This might be a nice, VFR alternative.....

[ducnut]

1 hour ago, Magneto said:

I appreciate your honesty - lining up with my original skepticism quite nicely - but suggest deleting the last post 😉

Why?

[DannoXYZ]

4 hours ago, ducnut said:

Now that I’ve had time to be around the RS660, it’s disappointing. The fit, finishes, and detailing simply aren’t worthy of $11,300USD. Sitting next to a Triumph Trident, which is $3200 less money, the Aprilia looks like a Chinese import. I don’t know what the position is called  who creates those aspects of a bike, but, Aprilia need to hire a new person(s). The 660 kickstand is a pinched tube that looks like something fitting of a bike-in-a-box. The seat cushions have detailing in the foam and the cheap-feeling vinyl is pulled right over them. They could’ve used a nicer material, in multiple pieces and sewed together, to creat interest and form-fitment. The stitching and bunching of material is terrible, as well. The plastic guard on the left side of the swingarm adds to the cheapness of the Harbor Freight shade of tool silver used on the rearsets and swingarm. Cheap hardware is very obvious against the nice hardware, like the stem nut. The whole cockpit just looks cheap. It’s shameful the bike was released like this.

Sounds like your summary of exterior fit & finish matches what goes on inside.

 

 

I have friend that races RSV4 and has nothing but trouble: engine mechanicals, electronics, etc. Back in '90s, he raced AMA on TZ250. He says that all-out race-bike was more troublefree than RSV4.  Would RS660 have 1/2 as much trouble since it's 1/2 of RSV4?

[Magneto]

4 hours ago, ducnut said:

Why?

 

Drinking Bud while employed at Miller? 😆

[ducnut]

9 hours ago, DannoXYZ said:

 

I have friend that races RSV4 and has nothing but trouble: engine mechanicals, electronics, etc. Back in '90s, he raced AMA on TZ250. He says that all-out race-bike was more troublefree than RSV4.  Would RS660 have 1/2 as much trouble since it's 1/2 of RSV4?

For sure, they’re finicky, for those who don’t have the knowledge of exactly how they function. We constantly have owners come in with issues, because they tried something they read on the internet and it triggered the ECM. Aprilia’s bikes don’t tolerate being fettled by laymen. What’s worse is when customers tell techs, with multiple national championships, how the stuff works or how to do their job. 🙄

 

We have had issues with Aprilia’s datatool connecting with the three RS660’s we’ve received. The shop has accumulatively lost ~10hrs of labor, because of it. And, of course, Aprilia doesn’t reimburse for that. It’s a perfect example of how carrying certain products can run a dealership into the ground. The parts side of things is just as bad and I cringe when a customer tells me they need something for a Piaggio product.  Likewise, their strong arm tactics on the sales side are inexcusable, as well. They, as a whole, are probably the worst we have to deal with.

[ducnut]

5 hours ago, Magneto said:

 

Drinking Bud while employed at Miller? 😆

Meh. The ownership and employees have zero issues telling the manufacturers exactly how it is. It’s the only way they’ll understand how to improve their product and processes or why the dealership dropped the franchise. Though, what I have learned is the eyetalians do things their own way, regardless of feedback, and is why franchised dealerships are scarce. It’s just not worth it to carry their products and put up with the headaches. 

[Magneto]

Understand, it's a popular uprising 🙂

 

 

[DannoXYZ]

villagers with their pitchforks and flaming torches!!!

[Wald]

On 9/19/2020 at 9:05 AM, Gebruiker said:

 

Am I the only one who thinks the future VFR is going to look more like this? https://www.damon.com/   

 

...Sorry for the sacrilege... No offense intended.

 

 

 

...and you will be able to choose the type of sound the bike makes!

[Magneto]

Yep, sound of silence....

 

 

 

[Gebruiker]

On 4/4/2021 at 7:31 PM, Wald said:

...and you will be able to choose the type of sound the bike makes!

 

...Maybe they'll put these things back into production. VFR-RRoom!

 

 

 

 

[JZH]

On 4/4/2021 at 1:34 AM, ducnut said:

Now that I’ve had time to be around the RS660, it’s disappointing. The fit, finishes, and detailing simply aren’t worthy of $11,300USD. Sitting next to a Triumph Trident, which is $3200 less money, the Aprilia looks like a Chinese import. I don’t know what the position is called  who creates those aspects of a bike, but, Aprilia need to hire a new person(s). The 660 kickstand is a pinched tube that looks like something fitting of a bike-in-a-box. The seat cushions have detailing in the foam and the cheap-feeling vinyl is pulled right over them. They could’ve used a nicer material, in multiple pieces and sewed together, to creat interest and form-fitment. The stitching and bunching of material is terrible, as well. The plastic guard on the left side of the swingarm adds to the cheapness of the Harbor Freight shade of tool silver used on the rearsets and swingarm. Cheap hardware is very obvious against the nice hardware, like the stem nut. The whole cockpit just looks cheap. It’s shameful the bike was released like this. 

Sorry to hear that.  I own two Aprilias and, while the fit and finish isn't quite "Honda-like", it's generally pretty good.  But these are older, niche models (RS250 and SXV550), which may have been built differently than the latest models.

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

[ducnut]

38 minutes ago, JZH said:

Sorry to hear that.  I own two Aprilias and, while the fit and finish isn't quite "Honda-like", it's generally pretty good.  But these are older, niche models (RS250 and SXV550), which may have been built differently than the latest models.

 

Ciao,

 

JZH

I had a ‘19 Tuono owner in looking at one, today. He agreed with the few bits I pointed out.
 

In comparison, there are many new Triumph models on the floor, including the Trident. There simply is NO comparison in detailing, fit, and finish. I’d take a Trident over the RS/Tuono, any day. In fact, we have two RS660’s sitting (buyer backouts) with no interest, while we sold our last Trident (4 in two days), today. Triumph won’t be able to meet demand, for some time, I don’t think. 

[vfrcapn]

How about if you just dropped almost $30K US for a new V4 Multistrada, to find out the valve guide material in many of the engines is made of peanut butter, and Ducati is giving everyone a completely new engine. Oh, and don't ride it until the engine shows up... hope you enjoyed the first 300 miles...

 

[ducnut]

39 minutes ago, vfrcapn said:

How about if you just dropped almost $30K US for a new V4 Multistrada, to find out the valve guide material in many of the engines is made of peanut butter, and Ducati is giving everyone a completely new engine. Oh, and don't ride it until the engine shows up... hope you enjoyed the first 300 miles...

 

How about sell an out-of-state buyer a new Multistrada, he stops for gas on his way home, and the bike decides to no longer recognize the key fob? 🙃

[Cogswell]

This is sounding like the old joke - "you store it at the dealer service department and pick it up once in a while to go for a ride."  

[DannoXYZ]

Eyetalians have certain way of doing things. I briefly owned Ferrari Mondial in '90s. Had to be careful and close door gently...

 

 

 

 

... otherwise mirror would fall off!!!

[Wald]

Thanks for bringing up this video by VisioRacer. I subscribe to his channel, pretty good source.