Aprilia RS reviews

I brought an Aprilia RS50 2004 model this year in July. I'm one of the youngest students in my class so all my friends were getting their peds and motorbikes before me. On my 16th birthday I took my C.B.T, passed, and was on the road by 1pm that day. I told my friends to all meet up and we did. My Aprilia was hitting speeds of up to 65+mph. It was de-restricted. I was kicking all there butts! If you are looking for a reliable, comfortable, fast 50cc then the Aprilia is the one for you. Not just the shear speed of accelaration, or the racing look, or the disk brakes and liquid cooled engine, but what makes this bike great is that it's a chick magnet! All girls love this thing. When I'm riding it, I love the loud noise of the powerful little engine making everyone look to see what it is! Believe me, when you first sit on your Aprilia RS 50, you will fall in love with it. Show less

Basically this is a great bike espically for a first bike. It looks great and is the faster than any other 50cc. It handles well and has that big bike feel. It's fast too, with a 65mph top speed. Generally is comfortable but can get a little tiresome on longer rides. My bike does 100 miles to the gallon so its very economical. However it does have its problems. Fistly, parts can be expensive mainly because its made by Aprilia and it needs bigger tires etc. Secondly, the purchase of the bike is expensive compared to many other scooters. Lastly, because the engine is so highly tuned (12.5 horse power compared to a standard 50cc which is around 6 or 7) it can be quite sensitive and needs regular service (piston rings etc). However, despite all this I still love it and would definitly recommend buying one, however, beware if you are buying second hand as they get worn out quickly becuase they are usually owned by 16 yr olds. Show less

The RS50 in stock form is a very nice bike, however, it leaves you wanting more power. Well, that all changes when you modify this bike. Plan on spending $1000 to $1500, but it is well worth every penny. Nearly triple the stock horsepower. The bike now rips and has top speeds well over 90 mph and can be geared for over 100 mph. Feels more like a powerful 250cc. In fact, it will beat most twin cylinder 250's like the Rebel, Nighthawk, and Virago without a problem. Show less

When I got this bike (2003 model) I was appalled with the weak power at mid to top end (yes I mean when fully de-restricted) but now I have a 70cc big bore kit it has improved incredibly, and I mean incredibly, the acceleration is miles better, mid end power has increased a lot and the top end is now around 85mph. It isn't quite as fast as the RS125 but acceleration is not far off let me tell you, I ran the big bore in for 100 miles and let it rip, I just hope it stays reliable. Show less

It's very reliable in the morning but it need's frequent repairs it make's up for this in the look's and handling. And another good thing is that racing parts are easy to get hold of which increase's performance immensely. Show less

This bike seems to turns heads everywhere I ride. Just bought it new 11/03 from my local Aprilia dealer, it is the rare GP-1 model. It was between this and the 2004 Ninja 250R and the Aprilia won me over. The RS50 was a more expensive and not as powerful, but more than makes up for that in different areas. It is rare, exotic and looks like a true GP racing bike. I also like the fact that it is a two stoke. When the warranty runs out at the end of 2004, I will consider modifying it. Until then, I will enjoy riding a true Italian race bike and all the attention it gets!! Show less

I have 5 yrs riding experience, the bike is 196lbs so it tosses around very easy, I have raced other experienced riders and have smoked them on any size bike 600-1000, great for beginners or others, big bore kit a must! 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

I sold my gixxer400 after taking this bike for a ride. Rides like a scooter while tootling around town, then like a 600 on the open road. Feed it good gas, better oils, get some riding lessons on the track, and find some windy back roads to hear the 2 stroke screaming off the cutting walls. the only thing that annoys me is that it's just so damn comfortable cruising at 140km/h that i have to keep checking it's only a 250 not a 600. 6th gear is too tall for 100km/h (60mph) so keep it in 5th, or ride at 140k! Frighten old ladies/men/young children in town at the lights by feeding it lots of gas as it'll lift the front wheel and go screaming off into the distance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yeehaaaa Show less

I own a 95 RS250 with a bunch of modifications (see below). I also own several other liter class bikes, like the CBR954. How come I ride this one more often? Threy built a perfect bike, weight, HP, and handling! Its not good on the street or communiting. In fact it is REALLY bad on the city streets. Get her on open twistie rodas in the hands of a comepetent ride... Its magic! Engine Modifications (Motor shipped to Germany to RS-expert for rebuild as reliable road bike) ﾷ Centered spark plugs (Holes were welded shut, re-drilled and re-machined perpendicular ﾗstock entry was angled) ﾷ Piston deck-height set to zero ﾷ Machined combustion chambers (for correct squish and hemispherical shape) ﾷ Cleaned ports ﾷ Installed forged TZ-250 pistons (to replace heavier stock cast units) ﾷ Trued and rebalanced crank ﾷ New power valve Induction/Exhaust Modifications: ﾷ Arrow expansion chamber with carbon fiber-Kevlar pipes ﾷ Carbon fiber reeds ﾷ Re-jetted carburetors (to meet above mods) ﾷ Modified airbox Suspension & Brake Modifications: ﾷ Installed WP Suspension rear shock (SACC) ﾷ Changed front fork-oil to lower viscosity ﾷ Installed FG-Special Parts carbon fiber /Titanium steering damper ﾷ Installed Stainless steel front/rear brake lines ﾷ Installed Dunlopad brake pads ﾷ Metzeler Rennsport tires (Race replica/street comp; Front 110/70/17, Rear 150/60/17) Body Parts & Other Modifications: ﾷ Carbon fiber front fender and rear hugger ﾷ Yoyodyne SS & titanium bolts all around Show less