Me and my Aprilia

jwardmagic · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Karma :

Hi Im new to these boards. I've got an Aprilia RS125, and I basicaly am still learning to ride it well. I passed my CBT a few weeks ago. The hardest thing I find about riding it is pulling off (yeah now you know Im still learning!). I have my learner sticker right on the windscreen on the front of the bike and was wondering if its absolutely neccessary to have an L sticker on the front? Is it legal to remove it? If it is illegal to remove it whilst I still havent done my 125/restricted access test, where would a better place to put it be?

From J

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Legally you cannot remove it, or cut it down to a smaller size. Technically it should be mounted vertically as well.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

Fadel · Trackday Trickster Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Karma :

Thought you had to display full size on the front and back of the bike?

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

It is illegal to not have a front L plate.

If you cut it down a bit, they may not do you.
Police probably won't do you for only one, but it's 3 points and a fine, so is it worth the risk?

For getting used to pulling away, usually you need to let the clutch out slower.

Find the biting point (where it starts to 'pull', but not quite move).
Let it out very slightly more, and increase the revs a bit.

You should start to move forward slowly.

Only let the clutch out fully when you're at a half decent pace.
Make sure you let it out slowly and smoothly.

jwardmagic · Two Stroke Sniffer Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Karma :

The first time I took my bike on the road, I stalled in front of about 6 cars which was embarassing...but I am sort of getting used to pulling out now, by getting some revs and slowly letting the clutch out and slowly accelerating from it.

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

The RS is quite high geared and doesn't have that much low down power so is not that easy to learn to pull away on. On the plus point that teaches you far better clutch control.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

Irezumi aka Reuben · Carrot Top Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Karma :

Dont be afraid to pull the clutch back in if you think you've let it out too fast and then to start feeding it out again. Dont be concerned by the bike revving very high either. It's designed to do cope with that.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

TOM M · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Karma :

Scorpius · Scooby Slapper Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Karma :

Those bikes love Revs. Rev the hell outta it and as said above let the clutch out slowly. I used to give my Mito at least 4000 revs to pull away. If the revs are high and you're not dumping the clutch you wont have a problem.
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Cagiva Mito 125 (sold)
Honda CBR400RR NC23 (sold)
Currently riding: Honda CBR600F

jinxy88 · Nova Slayer Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Karma :

Stu_666 · Brolly Dolly Joined: 27 Jun 2004 Karma :

Hate to sound like a parrot but have to agree that they do need to be revved a lot. Was always stalling mine the first few times when I got it.

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

when i was riding my rs125 with L plates, my front L plate was stuck onto the front mudguard facing the sky, not very legal but looks better in my opinion

my rear L plate was attached to the number plate

a lot of people only have a back L plate

as long as you dont go around with a pillion wearing L plates (a guy i know did this) i dont think police are that likely to stop you
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colin1 is officially faster than god

ISLAND GIRL · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Karma :

Have seen or should I say heard too a lovely red 05 plate Aprilia (is that spelt right?) riding around town here. First heard it last week when I was out in the afternoon for work, just heard this loud roar and thought, what the f**k is that! Then it came by me at traffic lights, thought, um nice wheels. Then again yesterday see it whilst parked up, it was ticking over, reckon its a 1000. Was not keen on the little Aprilias but this monster is pretty darn smart Thumbs Up

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Live on the Isle of Wight and ride a CBR600F

snuff2005 · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Karma :

opn the l plate thing, i only have one on the back, done this on both my peds, only been pulled once wen the back one flew off into the front of a cop car all he said was to fix it back on wen i got home and he never said any thing about the missing front one, as long as you dont ride like a fool infront of a cop you should be fine with out one on the front.
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[MBK Ovetto 50cc] [CPI Popcorn 50cc - FOR SALE - With pics]
[CBT - Passed] [Theory - Passed] [Practical - Collecting funds lol]
[Bike fund: Building up once again yay - ZXR 400 here i come] /phil

Villers · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Karma :

I had a cut down L plate on my front mudguard like someone else here said. For the back of my RS I got a stiff board type L plate and cut it down slightly and pushed it up under the number plate. Before that I was fixing floppy plates under my number plate and they kept flapping onto the wheel.

ISLAND GIRL · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Karma :

Quite possibly, I distinctly remember the rear end look of it like this 1000cc model and the loud purr of the engine was to die for:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/nandh/Aprillia.jpg
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Live on the Isle of Wight and ride a CBR600F

Villers · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Karma :

Then its a V Twin 60 degrees monster!! They sound like thunder and look like an awesome piece of development, AKA an RSV. I love Mille's.
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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

ISLAND GIRL · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Karma :

yes does sound rather sexy Thumbs Up

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Live on the Isle of Wight and ride a CBR600F

Steve - RS125 · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Karma :

MRX Steve · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 02 Mar 2006 Karma :

If you are having problems with your clutch control you should just go find a quiet road and have a practice starting, just experiment with the amount of revs you need and you will find it eventually, then you wont get worried about stalling it in public. It is more difficult to find the bite point on derestricted 50s, mainly because you have to rev them so high to get any power out of them.

john2 · Brolly Dolly Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Karma :

hmm i got used to riding it within an hour lol, i know its a 50 but still!

Yoshi · Traffic Copper Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Karma :

When I first got my RS50 it felt like a totally nuts thing as I'd been riding a TS50 which is simple to ride, I even had my gran going around on it!!!

Then I was sat on the side of the road trying to pull away in a funny position, being used to sitting upright, and stalling it constantly. When I got it going it was like "Woah! Think I might have bought a Mille by mistake!" as the needle crept past 30, 40 then coming up to 50mph!!

Now a couple of months later and riding it bores the hell out of me, and yesterday I took the ZXR400 for a spin (Yes I've got my licence of course officer! Wink

Well they were only little country roads, and I've never seen a copper on them!), and even though its 350cc and 2 strokes more than mine (plus a few kilos too!) I find it simple to ride! I thought I would never get the hang of the Aprilia, but this just shows how quickly you learn as now I'm blasting around on a 400cc!
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Present: GS650 Katana - Getting ready for summer touring!
Past: TS50, RS50, ZXR400, LT80, TS250