Re: [ST] Sport tourer reviews

["Darwin Holmstrom" <dholmstrom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>> Martin Fay <mfay@xxxxxxxxx> - 3/22/01 8:41 AM >>>
         Has anyone seen any comparisons between the Aprilia and the Triumph? 
     Better yet, has anyone tried a Futura?
     
     Martin



I don't know if there are even any Futuras built. It seems like Aprilia made some major last minute changes to the design in January, so it seems unlikely that they could have even tooled up for some preproduction press bikes yet. I would be surprised to see any Futuras arriving in the United States before late summer, or even by fall. How much of a hurry is your friend in to swap bikes?

I rode some Aprilias in Daytona during bike week. I took a Mille out one night and really enjoyed it, but I never spent more than 40 minutes in the saddle at one time. Great bike with a great engine. I would buy one in a second if I had the money. One day I had to ride up to the Georgia border, and took a Falco. I didn't have much of an opportunity to ride it on any fun roads. Mostly it was just droning up and down on the Interstate. Later I went and found some clover leaves just to get a feel for it in the corners.

While I loved the Mille, I was really let down by the Falco. I would much rather have a Sprint RS. The Falco was brutally uncomfortable, not so much because of the riding position but because of the horrible seat. I rode halfway back to Daytona standing in the saddle. Plus the handling was disappointing in the clover leaves. I think the tires had a lot to do with it (Pirelli Dragons). They were the wrong profile, I think. The bike took a lot of effort to lean over, but once leaned over, it didn't feel stable. Rather, it seemed to want to make abrupt directional changes. Plus the Falco felt noticeably down on power from the Mille. Other than different ignition mapping, the only difference I am aware of between the two engines (in "derestricted" form) is that the Mille has a removable baffle in the exhaust, while the Falco doesn't. You can sure hear the difference. The Mille sounds great with the stock pipe, while the Falco sounds kind of strangled.

Anyway, if your friend plans to do any sport touring and doesn't want to wait for the Futura, either of the Sprints is a better choice than the Falco. If he wants a pure sportbike, he should consider the Mille.

Darwin

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