Joined May 2011
23 Posts | 0+
Souf London
My T's clutch fluid has been dropping to worryingly low levels over the last couple of weeks. Living in the big smoke, I mostly take the bike out on weekends for a couple of hours at the most....because by the time I get anywhere I can open her up, I am cream crackered and ready to head back. So I put the disappearing clutch fluid down to the evaporation over the recent exceptionally hot weather or any other excuse to avoid investigating the issue. The heavy clutch on the T doesn't make for a pleasant ride in London either - does anyone else use the tank as a gym bench to stretch their left wrist muscles at traffic lights!? But I am not complaining, for all its sins, the bike still makes me smile! I digress, a few internet searches later, this and other wonderful Aprilia forums school me on how the clutch slave cylinder on the T is notorious for leaking. A closer inspection of my bike confirms this. A few more internet searches suggest replacing the original slave cylinder cures this ailment....and reduces clutch stiffness. Shag two girls with one rubber, (figuratively speaking) me thinks! Step forward the recommended Oberon clutch cylinder (ordered in blingly red), received it yesterday, popped it on this morning, took the bike out for a ride and just got back in. Any improvement on the clutch stiffness I hear you ask? I was asking myself the same question throughout the test ride. I honestly cannot tell the difference, I reckon I am going to need a side by side comparison to to decide this one. But for me not to notice any significant improvement isnt a good sign, especially when the thingy costs a hundred spuid compared to just forty for the original part, or just a few squid for the replacement seals alone. The moral of the story - all that glitters isn't gold! If you are ever faced with the same dilemma, advise from this tight fisted biker is to save yourself a few squid and go for one of the cheaper options.
The end. :thumbup
The end. :thumbup
