Aprilia SL 1000 Falco reviews

This has been a replacement for my 2002 Ducati Supersport. The qulity, make, finish of this bike is way superior to "my" Ducati. As for performance, this is the best bike I have ever ridden. It has the power and handling of a race bike with comfort of a cruiser. Really agile with an ever-ready engine torque in any gear. Amongst the best features, I could mention the agility, engine, and gear box and breakes. Shifting is very precise. I never expected such a performance and qulity in the same package. But my faivorite is the breaks. It has the shortest stopping of any bikes in my area. Truely confidence inspiring. Best bike to my openion --- if one can afford it. Show less

I looked long and hard to find this bike. I had a GSXR and wanted more comfort. The riding position is great compared to a sport bike and it is still fun to ride. The low end torque and sound is awesome. The only negative is the suspension is a little harsh. But I would recomend the bike to anyone. Show less

Wow! This is the most fun I have ever had on 2 wheels. No regrets. This is the 7th bike I have owned and by far the most enjoyable to ride. Can't shake that ear to ear grin off my face. Just had it de-restricted and now I can't think of ever riding my other bike again. Most under rated bike out there. Show less

So far I have owned a CBR1000, Harley FatBoy (good looking but terrible bike), an ST4 and the Futura. So, I've had a wide assortment to help tune my opinions. I got rid of a red ST4 for my ash black Aprilia and would have to give the nod to the Aprilia over the ST4 for a few reasons: comfort (as measured by hands and butt), body styling (much better looking than the ST4), fit/finish (the Duc constantly rattled and squeaked), and reliability (still no problems). The only drawbacks are

1. engine sound (its okay, but not NEAR like the Duc, and aftermarket pipes are only available from a few less than impressive designs).
2. the dealer network isn't as good in my area (Cincinnati) as Ducati--so thank goodness the reliability is at least higher. If you want the raw feel of a motor with the potential for a long trip requiring hard bags, get the Duc. If you place higher value on reliability and comfort in the event you might take longer trips more frequently - you'd probably be happier with the Aprilia.
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The bike is a great touring mount and extremely comfortable. The windscreen could be bigger, but it does an okay job. There are aftermarkets to pick from. The torque is impressive, but not overwhelming. The bike is deceptively fast. I'm used to a much "busier" motor. It handles as good as some sport bikes I've riden and is very predictable in the corners. It feels too heavy when taking it off the kickstand, but that all goes away the moment you start to roll. This bike has all the things you'd buy a sport touring bike for and all the flickability of a dirtbike on road. Hoenstly, the only complaint was easy to fix. The gearing is too tall. Change the front sprocket from a 17 tooth to a 16. Not only will it put the engine in the sweet spot, but wheelies are easier to do. My only other complaint is that the tripmeter is too complicated to use. I chose the Hepco becker bags for saddlebags because they aren't as oddly shaped as the factory bags and the give the bike the Paris to Dakar look. The bike never fails to turn heads regardless of where I go. With all that room, the rear rack and the platform under the rear seat, I can literally take the kitchen sink with me. This is an SUV for the street and at roughly half the price of the BMW, it's a steal. Show less

I've had the Tuono for 10 months and have about 5,000 miles on it. Very comfortable, fast, and handles great. Encourages bad behavior because it makes it so easy. Good looks in an industrial sort of way - sort of unfinished but purposeful. Has been completely reliable though it came with a few problems from the factory (cracked instrument glass cover, vacuum leak, damaged throttle cable housing) which were all fixed under warranty with no trouble. I've commuted on it, toured, and just screwed around and it works well for everything. I have no complaints. It is like owning a Honda but with character (no offense intended!). Show less

Been riding Aprilias for a while now and man did they change up the mile! The chassis is so much lighter and the bike barely looks like its predecesors. It's a beautiful bike that likes to be heard, and people will know you are coming. Torque is seemingly unlimited, and cornering is flawless thanks to its light weight. It's not as adjustable as the higher end Ducatis, but the brakes are definitely better. Overall, it's the best v-twin I can think of for the price. Show less

After 22 months, it's still a blast to ride. Most miles in a day: 432, average milage 43-46 mpg, have seen over 50 mpg on a few occasions (57mpg once). It is very hard to keep from twisting the throttle though. The midrange torque is what this machine is about, just roll it on and it goes. It's perfect for riding the backroads, the long straightaways are boring and I hate interstates. I have no problems to date, maintenance is not as costly as a Ducati, check valves every 9300 miles, mine have never needed adjusting, as they're still in tolerance. I'm hard on the rear tires though, just depends how hard you twist the throttle. I've been getting 3k out of a rear tire and 6k out the fronts, I ride pretty aggresively though. This is the most fun bike I ever owned. It's not a long distance tourer but a good backroader. If I lived in the mountains, I would not want anything else. Show less

Its been 30 years since I've ridden and on a whim I purchased a Futura. First I sat on them all and when it came to the Futura I knew it was the one. Talk about comfort... WOW! Like a hand and glove. Then it was time to get going. This bike is a real sleeper, I rode my son's RSV Mille and now its official, this is a track bike wrapped in great ammenities. Talk about go power, it keeps up with the best of them. After-market stuff to tweek it is a plus as well. A real looker to. Show less

I purchased my 2001 Falco last year and am very pleased I did. The first thing I noticed after sitting on it was that the riding position was not as extreme as the average supersport and rightly so as this is tauted as a "light tourer." don't let the word tourer fool you, though because this bike has power. A quick twist of the throttle will have your front wheel in the air before you can blink and the sound from this bike makes everyone take notice. These things are nice, but these aren't it's only qualities. This is an excellent road bike with good city manners and rail-tight handling. It performs just as well in the tight twisties as it does during the morning commute. I use mine for the daily commute to work and also to visit family in the Shennendoah Valley. After that 5 hour ride, I'm not overly fatigued although I'll admit, I'm ready for a break. My biggest complaint with the Falco is the stock seat which is a bit thin for longer rides and in traffic jams, it seems to transfer heat from the engine directly to your bum. Otherwise, I have no problems with it. Everytime I think about buying a new bike, I just can't bring myself to do it, because mine can do it all. Show less