2003 Aprilia Motorcycle reviews

I am in the midst of buying my fourth Aprilia and it's my second Tuono 1000R. It's the best all arounder bike out there, more comfortable for my wife than a Honda VFR, more power and fun than one, too. It's value for money and here in South Africa, you stand out as Aprilia is not big out/down here. Show less

When I went looking for a replacement I was looking at F650 BMWs, Big BMW GS's, etc. I knew about the Caponord and saw a few for a good price. I did a lot of reading, research etc. But when I looked at bang for the buck, a 2-3-year-old Capo with 7k miles on it looked like a reasonable choice. It's quick enough for me, fun to ride, unusual, looks good, comfortable, runs down the interstate all day, carves up a back road, hauls all of my stuff, etc. One poster mentioned dealer support. There is truth to that. If you want a bike you can ride, to a dealer and drop off like your car, don't buy an Aprilia. I order my parts through AF1 and it has been effortless and painless. They also have a great owners' forum. I do my own work and the Rotax engine is solid and pretty straight forward. Remember, this bike (aside from the bodywork, etc.) is a collection of parts from well-known vendors. If you look at BMW these days, we can't keep a dealer in town, and the long term quality/reliability is not what it used to be. (I have three BMWs and still have a K-Bike) Is an Aprilia Caponord for everyone? No. The only reason I would say no is the lack of a nationwide dealer network. I find this to be a shame as it is a well thought out bike with solid design and performance. Show less

The mechanics and handling are just awesome. It takes a lot of skill or stupid inexperience to bring this bike to its limits. Meanwhile, the toque band is still manageable for an intermediate rider. I personally have limited riding experience and find the sure handling, dynamite braking and ever-ready engine power/torque really assuring. This is a very pretty bike to look at. It has attracted a lot of attention from even non riders - It's very interesting how ordinary people ask questions about it in parking lots. Show less

I looked long and hard to find this bike. I had a GSXR and wanted more comfort. The riding position is great compared to a sport bike and it is still fun to ride. The low end torque and sound is awesome. The only negative is the suspension is a little harsh. But I would recomend the bike to anyone. Show less

The bike is a great touring mount and extremely comfortable. The windscreen could be bigger, but it does an okay job. There are aftermarkets to pick from. The torque is impressive, but not overwhelming. The bike is deceptively fast. I'm used to a much "busier" motor. It handles as good as some sport bikes I've riden and is very predictable in the corners. It feels too heavy when taking it off the kickstand, but that all goes away the moment you start to roll. This bike has all the things you'd buy a sport touring bike for and all the flickability of a dirtbike on road. Hoenstly, the only complaint was easy to fix. The gearing is too tall. Change the front sprocket from a 17 tooth to a 16. Not only will it put the engine in the sweet spot, but wheelies are easier to do. My only other complaint is that the tripmeter is too complicated to use. I chose the Hepco becker bags for saddlebags because they aren't as oddly shaped as the factory bags and the give the bike the Paris to Dakar look. The bike never fails to turn heads regardless of where I go. With all that room, the rear rack and the platform under the rear seat, I can literally take the kitchen sink with me. This is an SUV for the street and at roughly half the price of the BMW, it's a steal. Show less

I've had the Tuono for 10 months and have about 5,000 miles on it. Very comfortable, fast, and handles great. Encourages bad behavior because it makes it so easy. Good looks in an industrial sort of way - sort of unfinished but purposeful. Has been completely reliable though it came with a few problems from the factory (cracked instrument glass cover, vacuum leak, damaged throttle cable housing) which were all fixed under warranty with no trouble. I've commuted on it, toured, and just screwed around and it works well for everything. I have no complaints. It is like owning a Honda but with character (no offense intended!). Show less

I brought an Aprilia RS50 2004 model this year in July. I'm one of the youngest students in my class so all my friends were getting their peds and motorbikes before me. On my 16th birthday I took my C.B.T, passed, and was on the road by 1pm that day. I told my friends to all meet up and we did. My Aprilia was hitting speeds of up to 65+mph. It was de-restricted. I was kicking all there butts! If you are looking for a reliable, comfortable, fast 50cc then the Aprilia is the one for you. Not just the shear speed of accelaration, or the racing look, or the disk brakes and liquid cooled engine, but what makes this bike great is that it's a chick magnet! All girls love this thing. When I'm riding it, I love the loud noise of the powerful little engine making everyone look to see what it is! Believe me, when you first sit on your Aprilia RS 50, you will fall in love with it. Show less

The RS50 in stock form is a very nice bike, however, it leaves you wanting more power. Well, that all changes when you modify this bike. Plan on spending $1000 to $1500, but it is well worth every penny. Nearly triple the stock horsepower. The bike now rips and has top speeds well over 90 mph and can be geared for over 100 mph. Feels more like a powerful 250cc. In fact, it will beat most twin cylinder 250's like the Rebel, Nighthawk, and Virago without a problem. Show less

When I got this bike (2003 model) I was appalled with the weak power at mid to top end (yes I mean when fully de-restricted) but now I have a 70cc big bore kit it has improved incredibly, and I mean incredibly, the acceleration is miles better, mid end power has increased a lot and the top end is now around 85mph. It isn't quite as fast as the RS125 but acceleration is not far off let me tell you, I ran the big bore in for 100 miles and let it rip, I just hope it stays reliable. Show less

It's very reliable in the morning but it need's frequent repairs it make's up for this in the look's and handling. And another good thing is that racing parts are easy to get hold of which increase's performance immensely. Show less