Aprilia Rs660 Is Equivalent To ....?

but two cheeks...

 

I MUST BE NAIVE

I've talked to my taxi driver mate again, today, coz I need a taxi tomorrow. The cam belt tensioner has broken destroying the belt and water pump at the very least.

Knowing this is a taxi driver and they all talk, this pretty much guarantees that they will never, ever sell a VW to a taxi driver in Gloucestershire again.

In my naivety, I would think that VW GB's reaction would be, "Feckin 'ell! We will move heaven and earth to put in a new engine tomorrow and put £500 in your pocket for loss of earnings and to only tell people how wonderful VW are - the car to buy for taxi drivers"! Instead (bearing in mind this is a diesel with 50,000 miles on the clock bought from a VW dealer and just serviced at that VW dealer) but instead, "we may be able to fit a new water pump and tensioner on Friday and then we will try and start it to see how much the engine is knackered".

I understand little obviously. And what has my taxi driver been doing all day as he cannot work? Yep, looking at what he will get when he ditches the VW!

 

Being sensible and shutting up about this now. The choice still remains between the Supersport (S, or not) and the Aprilia RS660 (nearly Led Zep and the song remains the same) but.... still browsing about and other stuff does interest me. Some time soon, I am going to get the train (it's a direct route from my local station to Worcester) and have a browse in Ducati Worcester. If I don't go with an Aprilia, it will be another Ducati and stuff like this would interest me.

And... girls still want me for a chat!!!

 

That would be sod's law!

 

The only Aprilia of interest (during the next minute) is the RS660. That is more of a rival to the Supersport (as I see it) - and there is any Ducati twin from a dealer (so I can px one of my bikes, also in the frame. Whether parallel, or a 'V', I really would prefer a twin.

 

Good thing is that I am more settled in my own mind now and not leaping about from one thing to another - for I cannot leap! It's been a few days now and I would still consider the same bikes and only thinking of buying new unless something used really catches my eye, second-hand at the time. My main battle will be getting my driving license restored and keeping my temper with the DVLA (when is soooo tempting to tell them to feck right off!) which I cannot guarantee that I will.

Still Ducati Supersport ("S", or not and with Ducati Panniers) , Aprilia RS660 (not bothered at all about depreciation), and the Yamaha R7 (when it comes out). Touring capability is not essential (anything can take a tank bag and a tail pack) and neither is range (I suffered my Monster S4r that would have you praying to the gods after 120 miles and it did make it to Lake Como in Italy before I binned it) and so I am in a nice position to choose. I do want a full fairing, but don't really give a f.... about anything else except I want it to look nice (to me) as I just want to be happy! I'll still have my ST3, anyway and that will be my main tourer coz I know that it can do over 200 miles to a tank and is an easy, relaxing ride. Shame Ducati binned the line.

 

Thanks for looking.

Although Ducatis and Aprilias are Italian (so we are led to believe, but I am getting sceptical) supplies if ALL bikes and not just Italian ones, are going to get short (or even shorter, soon) and the reasons make sense, like Covid and the Suez being blocked earlier on.

What I struggle with is that we are are supposed to be in the economic sh1t, with unemployment, pay freezes, yada, yada, yada....

And yet, any house that puts up a "For Sale" sign around here, has a "Sold" sign on it two days later, together with every bike in a motorcycle showroom sold and that seems to be the norm.

For an economically shagged country, house prices and bike prices are through the roof. You don't talk to a dealer about discount, but whether, or not, they can sell you one at FULL price, if you ask very nicely.

I've come to the conclusions that a) having more than one bike if useful coz when I get my license back, I'll still have something to ride and b) although in a few months, I'll be well able to buy a more expensive house, I'm staying put!

AND I know nothing....

If this mask shit ends next month, I might trundle up to Worcester to have a look at a Supersport in the flesh if they have a bike in stock - or if the coffee bar is open, see if I can get a mate to take me to Riders (or just train and taxi it) and whilst I am moaning, why is shutting indoor coffee shops and wearing a mask supposed to help? I get it with operating on somebody. where the surgeon is leaning over an open wound, but I don't tend to visit coffee shops with an open wound, ready for surgery. Maybe that's just me...