It was mainly through frustration that last month, I questioned whether or not Aprilia would get their act together in the UK and give customers a satisfactory level of service.
My frustration came from knowing that, although their model line-up is small, each bike is still a cracking alternative to the competition. But I feared sales were being lost due to a lack of cohesion throughout the company. It was nothing to do with my rant, but just two days after we went to print I was invited to an event that went some way to putting my mind at rest. With the international launch of the RSV4 Factory being washed out in Misano, Aprilia hired Silverstone to give the UK press another run out, this time in much sunnier, drier conditions. How often can you say that about Silverstone? There’s plenty more on the stonking new Aprilia RSV Factory, starting on p40 of this issue, but right here is the good news on Aprilia in the UK.
Parent company Piaggio have now restructured the whole UK operation with a team dedicated to the Aprilia brand. There’s a network of 75 UK dealers in place, of which 38 are trained and tooled to look after RSV4 owners. Piaggio MD Tony Campbell is confident the plans in place will restore confidence and boost sales over the coming years.
I have no allegiance to Aprilia, especially as I embarrassed myself in GPs for a season on an unreliable RS250. However I do like the people behind the scenes and the products they make. I hope this fresh start, fronted by the awesome RSV4, gives Aprilia the kickstart they’ve needed for years, and that they deserve. And just to make the job complete, why not hire Leon Haslam to show over-the-hill Max Biaggi the way home in World Superbikes 2010?
By the time you get round to reading this the 2009 Isle of Man TT will have come and gone and, with it, the first laps on electric bikes. Although their paws must struggle with twistgrips, I’m told
polar bears and endangered penguins like these silent machines but I’m not sure I’ll ever be a fan. Apart from stopping grannies, small children, animals and, well, everyone except deaf people really, wandering absent-mindedly into my path, noise plays a huge part in my riding enjoyment, always has.
Whether it’s a big twin, an in-line four or a two-stroke, there’s something special about pushing that button then taking pleasure from what happens next. I also like to listen to my bikes gradually warm up on tickover as I’m donning my clobber for the ride ahead. Blipping the throttle is another mostly pointless exercise that’s satisfying nonetheless, and great for scaring other riders while out-braking them on trackdays. I reckon riding would be pretty boring without being able to change up and down the gears, although I’ll never miss that crunch that comes with selecting first gear with a stone cold gearbox. Nasty.
And then there’s racing. MotoGP bikes are too loud and sound crap. I know this because every sane person within 20 metres of one is wearing heavy-duty ear protection. However, the variety of sounds produced by every other race bike in every other class is music to my ears. I can still recall the scream of the West NSR500 Hondas of Barros and Capirossi through Craner curves in their final year – utterly, utterly awesome. Had I been standing there with the mute button pressed that day, I’m not sure it would have had the same effect. Not by half.
I know nothing stays the same, and I accept we have to move forward rapidly to stop killing this planet, but I’m not ready for the quiet life. Not just yet.
