and although I do/did like the Bandit, it served it's purpose for me. I realized that the type of riding I like is Sport Touring. The Futura is so unique, full of character, and I think it looks great with or without the standard hard luggage. Speaking of looks, I get the all the time on this bike. I bought it in silver (stream gray). This bike might cost twice as much as the Bandit, but I'm learning why that is. It has much better brakes and suspension, which is very apparent. There is little dive or squat when braking or accelerating. The suspension is stiffer for hard cornering at my skill level yet soft for the straight road. The engine is unique for me as I was coming from an inline four. I really like how the V-Twin feels and sounds. The fuel injection is really perfect for sport touring. I'm finding this out riding in the Texas Hill Country up and down hills and around twistys. The fuel injection is constant and smooth for really precise control. The handling is great too. The bike feels really planted and has increased my cornering confidence at low or high speeds. My Futura came equipped with Metzelers and so far I have no complaints. The torque from the engine is great too and there is plenty of it in all RPM ranges. Wheelies are easy on this bike. The bike feels so well balanced and with the torque, lifting the front end off the ground doesn't feel out of control. Wind protection is even better than a 2000 VFR as I have ridden and compared the two. Gas mileage is good as well. I can ride pretty hard and go about 180 to 200miles. The fuel injection really helps in that area. The display looks good and is easy to read, especially at night with the blue backlit illumination. I really like the ambient temperature gauge as well. It helps in judging the temperature you are riding in and what to wear to stay comfortable. The seat and headlights are probably the best out there. The seat is so comfortable that it became apparent to me the other day that I haven't even noticed it on long rides. The headlight and high beams are really well designed. They show so much of the road without blinding oncoming traffic. The bike also has a PARKING position on the ignition which leaves the rear tail light lit and a dim front bulb lit for rear or oncoming traffic to see at night if you are parked or stranded on the side of the road. The bike is nothing short of awesome for a sport tourer in my opinion and it seems to be changing for the better the more I ride it. It has good reviews in all of the ones I've read with only a few justifiable negatives. The only competitors are BMW, the ST4, and the new VFR. Scratch BMW off since they cost so much, they are heavy, and have engine surging problems. The problem I see with the ST4 is with the ergonomics, the initial price, and price of maintenance. Long rides on that seat and seating position doesn't look comfortable and it costs more than the Futura all the way around. The 2000 VFR is a great bike that I have had a chance to ride but I think the Futura edges it out in a few areas. The new 2002 VFR is cheaper and offers ABS and hard luggage that will probably be under or match the Futura in price. The VFR is a Honda, which was a consideration of mine for reliability and manufacturer support, but I just wouldn't be happy with a RED bike that Honda always offers the VFR in. Even if Honda offered it in another color I wouldn't have any regrets. The Futura's uniqueness fits me better and it performs so well. Aprilia really seems to be focusing on the U.S. market and coming up with really great bikes. It also helps to have a good dealer. My dealer is Mototek in Round Rock, Tx. and they have been good to work with and they only sell Aprilia. I feel like I have a good place to go when a problem or concern arises. I'm convinced that Aprilia will have good support for my bike with the way they have been coming out with consumer bikes. I have a feeling that I'll be keeping this bike for a long time. I'll add another review after my next big ride. Show less