Comments on: Aprilia Unveils SRV 850 “Maxiscooter” (Bike Reports) (News)

By: carl mungenast

carl mungenast — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:38:42 +0000

First a silver wing now a Bergman 650 with 13k trouble free miles and waiting for the next big fast scooter. Hope this comes to the USA. It will be my first Aprilla.

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By: AfricaOffroad

AfricaOffroad — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 08:51:45 +0000

Looks like a jetski with wheels !

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By: Morris Bethoven

Morris Bethoven — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:36:31 +0000

Used to be that “scooters” were all about economy and underseat storage space. Speed and handling were not the most focused on attributes as the environment where scooters were mostly operated is in the city for short hops. I see now that this Aprilia “scooter” with 75hp and 56#’s of torque will outclass many pure motorcycles in the performance department. I would think that an 1800cc scooter can’t be to far off in the future. In the meantime you could just buy a Honda Goldwing and be ahead of the game, because that’s where scooters are headed!

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By: ko0616

ko0616 — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:24:35 +0000

This I like. Call it what you want but I can see myself with one of these along with my other bikes, and they wouldn’t be offended.

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By: Fred M.

Fred M. — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 07:03:37 +0000

It’s the same drive train as the Mana and was introduced at the same time, though as a Gilera GP800.

I wrote to Piaggio back in ’08 or ’09 urging them to re-brand the GP800 as an Aprilia so that they could sell it in the U.S. through Aprilia dealers. Either they took my suggestion to heart, or they ignored it but came to the same conclusion some years later.

This is a seriously fast scooter and handles at least as well as most cruisers.

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By: Fred M.

Fred M. — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:58:27 +0000

I have ridden the Burgman 650 and it’s a vague-handling barge. It also makes 50hp compared to the 76 that this bike makes. This is so much better than a Burgman 650 that they are not even in the same league. In case you were unaware, this Aprilia really just a rebadged Gilera GP800 with some styling tweaks.

thescooterreview.com wrote: “A Burgman 650 would have ABSOLUTELY NO chance of keeping up with the Gilera GP800, neither in a straight line or through a section of twisty corners.
…
Gilera really have moved the game on with the GP800, it is far and away a vastly superior bike to any other maxi scooter on the market. “

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By: Fred M.

Fred M. — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:44:03 +0000

Perhaps you are unaware of magazines like Scoot!, Scootering, and Twist & Go. Those are for scooter enthusiasts, many of whom are very loyal to brands and models, just like motorcycle riders are. You probably also didn’t know that there were scooter shows and rallies. Did you know that there was a vibrant performance and accessory aftermarket for scooters?

People who plunk down over $10K (out the door) for a Suzuki Bergman 650 Executive or almost as much for a Honda Silverwing or Yamaha T-Max are not doing it to save money. People who buy this 120mph bike (previously sold as the Gilera GP800 in Europe) will not be doing so to minimize their commuting expenses. There are cars that get better fuel economy and that don’t need new tires in less than 5,000 miles.

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By: Fred M.

Fred M. — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:07:21 +0000

Valentino Rossi rides around town on CVT scooters and has even shown up on them to races (where he’s a spectator). But I guess Rossi lacks your skill, commitment and training.

I probably have a lot more skill, commitment, training, and experience than you do. I’ve dragged pegs on fresh pavement on a dual sport with 11+ inches of suspension travel. I’ve had MSF instructors who could not match my slow-speed bike control and balance. I’ve won one slow-speed riding competition and placed second in another. I’ve ridden motorcycles for over 30 years — everything from dirt bikes to sport bikes, with a few scooters thrown into the mix. So lose the attitude.

I’ve got a DR-Z400S. I’ve got a couple of Buells (1125CR and XB12Ss). I’ve got a Ural. And I’ve got a Genuine Stella (Vespa PX150 derivative complete with clutch and manual transmission). I recently sold my Aprilia Atlantic 500 maxi scooter with the intent of replacing it with something like this. I’ve lost count of the number of bikes I’ve owned over the years I’ve been riding.

I commute round trip 70 miles in Northern VA, some of the worst stop-and-go rush hour traffic in the country in all seasons of the year (yeah, tell me about how you ‘feel like you’re flying’ when you are averaging 7 mph and stopping ever 20 feet in a traffic jam). In that environment, rides like this make infinitely more sense than something like a GSX-R1000, Yamaha R1, Triumph Speed Triple, etc. It’s got better weather protection, better storage, and I don’t end up arriving at work with my arm pump in my clutch arm. Anything that gives me more riding days is a winner in my book.

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By: RandysVoice

RandysVoice — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 19:50:10 +0000

Yep, I’m all jacked up about this new scoot from Aprilia! 77 horses! DCT may have been a better trans route to go over CVT, but the new CVT’s are mighty impressive. I’m on a Triumph Rocket III right now, but am so impressed by the new maxi-scooters that a trade may be in the future. I’ve found cornering to be a lot more fast and fun with a CVT or DCT than a manual transmission. You’re ALWAYS in the right gear. At some point we may see the manual clutch lever go the way of the kick start lever. Don’t laugh… remember when you said you’d never own a bike with an electric starter???

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By: theguy

theguy — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:13:22 +0000

“I would not trust a sixteen inch front wheel on dodgy roads, skips away far too fast”

Don’t remember any reviewers reporting this issue with the original 929 Fireblade.

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