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Let the games begin. I have posted the inevitable on the Aprilia Forum tonight. I am parting out my beloved Aprilia Mille RSVR. That bike has served me very well since mid-2002. Because of it, I am a new man. I now understand the beauty of twins and a bike that has character. I also understand that getting through the mountains fast is not about horsepower, but handling and torque.

The down side to this ending is that it must be scattered all over the country. This is necessary because the Aprilia brand depreciates to the liking that only Buell owners would understand. Since I am fortunate ennough to have had the ‘R’ model, there are a lot of upgraded parts (Ohlins forks, shock, damper, OZ wheels, and a bunch of carbon fiber) that are desireable amongst the standard models.

Its a great bike and a great brand. Parts can be difficult to come by, but they are somehow cheaper than most other OE’s. I still have the Caponord and am still an advocate for the brand. The bottom line is that I have not ridden the bike since the MotoGP trip to Laguna Seca in July…that’s bad. As my kids age, wwe will be doing more as a family and I think time will be more scarce for a while until they are both in school. Besides, I have grind marks on my Capo saddle bags that proves she’ll get through the mountains pretty quick ;).

I don’t know if I’ll own another sport bike any time soon, but if and when the Aprilia brand will be on the short list. Coming from Japanese I4’s previously, they now seem boring, all too common, and lack the character of the Italian competitors. But hey, regardless of the brand, the most important thing is to be out there.