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[Chuffster]

Well I delivered the broken ZX6 to Wheelpower yesterday where she will be fixed. Hopefully, this shall be completed within 2 weeks and Justine can get back out on her beloved.

While at the shop, I rode out on an ER6, the faired version, a Versis, and an Aprilia Tuono. I tried the versis first, same engine as the ER6, but I have to ask, what market is it aimed at. Its like a mini BMW, its high off the ground and has loads of suspension travel. It seemed to go ok and handled reasonably, but why would anyone buy it as opposed to an ER6. The ER6 I got on with straight away, I found it comfortable and extremely chuckable. There may not be a lot of frills, but whats there are completely functional. It certainly seemed to pick up ok, so much so that I managed to whoop a GSXR600 away from the lights quite nicely. It seems a pretty nimble bike, I am sure that it would make a pretty good commuter. The faired version that I rode has the advantage over its naked brother when it comes to the faster stretches of road.

Now onto the Tuono, I rode the new for 2007 version. I was expecting it to be physically monsterous, but was pleasantly surpised when I found it was not that physically big. No real stretch to meet the ground with the feet at all. The bars are virtually straight, you have to lean forwards a touch to reach them properly, but this seems to add to the hoodlum charecteristics once on the move. On the move, wow, does this bike have some go or what. I felt completely at ease on this machine right from the off and had it well and truly cranked over in a few miles. Open the throttle, and your arms get yanked in the sockets, stonking amounts of low down grunt has this bike. The gear change was pretty positive, suspension was absolutely spot on straight away.

The version I rode was already run in and race canned up, the noise was like a sonic boom. The brakes are good enough to stand it on the front end, 2 fingers only. The front will go airborne quite easily, perhaps thats why they make you lean forwards slightly with the bars.

The bike is a complete head turner, sounds great, goes really well. I want one.

A couple of downsides I found though, I would have to ask Aprilia why on earth they have put the horn switch where everyone else puts the indicator switch. The indicator switch is right at the bottom of the cluster. No doubt you would get used to it, just a pain hitting the horn instead of cancelling indicators to start off with.

Now I found the gear box very good, you dont have to move the change pedal too far, thats the sports orientation. Gentle pressure sees clutchless gearchanges up the box with no issue, that is, until you go for a machine gun like change, it didn't like that at all. I would put this down to the bike being as good as brand new though, I reckon it would sort itself out when used.

I landed up so smitten with this bike though, I could seriously put up with one. Anyone want to buy me one?