After owning many bikes in the past 12 years I must say the RSV R takes the cake. Spending the last 5 years on a modified Ducati 955, the Aprilia does everything in a more complete overall package. The engine is smooth, pulls hard all the way through the rev range, and the fuel injection mapping is...
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After owning many bikes in the past 12 years I must say the RSV R takes the cake. Spending the last 5 years on a modified Ducati 955, the Aprilia does everything in a more complete overall package. The engine is smooth, pulls hard all the way through the rev range, and the fuel injection mapping is flawless. My first impression of riding my Aprilia was how easy it flicked/steered. The Ducati was lazy and slow compared to the RSV R. This bikes goes into corners similar to an Asian 4-cylinder sport bike.
Riding position better than the Ducati as far as comfort goes, with the clip ons higher, and you don't have your wrists loaded up nearly as much. After owning a standard mille for 3 months, my opinion on the R is that the suspension is really stiff, and that hitting medium / big bumps can upset the bike if not set up properly. It is important that you break in the suspension first, before making any major changes, as the sag factor increases after 600 miles or so. After spending time with an Aprilia technician, who also has been setting/rebuilding suspension systems for 15 years, we came up with a pretty good set up. Mind you, I only weigh 170 lbs. @ 5'11'. Rear sag = 35mm at the rear with rider on board. Front sag=25-30mm. We raised the rear ride height about 1/4", and slowed down the compression damping in the rear. This did help quit a bit as far as hitting bumpy surfaces.
Overall, this bike shines above the rest in my book as far as overall performance/quality at a reasonable price level. If your into sport riding, and prefer twins, or your thinking about buying a twin, then hurry and snatch one up before they are all gone!
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