This is Frankie, my 1st and only Aprilia. I've had (2nd time around on bikes for me) Firestorm - destroyed it, an SP1 - destroyed it, a 5jj R1 - spent too much on it and made it unrideable (?), wanted another v-twin and it was a toss up between an Ape and a TLR. got Frankie for the right price but at a huge cost to keep running.
and a sneak preview of Frankie's new clothes
and a sneak preview of Frankie's new clothes
The previous owner was about as sympathetic mechanically as the Titanic was to passenger safety !
So far...
Two sprags
Two stators
One water pump seal
Two regulators
Three batteries
Multiple wiring loom repairs
Two speed sensors
Set of clip-ons
Set of forks
One complete engine
and that's not counting all the current go faster bits on this second engine.
(and Griff can probably think of a bunch more stuff as well)
Parts fitted from Ducati, Yamaha, Honda and Toyota as well as many genuine Aprilia bits = Frankenstein or Frankie for short.
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Nah...Frankie is a freak, don't be put off at all. One bad apple does'nt spoil the crop. Anyway he's rock solid now , just needs to be treated right.
Ive found a beautiful rsv which will hopefully be mine on sunday 
, its a shame youve had troubles my old bike was like constantly one thing after enough , out of the whole year 8 months was spent in the garage
, its a shame youve had troubles my old bike was like constantly one thing after enough , out of the whole year 8 months was spent in the garageI had a lovely '99 Blade in 50th Anniversary Blue, white and gold. It was the first bike I wrote off. I then decided I'd like the other bike from the same era that I hankered after when I started biking, so I got a nice matt black '01 Mille. Then on my way to Griff's Open Day one year a nice gentleman in a white van didn't see me sat at a zebra crossing waiting for an old lady to cross so he hit me. The bike then had a lovely new custom rear end and colour scheme. I've now had to mess about with the exhaust as the old one wasn't fitted very well and broke.........pictures to follow soon.....
Joined May 2008
379 Posts | 0+
Norfolk
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RS50, yes, a 50cc aprilia
got it because scooters are crap and most other 50cc available looked unreliable and cheaply built, didnt regret it got alot of great memories riding that little stroker :biggrin
of course by the time i was a bit older i was already annoyed at the fail "power" 50cc bikes have lol, didnt bother modding the engine or upgrading to a 125, passed my test and bought an rsvr :nana
as much as i hate aprilia sometimes for making simple jobs really hard because of the silly way parts of the bike are put together, i will probably stay on apes for a good while yet, having said that im forced to borrow a 125 yamaha until my petrol tank shrinks again.. stupid ethanol :rant
random thought; i wonder why there isnt many rs125 owners who graduate onto the mille hanging around here
RS50, yes, a 50cc aprilia
got it because scooters are crap and most other 50cc available looked unreliable and cheaply built, didnt regret it got alot of great memories riding that little stroker :biggrin
of course by the time i was a bit older i was already annoyed at the fail "power" 50cc bikes have lol, didnt bother modding the engine or upgrading to a 125, passed my test and bought an rsvr :nana
as much as i hate aprilia sometimes for making simple jobs really hard because of the silly way parts of the bike are put together, i will probably stay on apes for a good while yet, having said that im forced to borrow a 125 yamaha until my petrol tank shrinks again.. stupid ethanol :rant
random thought; i wonder why there isnt many rs125 owners who graduate onto the mille hanging around here
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Might be because they are group 17 :devious bit of a bugger for your first big bike. As for previous bikes I have literally had loads but never an Aprilia before. Im afraid I was a RG Gamma and TZR/RD lad. I've rode RS125s and 250s but they never felt as fast as my TZR125 or my 350ypvs.
first Aprilia was 2004 RSV-R when they first came oot.
Fantastic bike but the one ah had had a few wee niggles wi the dash and ECU so ah got rid of it. Shame really as it was a great handling bike and equally important wasnt a blue white GIXER clone ;o)
Fantastic bike but the one ah had had a few wee niggles wi the dash and ECU so ah got rid of it. Shame really as it was a great handling bike and equally important wasnt a blue white GIXER clone ;o)
Joined Jul 2012
337 Posts | 0+
Gosport
One of these bad boys
Was a 1999 T Reg and I purchased it because the GSXR 600 I was looking at was too expensive on insurance and this looked pretty in the showroom.
Sold it on as I wasnt using it and having it standing in the garden was starting to take its toll.
It was purchased by some rich bloke for his 15yr old lad to do track days on in spain!!!
Was a 1999 T Reg and I purchased it because the GSXR 600 I was looking at was too expensive on insurance and this looked pretty in the showroom.
Sold it on as I wasnt using it and having it standing in the garden was starting to take its toll.
It was purchased by some rich bloke for his 15yr old lad to do track days on in spain!!!
Joined May 2013
111 Posts | 0+
Tattershall
This is my first Aprilia, I had fancied one for years and I am a massive fan of twins. So after the Ducati 916, which was too small for me, an RSV was the logical step. I have only had it a few months, but I love the low down grunt and when I get the new air filter, modded collector and forza chip fitted along with a -1 +2 gearing it is going to have more grunt than a bean fed pig!:devious
Joined Dec 2009
663 Posts | 0+
Always pissin down with rain Sussex
This is my first & last Ape :thumbup had it 8 years now & I'm keeping it till one or both of us dies, strange everyone seems to have reliability problems :dunno mine's never let me down & the only thing that's ever gone wrong is a weeping fork seal.
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Joined Jan 2013
123 Posts | 0+
ashton under lyne
my first, is the one i have now, been nearly a year. love her to bits, never missed a beat, used everyday for work, turns heads everywhere she goes, always wanted one dont know why just loved the look and sound, i am the very proud owner of a 05 gen2, plus very very few around here so really stands out, to many yams hondas and kawas about for me, plus our forums are better too lol. :thumbup
I just liked the look of this 2002 Falco, I did buy it on impulse and lost a bit when selling it this week after only 1 year!
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Joined Oct 2013
42 Posts | 0+
Berkshire
My first bike and Aprilia was a beautiful black year 2000 RS250. What a bike, I've got great memories of my early riding days on that thing.
Such a shame it was brought to a premature end by a smidsy in a white van. To add insult to injury, what was left of the bike was then stolen from my garage whilst i recuperated. Arseholes.
Such a shame it was brought to a premature end by a smidsy in a white van. To add insult to injury, what was left of the bike was then stolen from my garage whilst i recuperated. Arseholes.
