2001 Aprilia RSV Mille Review
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- Опубликовано: 6 авг 2024
- This week I take a look at Aprilia's first super bike, the RSV Mille.
Thanks to A1 motorcycles for the loan of the Aprilia RSV Mille
56 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood Victoria Australia 3134
Ph: (03) 9870 2222
www.a1motorcycles.com.au
For anyone considering an old Mille, there are a few things to watch out for.
One would be the panels.
A lot have been down the road and repaired with whatever can be found on eBay or breakers.
Do your research on model history as people tend to refer to the model revisions as gen 1 and gen 2, but this is not really the case.
Think of the RSV evolution as gen 1, 1.5, 1.5.2 and then gen 2 and gen 2.2.
1998-2000 is the original, 2001 had some small tweaks to the frame geometry and larger inlet valves, 2003 had minor changes to styling (redesigned graphics and tail unit) and gear ratios, while the RSVR gained radially mounted calipers and different Ohlins forks.
2004 was the big revision with a big motor overall and chassis changes.
The final RSVR basically fixed the issues with the overwound stator of the 2004 (which fries it's reg/rectifier on a regular basis) and the milage resetting when the battery is disconnected/flat for too long.
Ohlins forks are prone to leaking fork seals.
This is often due to the lack of material at the front axle.
If the front axle pinch bolts are over tightened it will cause the fork bottom to crack and allow the fotk tube to move and lead to constant fork seal leakage.
This is not a cheap fix and often requires the forks to be sent to Ohlins, who don't give two shits unless you're in a WSB/Moto GP team and will take their time with the repair and just generally not bother communicating with you or your mechanic until they can be bothered putting new front axle/caliper mounts on your forks.
Invest in a decent torque wrench or harass the living daylights out of your tyre change man until he goes to sleep with 7Nm for the punch bolts going round and round in his mind.
The Showa forks on the base Mille are a bit more resilient.
Clutch lever has quite a pull on it as standard.
An MPL or Oberon clutch slave will lessen the force needed to pull the lever.
The Rotax built V60 is as solid as any Japanese lump if looked after but they do use oil.
The engine has a dry sump and the oil level is checked via a transparent pipe on the front of the oil tank.
It must be checked when up to temperature and isn't all that visible through the fairing cutout.
Consider taking the side panel off for a better view.
The suspension linkage is in the firing line for crap from the rear wheel and the exhaust runs close, so the bearings can crumble.
It is a real bitch to free corroded bearing housings, so keep an eye out for play.
Airbox mods are better bang for buck than exhaust, but a 2-2 full Akra system looks and sounds the dog's bollocks.
The rear brake is notoriously crap.
This is because the master cylinder is mounted on the side of the engine and overheats the fluid.
A home made heat shield of aluminium plate or even ally foil and some thin fibreglass matting between the ,M/C and the engine mount works a treat.
Get an M10 banjo bolt with integrated bleed nipple.while you're at it to make bleeding fat, far less of a hassle.
Tne wiring to the regulator/rectifier is a bit weedy on the early model, but improved from 2001.
Don't ever try to start s Mille with a weak battery as the compression of the motor can kick back and lunch the starter sprag.
Plastic tanks (2001 onwar) can suffer expansion and warping around the fuel pump.
Griff at AP workshops reckons that if you drain the tsnk and leave it for s while in a warmish room for a while they tend to think back to pretty much normal, although I can't confirm.
Really, if these old aprilia's are looked after, thete is no reason why they should be any less reliable than their Japanese counterparts, as the Austrian built motor is solid, as is the general build quality.
And despite being a few kilos up and a few ponies down on more modern machinery, a sorted RSV-R can still shock a few trakday snobs with its handling.
I was lost without mine for two and half years. After owning a Daytona 675 and a Z1000 in that time I was constantly searching for the right Mille in totally standard trim. I found a red 2003 with 25k yesterday and bought it this morning. Great bike.
Prillah is the killah. I had the 00 R.
I had a 2003 back in 06 and it was a great bike. Fun, reliable and fast enough. I've had 4 other gen 2's and 2 Futuras. Aprilia is STILL the best value in cycling today.
The most under-rated superbike ever made. Not that much slower than today's crop of superbikes on the road, more useable, just as reliable and handles with the best of them, even after 20 years. Aprilia got it right first time. Hugely addictive and have soul and character in spades. Fast appreciating now. Even if bought and stored in the garage, it'll only go up in value as these are only now being recognised for what they are. The only reason depreciation was initially so huge on them was due to poor dealer networks and not the top trumps power figures or top speeds of contemporary IL4 bikes but lets not forget, they bettered the Ducati 996 and 998 in the real world. More reliable, as good handling, more powerful and way more comfortable to ride. Gen 1 bikes from 2001 onwards are the best of them. 0-60 in around 3 seconds or less, standing 1/4 in 10.5 to 10.7 (tested) and top speed of close on 170mph. Hardly slow, even by todays standards and more than enough bike on road. On track their lack of outright power and top speed is telling, but still huge fun. Only things to do from standard are to uprate the standard 50A starter solenoid to 150A to protect the starter sprag clutch and replace slave cylinder for clutch with Oberon or similar after market one, plus swap the terrible side stand for an 04/5 blade sidestand. Other than that, not much to worry about.
If you are thinking of getting one of these I'd definitely listen for a screech on start up or clunking sound when you turn it off, the starter sprag can wear out.
Rotax engines are pretty reliability, however, they need a reasonable level of power to start. The original battery just about did the job, battery technology has improved significantly in recent years.
I highly recommend the (TTZ14s 230CCA) battery for the big Aprilia V-Twin as a worthwhile upgrade from the OEM. It's compact, but it has a much greater cold crank output, meaning that it can turn your bike over with more grunt. This is a great help, particularly for those who run their bikes into the colder periods, as batteries tend to have a harder time then. In addition the 230 CCA output helps to prevent excessive Sprag clutch wear.
The battery replaces the OEM YTZ14-BS with no probs. It's slightly shorter but you can pack it out with some thick rubber.
Starting circuit cables up grade, allows full current flow from 230CCA batteries when used with genuine 150A Solenoid (OE Cables can only manage 170 when new.
These you can get are made from full copper construction with auxiliary connection at the battery bus bar for independent optima or alarm connection.
Removes any doubts for potential mechanical damage.
Much faster cranking speeds during starting giving instant starting and protection of the sprag clutch. Aprilia performance in the UK sell the leads but you can't order a battery to a foreign country, but they are available elsewhere online. Hope this helps someone!
Where can I get the cables from in the USA
Hey man, thanks for the help. I just picked up one of these last week, and it’s a project. Anything else you recommend to replace/look out for?
@@maverick2384 You'll need to buy the from here in the UK. They sell overseas and are extremely knowledgeable.
Give Aprilia performance a call. www.apworkshops.co.uk/
They will run through any weak points.
Sprag clutches only wear or teeth break IF you don't uprate starter solenoid to a 150A rated one. Do that and they're fine. They were under rated from new. Uprated batteries are a good idea and they need kept on a trickle charger as they are relatively low AH. Other than that they're pretty bomb proof.
@@ReferenceFidelityComponents . if you read all my message you will realise that I've already said that bud. 👍🏻
Great review. Nice to meet you this afternoon👍🏼. Had the 2003 Tuono. Great engine and sound. Kept it for 8 years.
Thanks, I enjoyed the chat.
RED. What a beauty.
Best bike ever. Still have my 02. I'll never sell it
I sold mine 2 years ago after owning an 02 for 2 years. Great bikes. Lovely feel to that engine.
I then bought a 675 Daytona and then an 07 Z1000, I'm now looking to go back to another 03 plate.
I've looked at the Mille Gen 2, 2005 but they are too long for me. The clocks reset too.
@Rick Simpson 110nm it has tons of TQ, 137bhp for the R model. 1000cc
I feel you, we should make a club. Mine is modded and chipped, 70k km, I have a new Triumph Bobber, but my 2001 Falco stays with me. May have a new girlfriend, but in my harem, and all those bikes I tried and enjoyed, she is the favorite.
I just picked up an 03 mille it's the best bile ever
Bike
I actually enjoyed this video so much. Not too enthusiastic and forceful talking. 👌🏻 👌🏻
had one exact same as this one,had it years bought it in 05 sold it last year...should have kept it,my gsxr has no soul..nothing like that growl from the rsv and great handling even by todays standards it is a good bike.I disagree with what you said about in town,yes it is lumpy at low rpm like my many twins but man it is so light,the mille feels like a 250,you can fling them around cars no problem,we are allowed filter here so found no probs with it cutting through heavy traffic.
Hey man thanks for your comment, I'm really interested in the gsxr, I have a Aprilia Rs125 and I'm planning to buy a bigger 600-1000cc sport bike next season, I love my 125 but the two stroke just uses to much fuel and oil, I want to switch to a stronger four stroke bike, I'm planning to buy the rsv mille but I also hear a lot of good comments about the suzuki gsxr it looks like a nice bike, since u owned both of them what would you recommend? I really like both bikes, and I would really be thankful for any advice here, ride safe ⚡
Absolutely fantastic review. Thank you sir.
Excellent review on an italian stallion!
Beautiful bike aprillia put such care into the build quality of their bikes I have a 06 tuono thr frame welds are art.
I've had mine from new (late 2001 in the rarer blue) the engine is indeed bullet proof, a mate of mine bought a Ducati 748 at the same time and after three major engine issues had to have it replaced, all within six months. I think Aprilia played a blinder when they chose Rotax as the engine manufacturer. The only issues I've had have been the decals peeling off, I suspect that UK weather is not so forgiving. I ended up having a new paint job after I dropped it and took the opportunity to have the decals sprayed over with a clear coat. Recently I've had to have the tank coated on the inside to stop the ethanol buggering about with the plastic and causing leaks. It's been great for touring over the years, from my home in Somerset I've gone as far as Limerick to the West, Inverness to the North, Budapest to the East and Turin to the South, all with my girlfriend (now my wife) on the back using that tiny triangle they called a pillion seat.
I had one for nearly three years Sean and sold it for a 675 Daytona. Now I'm after another just 6 months of owning it. I think 30,000 miles is the limit on the sprag clutch, so I sold mine at that point. The next one I've seen is 16k so should be good for a long while. I've done Oxfordshire to Anglsea twice on it and 9,000 miles in total.
@@geminiman7069 so you sold your 1st rsv because it needed a new clutch at 30,000? Why not just replace the clutch? Sorry for the question I'm thinking about buying a rsv
Very nice review - thanks and greets from Germany
I had that bike...2001 in red....owned it for 10-years, trouble free the entire time. As mentioned elsewhere, the Rotax engine was bullet proof. I miss the bike, but my back/neck can't handle sport bike riding position.
I'm buying one once i get my bike licence. Mid life crisis lol. No I had the sr50 and rs 125 when i was 16 to 17 but then got a car but always meant to get mt full bike licence but now im 30 im going to get it as can do the direct access and ride anything instantly. This is the bike i want.. have always wanted this machine. Beautiful bike. I love the black with red and grey livery or the orange and blue. Beaut
I have a 2002 mille, never had any problems with flat spots, I don't enjoy riding it in traffic though.
Lowering the gearing with a sprocket change really helps with the big V-Twins.
Oberon or MPL clutch slave helps with the rather manly(!) lever pull too.
When I bought a Mille R it was already modded with 1t smaller front and 2t up on the back, which also made the bike feel a lot more rapid than my previous Milles.
2t up on the back really helped my RC8R in traffic but I can't say I feel a difference in acceleration.
Might be rather nice dyno tested 90lbs of rear wheel torque.
Very nice review, thanks.
That was an excellent review.
😅 i just bought a gen1 .
What a beast.
Come off yamaha r1 but this is differant with the v engine..
Cant w8 for the summer to come
I'm planning to buy this one or a gsxr I'm not sure yet, but thanks for the review really enjoyed watching it, you have a new subscriber, ride safe
What did you get??
@@geminiman7069 got a gsx-r k2 600ccm didn't regret it, fast bike with great handling its so light and soft in corners and still has tons of power I got up to 237km/h it could have gone more but the rode wasn't long enough, its been 2 months since I have it no problems for now, but definitely I will buy a mille some day Aprilia is my favourite bike love the looks and nostalgia my first bike was a aprilia RS 125 :)
@@ak9784 Riders can't always make that "jumping off a cliff" sensation to buy an Italian bike. I've had over 50 different bike's so looking for a new experience doesn't faze me buying anything. But I understand you choice. Glad you're pleased with the Gixxer. 👍🏻
great bike nice review
Incredible value...alot of bike for the $$$
You go old man, nice video
Do you know what that bracket is for on the back? Is it for carrying luggage?
Mike, I'm here in the states and considering a 01 MilleR, great shape with just over 6k miles.
That sounds like a good buy if the price is right.
@@MikesMachines has it in his garage under a Aprilia cover. $4,500.
@@henryhawk7038
Check the fuel tank for expansion (plastic tanks! Ugggh...) and the Ohlins forks for cracking at the bottom due to over torqued pinch bolts. Keep an eye on the oil too (crank case breathing arrangements are to blame rather than the engine burning oil according the Aprilia forums).
Rear brake fluid gets cooked as the master cylinder is on the side of the engine and is a fookin be-atch to bleed. A banjo bleed bolt combo and a homemade heat shield, (bit of fibreglass wool, aluminium kitchen foil and a couple of slightly longer mounting bolts) will sort the rear brake overheating.
Airbox mods (EVO or Renegade style) are well worth it as you gain a monster midrange boost and the induction roar from hell.
They all look as if they were thrown together on a Friday afternoon after a few large glasses of vino but the quality of the paint and plastics shits all over my flakey, scratched as soon as you look at it KTM RC8R.
03 model (pre twin exhaust) parts are mostly interchangeable with 01-02 (OZ wheels are different for radial brake R) but not the early model.
NEVER try to start a big twin with duff battery
Had 3 Mille's and 1 RSV-R. Solid motor and the Ohlins works better and better the faster you go. Officer...
@@pauln6803 It's gone. Owner said guy 30 mins. away picked it up.
Get a Falco, a great compromise between sports and tourer.
The falco is the ugly sister.
@@shiftyshamsk exactly😂😂
Easily one of the best bikes ever made. Absolutely loved ripping shitties in the pacific northwest on this thing. Very close to perfect.
I have one of these ('01 Mille R) but it needs work and I have not found a shop in Portland Oregon that is eager to work on it. Such a shame. I replaced the fuel pump and got it running but it failed again. I'd hate to have to send it to Seattle. I doubt I'll ever sell it. This is the most thrilling motorcycle I've ever owned among a dozen or so.
@@paullarson2927 Check out A P Workshops, UK RUclips channel, very useful..
Very wellinformed
I own one and it is quite gentle at low rpm, no problem handling 2000-4000rpm, while it becomes a beast over 6000
Airbox mods really fill in the flat spot around 5k.
Cheers for this video. Am in the UK and looking at one of these... Looking for a reliable, comparatively cheap entry into sport bike riding from ADV bikes... I'm 6'3 and have read it's quite a tall bike as sports bikes go, any thoughts on that? 👍
I didn't find it overly tall when I rode it (I'm just over 6ft). In my opinion it compares favourably size wise with current 1000cc sports bikes. But you should take one for a test ride before making a decision on whether it's the bike for you.
@@MikesMachines I'm 6 foot and the Mille is better for me than most. It seems to have a fiarly long stretch to the bars.
Last words in this video is like taken out of my mouth:-) I own a Mille 2001.
Hi, I enjoy your videos and was wondering if you could honesty answer a question for me? I've been riding off road for years, I'm a sensible 31 year old male who passed his full bike test in the uk 6 month ago, my main aim after taking my test was to buy a rsv Mille, I love the way they look/sound .. I really want one but I'm told I'll definitely kill myself in 6 months due to the nature of big v-twins, I'm experienced with 400-600 enduros/supermotos and passed my test with flying colours, am I to steer well clear and buy a Zx6r or something or given enough respect could a new road rider survive on one of these? Oh and I've been driving over 10 years, thanks
Hi Daniel. The Mille requires a level of discipline to ride it quickly and safely but I must admit that it is not a scary bike to ride. Surviving on the road comes down to skill and attitude. Skill you can obtain quickly by doing an advanced riding course. Attitude and road sense often only comes with experience. Only you will know when you are ready
Mike
Get an SL1000 (Falco). These are fantastic retuned versions of the Mille but were produced for a shorter period. Put on Gilles Convertibars with their supplied extended clutch and brake lines if you prefer a more upright riding position. I have a 2001 model that I've owned for about 7 years. It's been fabulously reliable with the only significant problem was a fuel pump failure after 25,000 miles. The Rotax engine and the note from the twin exhausts keep me very happy.
On U.K. B roads with short straights between the corners the RSV with the low down grunt will leave straight 4’s behind, ask a very upset 2003 R1 owner who tried to keep up. I’m sure the latest str 4’s will leave the rsv now thou. The RSV-R mille is the one to get with the Ohlins front and rear, I found it best to get the Ohlins front end serviced at the same time as the main service as the Ohlin are designed to weep oil, giving better smoother movement and lubing of the suspension o-ring.
Funny you should mention the R1 pilot as when I took my 1st Mille on a track day there was a guy with an R1, track bodywork, full Akra system and K-tech stickers all over the suspension who said "I heard they weren't very good."
After a few sessions I was talking to a couple of guys I'd met on the day and I said how the red R6 was quick (in a straight line), I didn't realize it was that R1 I was overtaking and outbraking everywhere but the main straight!
It's 99% rider ability but I did find the RSV's beautifully stable and unflappable which really inspires confidence and that helps you go faster.
Paul N The Rsv-r being a twin it does lull you in to thinking your going slower, as the revs aren’t screaming. I went from an inline 4 bike to the v-twin of the Rsv-r, and I bounced it off the limiter a lot until I got used to the lower rev limit..
How many miles on the engine is too many to buy as a used bike? What do you guys think? I am talking to a guy who wants $3500 for one with 51k miles. I want to make it my track bike, so i will push it hard.
I know this is an ancient comment but that Rotax V60 is pretty bomb proof if looked after.
The clutch will need new plates between 20-30k miles and an MPL slave really helps the clutch lever pull.
Airbox mods are better bang for buck than exhaust.
The Brembo gold line brake setup is still competitive with newer kit if refreshed with new seals, and the Ohlins suspension of the R is first rate kit.
Great review mate, all the info you would need.
Thanks, much appreciated.
good very nice bike!
Just got a 2004 tuono 😎👌 fuckimg savage 😁
9:34 oh yeah...
Ha ha ha. He really got into the Italian swing at the end. A true Italian thoroughbred but stopped himself going on about how Italian and lovely it was. Trying to stay neutral and informative after riding one of these is a tough task. You really fall for the charm of this model. I had one for 2 1/2 years and regret selling it....So I'm buying another after 6 months on a Daytona 675. That tells you something.
Looks like the 2001 triumph tt600
Totally not.