I stopped in my local Kawa/Yama dealer today to look at a bike ramp. As I walked through the showroom, there on the side was one each of the Aprillia bikes. Good grief! Those bikes are gorgeous! The exhaust is truly a work of art. If you look in the larger of dazjr's pics, you can tell that the exhuast splits from a manifold in front of the rear wheel into two small exhaust pipes tucked underneath the rear fender. It is really sweet.

They're pretty proud of them, though. $8199 for the offroad version. I did not look at the tag on the SM version, but I imagine it was about the same.

Dang sweet rides any way you cut it.

 

Hey, it's simple . . . . .

 

The 450 and 550 are available here registerable, they are twins and fuel injected. I saw them at a supermoto meet here a few months ago, very nice [8D]

 

When I was out looking for a high speed commuter vehicle, one of the bikes I looked at was an Aprilia Caponord. Nice bike, sat well, was quite sexy looking and within my price range. However that nagging question that the upper management of Aprilia ask each morning, "Will you still own us tomorrow?" is something I just couldn't handle.

Several of my friends owned those "orphaned" bikes . . . . Excelsiors. No parts, no support, no warranty . . . . . nada!


Plus getting parts could be nightmarish!


That Aprilia SXC 550 is putting out almost 75 horsepower! I have read that it needs "freshening up" every 45 hours of operation. Not for me!

 

I agree with you completely Marty, but I have to say again after seeing them at my dealer - they shore is purdy! [:-]