Aprilia RS 125

2009 Aprilia RS 125

Aprila MANA 850 Model Road Street Motorcycle 2011

Aprila MANA 850 Model Road Street Motorcycle 2011

MANA 850 OVERVIEW
Aprila MANA 850 Model Road Motorcycling has taken a giant leap into the future with the Mana 850. Aprilia has always been ahead of its time, and often the first to develop technology other manufacturers have preferred to leave on the back burner. But never before has Aprilia’s forward thinking and talented R&D department dared to create such an innovative and revolutionary motorcycle. No ordinary motorcycle, the Mana 850 is destined to change the riding habits of bikers all over the world. Because the Mana 850 is really a number of motorcycles rolled into one, a bike for all seasons, designed to put safety, versatility and easy riding first. The Mana 850 is the bike the others will have to match, the first to turn the technology of tomorrow into the reality of today.

Aprila MANA 850 Model Road With its exclusive and unmistakably Italian design, the Mana 850 is unique among motorcycles. Its revolutionary Sportgear transmission is electronically controlled to deliver unrivalled riding pleasure. So whatever your riding style, and whatever the road conditions, the Mana 850 is the bike you will want to be on.

Aprila MANA 850 Model Road The Mana 850 is the state of the art in motorcycle technology. Only Aprilia, with its legendary technical skills, would have dared take on a challenge of this entity. The Aprilia Mana 850 is so advanced and so unique that it simply cannot be compared with any other motorcycle. The Mana takes all the stress from motorcycling while injecting more satisfaction and more fun into riding under all conditions, from commuting to sports touring on the open road. All you need to do to enter a whole new world is press the button on the handlebars.

Aprila MANA 850 Model Road The transmission management system offers a choice of three “Autodrive” mappings plus a manual, seven speed, sequential gearshift, so you can be absolutely certain to find the perfect ratio for any traffic condition and riding preference. Whether you are just nipping across town or blowing away the cobwebs on a winding country road, the Mana 850 always delivers the ideal response and the same unique riding satisfaction. Whatever the conditions, and whoever the rider (even the most demanding), the Mana guarantees a perfect, peak-efficiency ride that lets you discover hitherto unknown potential. The Mana’s compact, sporty and ecological 90° V twin engine is the perfect partner for this type of transmission. Thanks to electronic fuel injection and a catalytic exhaust the engine falls well within the limits of the latest Euro 3 emission standards. Pace-setting power and torque mean brilliant performance, especially in acceleration. Virtually no other naked can keep up with a Mana as it pulls away from the lights! Yet the Mana is so amazingly easy to ride that blistering performance is well within the reach of any rider. The technology that Aprilia has developed for the Mana 850 is truly ‘rider-friendly’ and amazingly easy to use. The clutch lever has gone, replaced by an electronic control system that leaves you free to relax and enjoy the ride. The sequential gearshift can even be operated by a simply handlebar control as well as by the classic pedal. As with all Aprilias, accurate design of the chassis guarantees top level handling. The Mana 850’s tubular trellis frame gives the bike impressive strength and torsional rigidity, and a single piece aluminium swingarm and advanced suspension delivers road holding to satisfy even the most demanding sports rider. Top quality brakes add to active safety by ensuring impressively short stopping distances.

Aprila MANA 850 Model Road The following are the characteristics that make the Mana 850 unique:

• 90° V twin engine with four valves per cylinder, Euro 3 homologated
• Sportgear transmission: electronically controlled sequential gearshift offering two shift modes: seven speed manual or Autodrive with three mappings: Touring, Sport, and Rain
• Storage compartment with non-scratch lining, large enough for a full-face helmet, with mobile phone holder, toolkit & document holder, and 12V power socket
• Under-seat fuel tank
• Brakes with radial calipers
• 43 mm upside down fork
• Offset monoshock with spring preload and rebound adjustments
• Steel trellis frame with single piece aluminium swingarm
• Twin spark ignition
• Electronic fuel injection with single throttle body

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road Street Motorcycle

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road Street Motorcycle

TUONO 1000 R OVERVIEW
Ever since it first appeared on the motorcycling scene, the Tuono has embodied Aprilia’s genius and amazing technical know-how, accumulated through victory after victory in motorcycle racing. The Tuono has come to mean flair and technology more than any other road-going motorcycle.

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road The fact is that the Tuono is simply unique. Not just another naked, the Tuono is a 1000 cc superbike. Only the fairing has been removed, and the handlebars raised for maximum control. The Tuono has exceeded all expectations. It has proved unbeatable as a road bike, and the Factory version has been invincible on the racetrack, literally dominating the Italian naked racing scene. Not satisfied with success at home, the Tuono has also carried the Aprilia flag on the international racing scene, achieving prestige in epic races like the Isle of Mann Tourist Trophy, to name just one event in which the Tuono has fearlessly taken on production bikes and competition superbikes too. The Tuono is a street fighter with racing in the blood.

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road The new Tuono 1000 R is refined, powerful, and precise. It holds all the records for this class of motorcycle, and is the unquestioned leader on the twin cylinder scene. To put it simply, the Tuono 1000 R is the bike that all other nakeds have to beat. It is a machine for the demanding motorcyclist, the rider who seeks maximum performance from a naked, on the road and on the track. With performance beyond the reach of the competition, the Tuono 1000 R is the best naked money can buy, with all the performance of a racing superbike to thrill even the most sophisticated racetrack riders.

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road The 139 HP engine not only  gives you more power to play with, but makes the bike more usable on the road too. Just like the RSV from which it derives, the Tuono 1000 R embodies the concept of “total ridability” that has always characterised Aprilia’s performance motorcycles. Manically precise ergonomics combine with amazingly easy control to let you establish a perfect feeling with the bike the moment you ride off, and to help you maximise your own potential with the minimum physical and mental effort.

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road The improvements that Aprilia’s engineers have made will ensure that the Tuono 1000 R continues to set the pace for high performance nakeds. Let’s look at some of the main changes.

• New V 60 Magnesium Evolution engine
• Dynamic air intake (the only naked with ram air technology)
• Electronic fuel injection system with 57 mm throttle bodies
• 16 bit engine management unit
• Exhaust system with twin silencers and three way catalytic converter with Lambda probe oxygen sensor
• Aluminium alloy perimeter frame
• Double banana aluminium swingarm
• Lighter steering yoke

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road FRAME
Whether you are riding on the road or on the track, the Tuono 1000 R’s chassis brings you the tops in performance and control. Every aspect of the frame, fork and suspensions has been fine tuned for perfect weight distribution. In keeping with Aprilia traditions, the frame is a combination of aluminium-silicon alloy castings and Peraluman 450 pressed parts. This highly sophisticated structure is not only more rigid than the previous version but lighter too. The latest frame weighs under 10 kg (9650 grams) setting an impressive new record for its class. The wheelbase is shorter too, and at 1410 mm – another record for the category – accounts for the Tuono 1000 R’s crisper than even handling and more instinctive ride. The new double banana swingarm provides a clear passage for the exhaust system and weighs only 4860 grams, well under the 5 kg figure considered by experts to be the reference weight for this component.

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road SUSPENSION
The fork is a Showa upside down unit, with 43 mm stanchions for a perfect balance between precision on the racetrack and comfort on the road. And to ensure that the ideal setup can be achieved for all styles and conditions, on the road and on the track alike, the fork is fully adjustable in spring preload and in compression and rebound damping. The Sachs monoshock at the rear is likewise adjustable in spring preload and rebound damping.

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road BRAKING SYSTEM
The braking system has undergone a number of major changes. The new Tuono 1000 R is equipped with Brembo Gold radial calipers featuring two separate sintered pads. The two 320 mm floating steel discs feature a narrower braking band to minimise inertia and weight and are fixed in place by Aprilia’s exclusive six spoke flange. The rear braking system is Brembo Gold too, with a 220 mm stainless steel disc and a caliper with two 32 mm pistons. The front and rear brakes both use aeronautical metal braided hoses to eliminate the sponginess inevitably associated with conventional brake hoses and to ensure maximum braking precision.

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road COMPONENTS
What makes the Aprilia Tuono 1000 R stand out from the competition is the tremendous care and attention that Aprilia has paid to every little detail. The design team have done their very best to ensure that every component on the bike improves its performance and functionality, reduces its weight and enhances its quality and finish.

Aprila TUONO 1000 R Model Road The following components deserve special mention.
The dashboard is a mixed (digital-analog) unit. It uses the data received over the CAN line to perform an essential autodiagnostic function for which it incorporates a dedicated memory. The new dashboard control unit performs the same functions as the previous unit (including the 40 lap timer) but is more compact and modern in design and extremely lightweight. User friendliness has improved too, with all functions controlled from two practical push-buttons on the left hand light switch.

• The LED backlighting can also be adjusted to three levels of intensity.
• The headlight cluster is derived from that of the RSV, and incorporates four light units for perfect night-time visibility.
• The new tail light cluster features the innovative design and LED lighting of the RSV.
• The ignition key is internally coded, and  the ignition block is fitted with an engine immobiliser as standard.

2012 Harley-Davidson Lineup to Break Tradition With Water-Cooled Engines

Harley-Davidson's notoriously nostalgic, 108 year practice of building only air-cooled engines (with the exception, of course, of the V-Rod Night Rod Special and V-Rod Muscle) is about to come to a screeching halt. Thanks to certification documents leaked by the EPA and California Air Resources Board, all engines in the 2012 Harley-Davidson lineup will feature a radiator discreetly wedged between each model's downtubes.

A Harley-Davidson representative reluctantly admitted that the change was coming when confronted with the allegation. "For over a century, our bikes have exuded a singular feel and an unmistakable exhaust note," the spokesperson said during a phone interview, "but toughening emissions regulations and practical considerations have forced us to modernize our powerplants."

The rep suggested that the benefits were not limited to clean air; the new liquid-cooled engines produce up to 35 percent more horsepower, and run considerably cooler than their predecessors-- with a reduction in the signature potato-potato exhaust volume. The radiators, manufactured in Japan by Denso, are purpose built for the H-D application, and feature a similar design to the slim units found on Honda's Fury chopper. All models will feature traditional placement except the XR1200X, which will incorporate a side-mounted radiator. Rumors that the V-Rod will be discontinued due to "redundancy" have not yet been confirmed.

"The time has come," the rep told me, "and our valued customers will soon see that Harley-Davidson is committed to embracing a cleaner and greener future."

>>If you believed this story, check the date-- yep, it was published on April Fools day! Harley-Davidson has not released any plans to add water-cooled engines to their lineup.<<

Ride Through the Stunning Hoh Rain Forest with AltRider

Got a hankering for two-wheeled adventure? The folks at AltRider have got your number, and they want you join them on a ride through the Hoh rainforest in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State.

In case you're not familiar with AltRider, they're a relatively new Seattle-based outfit that designs and builds accessories for adventure touring bikes like the Ducati Multistrada, BMW R1200GS, and Yamaha Super Tenere. Their ride runs from June 10-12, traversing "untouched and unridden parts of the Hoh Rain Forest that are usually off limits to the public," according to AltRider.

If riding along Wynoochee Lake, camping under the stars, and hitting destinations like a glacial cliff where elk herds gather sounds like a good time, you'll want to check out AltRider's site for more info. For the record, I'm hoping to make it-- schedule permitting.

Details are still being worked out for the ride, but based on this YouTube clip, it looks like a good time should be had by riders of all levels

2011 Triumph Tiger 800 XC Review: The Tiger Changes its Stripes

I've enjoyed plenty of Triumph seat time of late, but it's been a while since I've thrown a leg over a Tiger-- in fact, my last encounter with the striped one involved nearly 1,000 miles on the big-engined 1050 model back in 2007.

Times change, and so has the Tiger; though Triumph still makes a 1,050cc version, they've also got a smaller, lighter, nimbler alternative powered by a 799cc triple: the Tiger 800. I got a brief taste of its personality when I took possession of a Triumph Tiger 800 XC. But since I couldn't put the necessary miles on it for a full evaluation, I handed it over to SUV Guide Jason Fogelson, who's also pitched in with reviews of the Harley Cross Bones and Nightster, various Kawasaki dual-purpose, cruiser and street bikes, and the Triumph Rocket III Touring, among others.

What did Jason think of Triumph's latest middleweight dual-purpose effort? Read his 2011 Triumph Tiger 800XC Review to find out

Why Wash it Yourself, and What You'll Need

Whether you own a custom cruiser or a souped up sport bike, you'll want to keep your motorcycle away from commercial washing facilities and perform the cleaning ritual yourself. Those high-pressure hoses can damage bike parts, which are more vulnerable than mechanical parts in cars.

Be sure you find a shady spot to wash (and dry) your bike, since the sun can create temperature differentials that harm paint and allow water to leave spots.

Assemble the following items as needed:

• A bucket for soapy water
• Soap or liquid detergent; automotive cleaners will work
• Gloves (to keep your hands clean)
• Bug and tar remover
• Degreaser and/or engine cleaner
• A toothbrush
• WD40
• A brush for wheel cleaning
• Wheel cleaner
• At least two microfiber or 100% cotton sponges
• A variety of soft cotton towels and more abrasive rags
• A chamois cloth for drying

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