Well, I got to ride all 3 today. There was a demo ride and I rode a Factory, a Tuono R and a regular Mille RSV. Since the RSV rode identically except for a SLIGHT turn in advantage, I won't list it. All Aprilias were 06 models.
Lets get started!
Ergonomics:
Tuono
The Tuono is much like the Brutale in the sitting position and windblast is well, SLIGHTLY less, because of it's windscreen. But you still get the full windblast effect. The Touno though, getting it off it's kickstand SUCKED. The bike has a short kickstand, and well, it's a TALL SOB. I have a 35in inseam, and I was BARELY sitting flat-footed. That, and it felt HEAVY...really heavy. It was also very piggy feeling in terms of it just sitting there. It was wide, heavy and the bars felt wider than the Brutes!!!
The exhaust also got hot around my right ankle/leg. I dunno what that was all about, but the rearsets are also a tad higher than the Brutales. Kinda wierd since the Brutales are already moderately high for a naked.
The seat was also very flat, and unconforming like the Brutale. It also had sharp edges, that after a moderate ride, would hurt....
The positive I have about the bike is the turnsignals and actual ergos them selves. They were nicely placed and at a much more forgiveable position than the Brutes. It was much easier to reach the turnsignals, horm, starter, etc on the Tuono. Also, there's a HUGE groove on the tuoino above the signal switch, so your thumb will naturally wanna goto the signal switch. Pretty neat.
RSV Factory
Man, the ergos on this bike SUCK. Riding it around made me hurt, even more than an F4. The seat was OK, but the clip-ons were at a wierd angle. I felt like I was reaching fairly far away...although, not as aggressive as an F4 or Duc, the clip-on positioning made it a really uncomfy bike.
The heat...christ, not even an underseat exhaust and I was cooking my ass and front crotch near the tank. It was seriously hot. BOTH legs were getting cooked. On a hot summer day...it would suck.
The windscreen positioning isn't that great...it blows right to your neck and makes your head bobble around, also, it partially blocks the gauges and you can't see through it if you are infact tucked.
It felt lots lighter than the tuono though. The kickstand also made the bike stand more upright.
Performance:
Tuono
I must say, I was a bit let down. All reviews say the 06 is a beast.... :jerkoff: I went feathery on my first corner exit and felt nothing. I GASSED THE CRAP OUTTA HER on my 2nd and although quick, she wasn't as beasty as was hyped IMO. It did leave you wanting more.... The powerband however, especially for a twin is BUTTER SMOOTH. There's a little hiccup at 4K, but otherwise, a PC3 would be a waste. It has the smoothness of a 4, but the grunt of a twin....but still, I was expecting more from the Tuono with all it's reviews.
The brakes are FABULOUS. I normally don't dig on/off brakes, but those brembos are no joke and will definitly put you on your face.
The suspension...meh...nothing positive or negative, on par with the Brute, but not quite as stiff or responsive....
RSV Factory
Now this is where this bike shines. Turn in was awesome. It will hold a line, dare I say, better than the Brutale. Maybe it was the Super Corsas on it, but damn it could rail like somethin fierce. The Ohlins, Iw as going over some fairly shady and scary bumps, but it soaked them up MUCH MUCH better than the Brutale. I honestly hardly felt the bumps, and it just grabbed. It was what made that bike.
The performance...god....I was melting. It can GO!!!!!! I mean, the power delivery is so smooth. No hiccups, no flat spots, at any RPM above 2K....it surges, HARD. It can power wheelie 1st, 2nd, and float 3rd if you lean back.
But the negatives...this bike is an absolute HOG on slow stuff. It has a SLOW turn in, it's fairly tall, and well, the clutch movement is so small and far out, you have to feather first gear a TON. It will buck you around without feathering the gas and clutch. But you don't buy that bike to go slow. But it takes a couple runs through the gears to get used to that absolutely horrible clutch...
Both bikes though, has this problem of a SHITTY, I mean SHITTY gear box. Not shit in the fact that it engaged or whatnot, but Nuetral is a bit hard to find as the light on the dash is a bit delayed, and there's no positive feedback on the shift lever...AT ALL. On an MV, you have feedback, you know it clicks in, and you can feel resistance on your lever as well as some positive resistance...the good kind, kinda like a spring feeling. On both the Tuono and RSVs, it was like it was a dummy lever and you could only tell you shifted, by the bike actually going into a lower RPM and feeling the tranny CLICK as well as your foot not moving the lever any more. The lever was just ghostly feeling....it was definitly odd. Maybe not a negative aspect, but I sure as hell didn't like how empty it felt.
All in all, I was very disappointed. Essentially, it felt like I was on a japanese bike with a bonkers and refined motor. It was SMOOTH, and had nice power, but everything else still felt cheap and well, not as refined. A Duc has a twin, is brute raw vtwin power, but it still feels refined. The Tuono and RSVs, felt like a Lexus. It's nice and all...but it's still japanese, and you know it. It's still no Bentley...
It's wierd how it's my B-Day and this day was here. Exactly one year from when I bought my Brutale, and these were THE VERY BIKES I was debating on against the Brutale. I hopped back on the Brutale to ride home...there's no place like home.... :f4:
Lets get started!
Ergonomics:
Tuono
The Tuono is much like the Brutale in the sitting position and windblast is well, SLIGHTLY less, because of it's windscreen. But you still get the full windblast effect. The Touno though, getting it off it's kickstand SUCKED. The bike has a short kickstand, and well, it's a TALL SOB. I have a 35in inseam, and I was BARELY sitting flat-footed. That, and it felt HEAVY...really heavy. It was also very piggy feeling in terms of it just sitting there. It was wide, heavy and the bars felt wider than the Brutes!!!
The exhaust also got hot around my right ankle/leg. I dunno what that was all about, but the rearsets are also a tad higher than the Brutales. Kinda wierd since the Brutales are already moderately high for a naked.
The seat was also very flat, and unconforming like the Brutale. It also had sharp edges, that after a moderate ride, would hurt....
The positive I have about the bike is the turnsignals and actual ergos them selves. They were nicely placed and at a much more forgiveable position than the Brutes. It was much easier to reach the turnsignals, horm, starter, etc on the Tuono. Also, there's a HUGE groove on the tuoino above the signal switch, so your thumb will naturally wanna goto the signal switch. Pretty neat.
RSV Factory
Man, the ergos on this bike SUCK. Riding it around made me hurt, even more than an F4. The seat was OK, but the clip-ons were at a wierd angle. I felt like I was reaching fairly far away...although, not as aggressive as an F4 or Duc, the clip-on positioning made it a really uncomfy bike.
The heat...christ, not even an underseat exhaust and I was cooking my ass and front crotch near the tank. It was seriously hot. BOTH legs were getting cooked. On a hot summer day...it would suck.
The windscreen positioning isn't that great...it blows right to your neck and makes your head bobble around, also, it partially blocks the gauges and you can't see through it if you are infact tucked.
It felt lots lighter than the tuono though. The kickstand also made the bike stand more upright.
Performance:
Tuono
I must say, I was a bit let down. All reviews say the 06 is a beast.... :jerkoff: I went feathery on my first corner exit and felt nothing. I GASSED THE CRAP OUTTA HER on my 2nd and although quick, she wasn't as beasty as was hyped IMO. It did leave you wanting more.... The powerband however, especially for a twin is BUTTER SMOOTH. There's a little hiccup at 4K, but otherwise, a PC3 would be a waste. It has the smoothness of a 4, but the grunt of a twin....but still, I was expecting more from the Tuono with all it's reviews.
The brakes are FABULOUS. I normally don't dig on/off brakes, but those brembos are no joke and will definitly put you on your face.
The suspension...meh...nothing positive or negative, on par with the Brute, but not quite as stiff or responsive....
RSV Factory
Now this is where this bike shines. Turn in was awesome. It will hold a line, dare I say, better than the Brutale. Maybe it was the Super Corsas on it, but damn it could rail like somethin fierce. The Ohlins, Iw as going over some fairly shady and scary bumps, but it soaked them up MUCH MUCH better than the Brutale. I honestly hardly felt the bumps, and it just grabbed. It was what made that bike.
The performance...god....I was melting. It can GO!!!!!! I mean, the power delivery is so smooth. No hiccups, no flat spots, at any RPM above 2K....it surges, HARD. It can power wheelie 1st, 2nd, and float 3rd if you lean back.
But the negatives...this bike is an absolute HOG on slow stuff. It has a SLOW turn in, it's fairly tall, and well, the clutch movement is so small and far out, you have to feather first gear a TON. It will buck you around without feathering the gas and clutch. But you don't buy that bike to go slow. But it takes a couple runs through the gears to get used to that absolutely horrible clutch...
Both bikes though, has this problem of a SHITTY, I mean SHITTY gear box. Not shit in the fact that it engaged or whatnot, but Nuetral is a bit hard to find as the light on the dash is a bit delayed, and there's no positive feedback on the shift lever...AT ALL. On an MV, you have feedback, you know it clicks in, and you can feel resistance on your lever as well as some positive resistance...the good kind, kinda like a spring feeling. On both the Tuono and RSVs, it was like it was a dummy lever and you could only tell you shifted, by the bike actually going into a lower RPM and feeling the tranny CLICK as well as your foot not moving the lever any more. The lever was just ghostly feeling....it was definitly odd. Maybe not a negative aspect, but I sure as hell didn't like how empty it felt.
All in all, I was very disappointed. Essentially, it felt like I was on a japanese bike with a bonkers and refined motor. It was SMOOTH, and had nice power, but everything else still felt cheap and well, not as refined. A Duc has a twin, is brute raw vtwin power, but it still feels refined. The Tuono and RSVs, felt like a Lexus. It's nice and all...but it's still japanese, and you know it. It's still no Bentley...
It's wierd how it's my B-Day and this day was here. Exactly one year from when I bought my Brutale, and these were THE VERY BIKES I was debating on against the Brutale. I hopped back on the Brutale to ride home...there's no place like home.... :f4: