2002 Aprilia reviews

This is the best sport Vtwin for the money bar none. of course I did not buy it new because a barely used one is so affordable it should be illegal. Love the HP and torque. Stretch to gas tank is a little long compared to some others but I have relatively long arms. Reliability has been excellent. Services are great but a little costly if you go by the manual. Most can be done yourself if you any mechanical aptitude. Aprilia makes a great product and extremely satisfied and will be an Aprilia owner for life. Show less

If you live in the US and are a 2-stroke fan, the RS-50 is a great compromise over the hard to find RZ's and RD's, of the mid 1980's. Although not as fast as the last of the 2-stroke imports, a fully modified RS, will keep most riders very entertained. The bike itself is engineered very well, and its brakes and suspension are capable of handling much higher speeds that even a modified bike are capable of. The catch....? On top of the sticker price, expect to drop at least $1000 in performance parts into your RS, to make it road worthy. Sure you could ride it around in stock form, but acceleration is so slow, that you will grow tired of people in cars (with disgusted looks on their faces) tailgating you away from traffic lights. Dont expect miracles from all the upgrades however, as you will still not be able to keep up with your buddy on his 600. The mods do make the RS, much safer and easier to ride with the only exception being a very narrow powerband. A beginner will have a very hard time with a Modified RS, because of this. It takes some very smooth clutch and throttle control to drive in traffic. Show less

If you want to ride in the cold dont buy a mille it wont start. On the other hand it does make you feel like a rock star and the ground clearance forget about it this thing should come with elbo pucks,100mph stopies no problem just two finger those brembos. But now the bad part,dealer back up it has to be the worst out of the top manufacturers months on end to receive parts,and num nuts service personel. I really do hope this changes because if the cube derived bike is ever built I will be the first in line Show less

Bought new 7/2002. Now have 2,700 miles. Also own BMW K12RS. Great high tech engine. 85 miles per gallon, agree with everything posted on previous two reviews. Would add, lighting at night is weak. Scooter is fun to ride, corners well, has 13 inch wheels and acts similar to a motorcycle. Rarely wait for turn lights with long traffic lines because it's so short I can go up the adjacent lane and merge into the turn lane with the "huge" gaps that slow moving SUVs and trucks leave. What fun! Great for small errands or to go get a quick bite to eat. Show less

Just made it through the winter on my Ditech SR50, commuting everyday through Washington, DC city traffic. What a fantastic little bike, especially with the low fuel and maintenance costs, free parking at any given lamp post, etc. I didn't expect the all of the nods and comments from 'real' bikers, but on most of the roads around here (where you can't accelerate like lightning), we're pretty much even. Definitely de-restrict it, and have them change the injector settings with the gameboy. My next step is to replace the stock roller weights to bring the peak torque down into traffic-speed ranges - right now acceleration is best between 40 and 55 mph, and hills are a bit of a slow affair without a running start. Changing the weights should bring the peak torque down into the 25-35 mph range, which should help a bit. Handling and braking are absolutely superb, and the thing's so light and nimble that it's easy to oversteer and end up cornering in a succession of straight lines. Low speed handling is excellent, and you can even track stand it at most traffic lights and stop signs. I rarely put my feet down. Wet weather handling is safe as houses, and even the occasional spot of ice is manageable. Got a bit sideways on a bridge in town in January, and steered my way out of difficulty without even getting my heart rate up much. NOT a highway bike, but fantastic in town, even in busy traffic. Show less

Well this is my first serious scooter...purchased to replace my sport touring motorcycle... due to my age and health problems... WHAT A BLAST... good pickup... handles better then many motorcycles.... have had it up to 90 mph with more still there... getting 58 mpg.. ride is a little choppy on washboard bumps when going slow... maybe due to being new... have ridden the Silverwing 600 & Burgman 650... both are a little faster (very little) but cost is over $2,000 + more... this Scooter is the best bang for the buck... and it is better looking... also has more leg room for a 6 ft. person... HAVING FUN ... AGAIN... Try one and you may supprise yourself... Show less

I bought a SR 50, the H2O model, in October 02 and now(Feb 01, 03) have 700 miles on it. I am 58, must be in my second childhood for I love the bike. I look for errands around town to so I can use it. It does not give the 100 miles per gallon I thought it should, must have a heavy hand on the throttle for I get about 85. She begins to wheeze a bit on going uphill but is quick enought on the flats. You would have to be crazy to take it on the highway but accept the bike for what it is, a fun, relative cheap way to get around town. I live in a small town and it works great. I'm not sure I would want to try it in a large city with heavy traffic but then I am a country boy. I really don't want to try much of anything in a large city with heavy traffic. I will add this, I might move up to something bigger, something I can ride on the highway. Yet, the automatic transmission is so nice for the stop and go in town traffic where I do 90 percent of my driving. Fun transportation. Show less

I put over 7,000 miles on my '02 Mille this first year. This is an incredible motorcycle. It has power throughout the RPM band. Great brakes. The whole chassis is finely tuned and thought out. Its very comfortable too. It seems to me that the 999 is Ducati's answer to the Mille's success. I've taken it to the track a few times and it simply loves that kind of riding too. Its no wonder that Aprilia is doing so well in their world wide sales. Show less

If you want the V-twin feel of a superbike, this is it. I Only have 425 miles on this '03 RSV R Haga Replica, but it comes with all the s*#@! Ohlins front, rear & steering damper, new Brembo 4 pods (two fingers may be too much, they so smooth and powerful), Carbon add-ons, term/ti twin mufflers, eprom performance chip, performance gearing, adj. levers, pirelli dragons, OZ wheels, plus 130hp rotax beast of a motor, 403lbs. There's 59 more out there just like mine in the USA. Ride a ducati, ride an RC51, do your homework. The ducati guys know, so does Honda, Aprilia gives much more and will make you a better rider in the real world. Nothing else comes close. Huge torque, great manners for a superbike. Its so thrilling to ride and its like being on a rope the curves. In the really challenging tight curves it comes out exploding with torque. Of course, after a 200 miles its time to get off and reflect. Yes, the aggressive position will tire you out. But, this is from a 20 yr. Harley guy. I'm 46, don't be your dad, don't follow, lead on Aprilia. Show less

I just got this bike for my wife. The problem is I want to keep riding it! This scooter has some great features and also some great points. First off, the breaks are the best I have ever experienced. they are very smooth and quick stopping. There is also no wind hitting your body at all. The result is you want to go a lot faster and it is very comfortable. The seat is the best! The dash on this baby has to be seen to be believed. Minor complaints: Engine surges a little at slow speeds. Putting air in tires is a pain in the ass as is checking trans fluid level. Way too much plastic on vehicle but I hear that all scooters are like that. Lastly this bike is extremely fast for what it is. No problem passing someone going 55. My wife loves it and says she is keeping me for a while longer. isn't she sweet. Show less