Any experience with Aprilia RS250 GP bike?

[Josephvman]

Watching those cool KTM 250GP bikes at MotoGP in Austin last week got me going for a lightweight street/track bike. There were quite a few of the late 90's Aprilia RS250's that were plated for the street, as it wasn't very hard to do, even if not exactly kosher to do so, and I may have a line on one.

Anyone out there have much experience living with an RS250, particularly as a street bike? Anything to look out for on these, or maintenance things to expect?

I know an Aprilia-specific forum is probably the best place to ask this stuff, but I'm always surprised by what I find here and thought it was a start.

[skwidd]

Had one for years track only, really fun toy.

Prone to seize if you don't warm up properly, but I never had problems with it.

[Dave.0]

I have an RS125, so not a 250 but same idea

beautiful bike, two stroke and really light - I think 280 pounds, its a blast on the track, although the power band is really tight so you must shift often

people pass me all the time on the straights, then I pass them back in the corners

all that being said, it makes almost no power down low in the revs and you almost have to paddle it away from a start - that doesn't matter on the track but I think it would really suck on the street - I think my bike makes about 37hp - the 250 would obviously be more powerful, but I think the characteristics would be similar

I was at the MotoGP as well, lots of fun, for what its worth the red bull rookie cup and moto 3 bikes are 250 4 strokes, but weigh about 180 pounds and make almost 50 hp, so that would be a different animal

I like having the little aprilia for track days, its a fun bike and cool to have something a little different, I never planned on riding on the street and am about to rebuild it with race bodywork after I chucked it down the track a few weeks ago

[Barry]

Rode my buddy's RS250 on track one time. Crazy small bike, totally flickable, if you aren't revving to the moon, it falls flat on it's face. For the street, based on the laps I took, there are way better choices.

Barry

[Dan337]

This thread hit my Google Alert for "Aprilia RS250" and I've been a lurker on these forums for a while. I don't have an adventure bike so I don't contribute too often. But I do own a plated 95 Chesterfield and I can confirm that it is a fantastic machine, best out of town on country roads out of the city.

First you need to let it warm up properly before you can expect to even ride it reasonably. Usually about 10 minutes on mine. Next, you have to keep the revs over 6k as often as possible to keep the exhaust clear. It will sludge up if you don't, foul the plugs, and be extra smokey. My gearing is such that I have to pretty much slip the clutch and keep blipping the throttle until I reach 15mph. In downtown traffic I want to shoot myself most times. And if you have a friend with you, let them go ahead of you or they'll be getting choked out on your exhaust in slow traffic.

That said, once you are on open country roads you are in for a treat. It's amazingly light and powerful. Not to mention the sound of it coming on pipe above 8k. I swear something like 30-40% of the power comes on all at once. I have nowhere near the talent to ride this bike to it's limit but I sure enjoy pretending I do!

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll do my best to answer. Take care,
:

dc

[Dan337]

By the way, this is the forum you're looking for in terms of all things RS250: http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/f...y.php?19-RS250

dc

[DFH]

Be aware that its a case of apples & oranges with RS250 Aprilias'. The 250GP class race bikes used a variety of different Aprilia built disc valve 250 race only engines but the road bikes sold in civilised markets around the world were replicas fitted with the Suzuki designed & built 90 deg v-twin 2 stroke engine from the RGV250.

Both the RGV250 Suzuki & the Aprilia RS250 were fantastic machines for road & track day use plus in here in Australia formed the basis of our most competitive production racing class from the late 1980's to the late 1990's. Alumni from this series include Troy Corser, Troy Bayliss, Ant West, Mat Mladin, Garry McCoy to name but a few. As both bikes used the same engine with very tight proddy class rules it became clear that Aprilia had the better chassis & the Suzuki faded from the scene. I think that the RS250 was built up to 2002.

[ramon]

I've wanted one of those for a long time, but as a track only bike. Plated ones come up here often, but I'd want one that was never street titled.