Looking to buy Aprilia Pegaso 650

[MahatmaAndhi]

Hi guys,

This bike has come up at a reasonable price and I am going to view it tomorrow. I know so far that it's on a W reg (2000) and that it's done around 26,000 miles. That's all.

Generally they have good reviews. And I haven't seen anything on my internet travels that points to any particular downfall.

Is there anything specific that I should be looking for on this bike?
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[Rogerborg]

Parts supply, if it's needing anything done to it.

Link to the advert, or is the seller aiming for a lack of interest and a low price?
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[M.C]

Its got the 660cc Yamaha engine (XT660/Mt-03), heard of them going bang at ~60k so you should be ok at that mileage.

[MahatmaAndhi]

The ad's been taken down. No idea why, I'm far from committing to buying it just yet. But he's local anyway, about three miles down the road, so it's not a great loss if I think it's a duffer.
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[M.C]

Google cache if you bookmarked/have it in history. Normally a sign its been sold or reported... or he's sure you're gonna buy it

[MahatmaAndhi]

Dunno. It was on Facebook marketplace. I messaged him once I saw that it was taken down and he said it's still available. Still, can't hurt to go and have a look.
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[arry]

There's someone on here with one that really rates it. Can't think who though.

[ADSrox0r]

I have one but it's the earlier carb model. Solid lump, tons of torque and a proper hoot to ride in the twisties. As already said; parts are the problem. A lot of bits are only available from Italy at stupendous prices.

The good thing though is that a lot of parts from the BMW F650 will fit (same engine but BMW did it in a four valve/2 spark config vs the Italian 5 valve/1 spark)

Generally speaking though I wouldn't specifically go looking for one unless it was a bargain (Mine was) There are plenty better bikes for similar monies.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[MahatmaAndhi]

Thanks guys for the replies.
This one has been listed at £750. I did the 'what's the lowest you'll go' routine and he came back with £500, which was quite shocking. But it was listed for bloody ages. I'm a tad bit suspicious because it seems a bit too good.
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[Baggyman]

[ADSrox0r]

500 quid I'd have had his arm off. I did the same sort of mental calculation with mine, it's worth far more in bits if it turns out to be a shitter (which so far it hasn't proved to be great, it's still in bits looking sorry for itself in the corner of the workshop)
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[Rogerborg]

[ADSrox0r]

Correct; the venerable and ubiquitous Rotax of Austrian origin.

The one to watch out for with these engines is the sprag clutch, common failure point that ends up quite costly to repair.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[M.C]

Hmm seems like they used the Yamaha engine in later models (stupid MCN ), 2005 onwards I believe.

[MahatmaAndhi]

I went and viewed the bike today, armed with absolutely fuck all knowledge of what I should be looking for.
The bike has tons of paperwork, old receipts, V5, MOT certificates etc. etc. It's a local bike too, previously owned by a guy who owns a bike garage.

MOT has two advisories.
Exhaust slightly deteriorated
Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit

The rear tyre is probably beyond legal limit now, and the front tyre could probably do with changing too.
The exhaust looks like it come from Silent Hill, but I couldn't hear anything wrong with it (like I said, I'm absolutely clueless).
Only advisories in previous years were consumables (tyres, brake pads.)

Now for the bit which has me wondering if I should walk away or not: It won't start off the button. Bump starting it is absolutely fine. However, I need a daily commuter.
All of the lights etc. work, but when you push the starter button, nothing. The little oil light on the dashboard is on when you turn the key, but when you push the starter, it goes out. The engine doesn't even try to turn over.

I've got about £150 left on my budget and I am wondering if this would be a simple fix or a complete kick in the balls.

Here's the best image I could get of the exhaust.

Any ideas?

(Bigger image: https://i.imgur.com/8pgjIjf.jpg)

https://i.imgur.com/8pgjIjfl.jpg

The bike: https://i.imgur.com/NPtlscG.jpg
The bike 2: https://i.imgur.com/21MpJm0.jpg
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[Shaft]

Could be as simple as a dud battery.

My XL600 needs a battery at 100% for it to even attempt to start on the button, but will kick start (then run fine) even after 6 months of standing.

Get a known good, fully charged battery and some jump leads, or borrow a boost box and try it again.

If that fails, could be anything from a bad earth to knackered starter, so then it's up you if feel confident enough to try and fix it.
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Things get better with age; I'm close to being magnificent........
20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
WooHoo, I'm a Man Point Millionaire! https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=234035

[MahatmaAndhi]

Shaft got me to thinking, I really need a daily commuter, so I need to ensure that I'm insured to ride.
I'm currently TPF&F on my ER5 and I thought that there's no way that I'd be able to ride another bike on this insurance, but I had a look in the policy booklet... (yeah, yeah - Hastings, I know: https://www.hastingsdirect.com/documents/Policy_documents/Motorbike/HD-MC-CPW-07-14.pdf)

... and I came across this:

https://i.imgur.com/FuSG1Xdl.png

I may be reading this with rose-tinted glasses, but does Section 3 mean that even with my TPF&F cover, I am able to ride the Aprilia so long as I still own the Kawasaki?

If that is the case, I can keep the Kawasaki until the Aprilia is fixed, sell it and switch the insurance over... right? Right?
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[iooi]

[Kickstart]

Hi

What does your certificate say? That booklet is just saying you are covered if the certificate says so.

The engine was designed for Aprilia I think, replacing the old air cooled Rotax engines in the original Pegaso. The BMW used a cheaper version of this engine, and was originally built by Aprilia for BMW.

First thing I would check to fix the non starting issue after the battery is the starter relay.

All the best

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

[Rogerborg]

Err... you've covered on it as long as you don't own it.

That exhaust could Swiss Cheese at any moment. A pair of new end cans and pipe sections will run you over £300.

If it starts off a fresh battery, maybe. I'd also try shorting the starter solenoid. It's as simple as finding it then shoving a screwdriver between the terminals. If it spins up, a new solenoid is a few £££.

If you can't get it started easily, and don't want to treat it as a project bike, I'd walk away, even at that price.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[M.C]

Were the lights dim? A battery so flat that it doesn't even attempt to start the bike would show other signs, did the owner say anything about the bike being sat?

That exhaust's something special, looking at used prices I wouldn't be too scared but did you feel all around to see if it was blowing?

I had a similar brilliant idea re insurance, Rogerborg came and pissed all over my dreams by (logically) pointing out the vehicle needs to be taxed and have continuous insurance if it's not SORN.

[ADSrox0r]

The 650 single lump needs a big old whack of juice to get it turning over so if the battery isn't tip top it's not too surprising. Mine is very reluctant on anything other than a battery that's been on a tender overnight.

The exhaust though, that's a definite replacement if not sooner than later but you would have to factor it into your cost balance. If you're not spanner handy then getting the headers off is almost a guaranteed cast iron bitch that you'll end up paying a tame motor mender to do for you. It wouldn't put me off I'd still have it for 500 quid in a heartbeat so long as nothing is rotten (other than the exhaust) or bent/cracked, but you need to think about whether you want the grief.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[MahatmaAndhi]

I'm really in two minds. On the one hand, I love the style of bike. It felt good, it looks great, it'll be perfect for what I want. On the other hand, it could be a whole ton of grief.
The cheapest one I found on the usual haunts was about £1,800. There's an investment there for someone more savvy than me.

My head (and my wife) are telling me to leave it. My heart's saying go for it.

I'm going to sleep on it.
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[Fowlersrs]

It's £500! Go there with a fresh battery and a set of leads. If it starts then what have you got to loose?

If I paid that sorta money and it blew up a week after owning it is just laugh and get on with life.

Where's the bike located?

[Rogerborg]