Welcome to the New RoadCarver Online motorcycle gear store. RoadCarver has been around for year supplying rider with some great bike review, racing info and galleries. Recently a group of us riders got together to offer the Australian market something a bit different from what you can typically buy here. RoadCarver aims to give riders a range of top-quality riding gear that is sourced from Europe’s best manufacturers.

Great Reading: Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Handbook, 3rd Edition

Picking up the bike was quite a ceremony – as it should be! Credit to the guys at frasers for making it feel special even though they do it every day. I recall my experience at Northside motorcycles years ago buying a Ducati. Let’s just say I receive better service when buying socks at K-mart.

Following on from the first post – while I’ve ridden plenty of sportsters before, this was the first ride on the Iron. I didn’t even try it before I bought it. I figured it wouldn’t be worse than it’s predecessors and all those improvements must make it worth it.

Sportster Book: The Harley Davidson Sportster

Despite being the ‘smaller’ Harley, this is by no means a small bike and weighs over 250kg. At 100kg more than my Ducati, it wasn’t something that went noticed. Not that it worried me. It gives the Iron a solid stable feel on straights and isn’t twitchy with a passenger.

Buy Now: Sportster® Fuel Gauge Kit -BLACK

We’ve heard a lot of propaganda about this bike and spent long hours looking at the photos, so it was time to see whether the bite was as potent as the bark. Before we get into the good stuff, we have to have to get the whinge out of the way. Not so important, but always in your face is that Tonka/marvel comics inspired dash. We love the bike but the dash is friggin terrible. Simple as that. Ok, so let’s take the subjectivity out of it – it still sucks because it’s hard to read the bloody thing – especially since the numbers are surrounded by dull silver paint which shines in your face with the sun overhead. Looking at the XB12R, it had a vast improvement in the dash area which will hopefully be carried over onto the S model.

The crap controls overall were something all three of us noticed straight up. Have a play with the indicator, very notchy, fiddly and poor quality. What had us stumped is the rest of the bike was flawless. They do the job though, and if you never look at them you might even forget over time. One thing I will say is that the night illumination gave it an extra star and the dash didn’t seem so bad…..aah yes, the flattering cover of darkness.

The rest of the bike is stunning. The RED/GOLD/SILVER/BLACK combination is great and a really head turner out on the road. The Buell has a soundly engineered platform with a great use of quality materials including magnesium everywhere you look. Despite being very compact, the Buell gives a very solid impression with chunky components and strong angles. Aiming for the hooligan / streetfighter market, Buell did a good job and we reckon you’ll be hard pressed to find a more visually striking bike than this straight out of the box. This image is taken further through the deep sound of the engine and the random shaking of the bike at idle.

Perched up on the saddle, the Buell seat is fairly high off the road and gives a good view in a very upright position. Sitting on the seat you can hardly see any of the bike at all in the regular filed of vision. If you’re used to a cruiser and seeing a tank, dash and wheel up front, this is quite a change. Being so short the Buell completely disappears once aboard. Speaking of the seat, we enquired a few times beforehand if you can actually stick someone on the back of it……we only got stupid looks as a response. Not so! – The pillion seat on the XB12S actually does a surprisingly good job. Sure, you might not have even noticed it was there, but magically makes quite a comfy seat. The slant keeps the passenger on rather than sliding off typical flat seats. Mind you, the passenger ends up being really close, so make sure you are on very good terms with your passenger!. It may not match a good touring seat, but as mentioned – surprisingly good. The mirrors are not completely useless, but pretty close to it. While they are wide enough not to be looking at your own arms, the buzz from the engine makes them difficult to read. Turn your head just to be sure.

Start her up and pull away….slowly if you don’t want your arms pulled out off the sockets. Sounds good in theory but Buell made sure all starts will be fast by whacking on a monster of a clutch lever. Not so big in size, but stiff as a bastard. This combined with the gut wrenching torque has you slingshot-ing from every green light. The power comes on instantly so there is no slouching on this ride unless you want to be chasing it down the main road.

This Buell really is a brute and pulls hard all the way to the red. Speaking of red, there is not much range in the revs as a sportsbike rider might be used to, but the torque makes up for the low revving engine. Being so flexible in power, you can really ride through regular speed roads just by winding the throttle on and off – forgetting about the gearbox altogether. Pulling out of corners and up hills, we reckon you could keep up with most on the back roads or the track. The big twin inherently has some vibes to let you know it is still there, but only shakes noticeable at idle and really high revs. No numb hands that we could remember.

The sound of the thundering Buell seemed to get better as it warmed up but still has some of the harsh engine noise of an older HD-Sportster. Not a big issue though, and if you put a racing pipe on it, you will be certain not to hear a bloody thing!

The fully adjustable 41mm Showa inverted forks gave a great ride quality and didn’t seem overly stiff even thought bike has such a short wheel base. Riders with heavier steering on their bikes will feel the Buell to be a little twitchy at higher speeds and might consider a steering damper to feel at home. The massive surge of low-down grunt delivered by the Buell has you constantly lifting the front wheel by accident and doesn’t’t take long to realise that “XB” is short for “Awesome wheelie machine”. Once discovered, it’s damn addictive as pretty darn easy too. If you love wheelies, this is your bike.

Nice Headlights!

The Brakes are massive and without a doubt look the part. The single radially-mounted front disc brake combined with high quality braided brake lines work magnificently. The brakes had plenty of initial bite and feedback from the lever. They are probably among the best standard brakes we’ve tested. Easily comparable to the impressive ABS brakes on the BMW rockster. Not a surprise then, that it is a favored stunt bike.

Buell have pulled it together with this series with a high quality product that looks great, goes well and has a quality finish. Comparatively the older Buells look a bit prehistoric.

Being a streetfighter the Buell is expected to have some rougher edges – not flaws as such, but a bit like the character of a mad dog. If you are looking for the harmony of a humming engine and a silky ride, this is probably not your bike. If, on the other hand you are: a bit on the insane side, love adrenalin, need a workout while riding, love attention and generally causing chaos – Call Harley today and they will hook you up.

The Buell XB12S is a bike with plenty of charisma and will be sure to make an impression on the market.

Photos & Review by: George Ihring @ RoadCarver

Thanks to:

Blacktown Harley (02 9621 7776), IRPR and the staff at HD distribution for supplying this bike.

It’s perfectly normal for any given manufacturer to slap on a new set of mirrors, rims and a paintjob to justify a new model. The Street Rod is anything but a minor automotive “nip and tuck”. At first glance, the Street rod might look like a customised V-Rod to some who will be asking “what’s new”?

Harley stunned the world and customers alike with the V-ROD concept a few years back that set the stage for the second model in the VRSC family tree, the VRSCR Street Rod.

In short, this new bike was built to do some swift riding at more than expected lean-angles and will eat up any road from bend to bend like no other Harley to date. Core values of its mechanical heart are agility and performance, which are obvious in every new feature of the motorcycle.

At first glance, perhaps nothing is more obvious than the raised straight-shot dual exhaust pipes, which apart from a different look; gives this new Harley an impressive 40 ° Lean-angle and boosts the horsepower to 120hp at 8250 rpm.

A steeper rake supported by inverted front forks add to the staggering cornering ability which will soon have new owners taking the long way home via the closest section of bendy tarmac. Further additions to handling are the 300mm dual front rotor Brembo brakes, mid mounted foot controls and a short, forward-set handle bar.

The Street Rod is notably taller with increased ground clearance, which also enables the larger fuel tank increased from 14 to 19 litres. This point in particular has been a major complaint among V-ROD owners that found filling up the bike almost as familiar as riding it. The good news is that on a Street Rod you’ll be able to do between 270-300kms on a tank if you are well behaved and easily 250 at warp speed. As before the tank is located under the seat, but the Street rod boasts a new flip up seat that locks in seamlessly with the rest of the padding, no key required. Short riders will find the new 762mm seat height challenging.

Another major complaint from VROD-ers was the awkward positioning of the ignition lock, which has been addressed with a move to the front-right of the bike that allows a keyless start like some of the premium classic styled Harleys.

The space age instrument cluster has been revised to a two-segment display instead of three that separates the fuel read-out from speed and revs. The Speedo readout size has increased as its likely you’ll need to watch it like a hawk to avoid a pleasant chat with the boys in blue. The only complaint here is the viewing angle seems to be at odds with the new aggressive riding position. Even medium height riders will find they need to look down a fair way to see how much their ticket is going to cost them. The angle of the cluster is more suited to the ‘easy-rider’ layout of the VROD where the rider is a lot further back on the bike. The rest of the controls are decked out in standard high-quality finishes. Buell and other manufacturers could learn a thing or two to replace their low budget controls with something of similar quality.

The Street Rod’s good looks are still very much V-ROD with plenty of difference apart from the obvious. The taller bike overall make it’s appear a lot shorter and stocky than the VROD and the cast wheels made in Australia give a distinct appearance with their staggered design. The vented grill design seen on the new Brembo brakes is carried through on the drive-train cover and fuel tank. The higher rear fender makes way for a visual gap over the back wheel taking it further away from the low slung, drag-like VROD. Other details like the trick foot and passenger pegs also give cue to the Street Rod’s intentions. Needless to say, the Street Rod will pull a crowd wherever you decide to park it.

On the road, the street rod behaves like no other hog available, VROD included.
Swing it through some tight corners and you’ll forget that you are sitting on a just-under 300kg hunk of metal thanks to the sweet lean angle and a serious set of brakes.

For such a large bike (a few kilos heavier than the VROD) the brakes had plenty of bite and give the rider tons of confidence to pull up fast when needed. The steeper angled rake now 30 ° / 110 also adds to the difference even though flicking the hog around still requires a bit of muscle.

The 1130 cc Revolution mill still sounds great with some added zing courtesy of the new exhaust system that brings a bonus 5 ponies to play with. The angle of the pipes also makes the induction growl much more audible that the VROD – to the point that an aftermarket pipe hardly seems necessary. For the traditional window breaking Hog enthusiast it will still be too quiet, but under a good twist of throttle, the glorious noise is hardly lacking in oomph.

The flexible Revolution engine hasn’t lost any of its potency with a redline of 9,000 rpm and a buffet of torque to chow down on along the way. Even though ‘spirited riding’ is what this bike was built for, you can just as easily ride the wave of torque and take on a whole section of bends in one gear. It takes some getting use to the fact that after you hit the standard HD 4-5000 rpm limit, you still have a long way to go. Short shifting is all too easy and it’s not until you start playing with the top end you really get a feel for what the Street Rod is about.

Shift up to 5 th gear and you’ll cruise at 110kms turning over around 3500 rpm. Until you get to some very open road, you might not even notice the 5 th cog unless you hate the sounds of the revolution – which is highly unlikely. Speaking of cogs, shifting them is no hassle at all with a solid, smooth gear change that is central to a good fang through the corners. Actually we didn’t notice it much at all so we figure it must have worked.

Numb tailbones, aching wrists and random hurting limbs are symptoms of long hauls on most two-wheeled machines. The Street Rod is possibly the most comfortable bike we’ve tested, and definitely the most comfortable Harley we’ve tried over a longer distance. How so?…the moderately sporty riding position, great suspension and a firm but ergonomic seat that will keep your rear from numbing. Some bikes were fitted with the optional screen that proved to be worse than useless with notable vibration and a good buffeting to the head.

Passenger comfort? Don’t know yet, but the rear seat look a bit less frightening than that tapered stub of rubber found on the stock VROD. While the second seat on the Street Rod is no sofa, it looks to be able to comfortable hold a smaller rider for shorter trips. Anything more should have you browsing for a backrest.

After 600kms on the Street Rod over 2 days, the only thing that hurt was handing the keys back.

In closing the Street Rod is a carefully thought out bike that has addressed a lot of the feedback since the launch of the VROD which has made it worth of being named a new model.

The Street Rod is a performance Roadster that pushes all boundaries of the Harley Davidson brand and opens up yet another section of the market that can now consider this Hog for some serious cornering fun.

This monster is still very much the bare-bones bike it originally was except the engine is smoother and a lot quieter. It also get the electronic tacho with trip meters, temperature and a bunch of other stuff. The indicator and warning lights are especially good because there are in deep slots which are extremely visible day and night. It also has a clock…very handy.

The first thing you notice aboard is that the monster feels reasonable small but extremely sturdy. This is especially true at high speed corners where you might expect the bike to shake a little. Absolutely rock solid and extremely easy to turn. This is a bike that will do what you tell it to in a corner. In fact it may be one of the only bikes that haven’t surprised me in any way. Some bikes tend to flop into corner or need to be wrestled into leaning in. If someone has been bragging about the handling on Ducati’s, it’s certainly true in this case. The down side to the easy handling is that if you do get into trouble, it’s most likely that you are already going bloody fast.

Ducati rarely break records in the power output department and 73hp out of this 800 is no jaw dropper either. The figures are only disappointing on paper because the power comes on strong from low down and is extremely flat and torquey. You can just leave it in 3rd and wind it on and off through your whole session through the bends and not use the brakes.

Granted there are plenty of bikes with way more kick but it certainly is no slouch and the power delivery is very user friendly. You can only go so fast around corners and that’s where this bike really excels. If you can ride a bike properly there won’t be too many rider pulling away from you in the bends. The 800 desmo is very flexible although a bit jerky down low which makes slow speeds a bit tricky. Basically it works best when you are flogging it. Hard accelerating or engine braking and you are right in the zone. Cruising slowly is not quite suited for this bike – just a note for those boulevard posers.

This test model was fitted with a K&N Racing air filter which improved the acceleration, sound and smoothness of low-down power. A worthy investment that even a monkey can install.
Straight out of the box the m800 is not the booming Ducati that you might be used to. It has a nice deep sound anyway, but not too loud. If you want to be the obnoxious Ducati owner, it will cost you for that tasty end pipe – oh don’t forget you need two! A new set of these pipes from your local Ducati Dealer will set you back around $1400 AUD or $1900 with performance kit. (Ducati performance Brand – correct price at the time of writing).

As far as aesthetics go, most people either love it or hate it. Like it or not the monster naked concept has influenced a large number of spin offs in other brands. It has its own appeal, sort of classic, modern and custom at the same time.

The 800 has powerful twin Brembo “Serie Oro” brake calipers and discs up front that certainly do the job. They seem to lack a bit of bite initially but come on hard enough with a bit of pressure- it really depends what you are used to.

The front 43mm upside-down shocks combined with the Sachs adjustable monoshock do a great job of keeping the rubber on the road. The ride is quite firm but not bone-shattering as some sporty rides can be. The bike we rode had a standard setup which seemed perfectly fine. It has a great balance between comfortable riding and sporty stiffness.
The monster is a great bike in the city and back road twisites but not crash hot on the highway as it lacks any form of fairing. While we are certainly not going complain about the lack of protection on a naked bike – We’d recommend it for the warmer months.

Under the rear fairing is a passenger seat. It looks pretty minimalistic, because it is, but even so, it’s not too bad. Suprisigly it does quite a good job and is better than plenty of other bikes we’ve tried. There are some rails under the seat made for attachements which can be used as grabrails – if you have really long arms!

Fuel Economy is not amazing, but if you are careful you’ll get about 220kms before the light comes on. The hump that looks like the fuel tank is mostly an airbox with the fuel in the shell.

Overall, the Monster is an excellent no-fuss bike with awesome handling and a great motor. That’s about all you need on a bike isn’t it? For the tinkers, there is also a ton of nice, shiny and horribly expensive aftermarket bits.

Firstly, I was never a big fan of the Sportster. Many HD folks looked at the baby Harley as something for the not-so-strong, or well off. Even “a good bike to start off – but ditch it as soon as you can afford a…” The Sportster, at times has also been called a chick’s bike because of its smaller base and relative ease of handling – which makes you wonder why only the girls are supposed to get the easy-to-ride, nice handling bikes.
Going on all the propaganda about the Sportster not being “all-that”, we were not expecting to be overly impressed.

Most bikes look better in the flesh, but I’d say that especially goes for Harleys. If all that chrome and shiny gear doesn’t do it for you, you might as well stay at home.
The good folks down at Blacktown Harley wheeled the Sportster outside and started them up.

This pair hadn’t been hit with the screaming eagle just as yet so the sound coming out of the pipes was still a very legal-Harley burble. If you give these bikes the once-over, you can tell straight up that the team has been working overtime to get every last fitting looking great. No real rough edges at all and the build quality is excellent.

Aboard the 883, the first thing we always notice is the seating position. Not quite cruiser-like or sporty (in a modern sense). It does feel pretty strange to begin with, but after a while you really do get used to it and makes a great set-up for swinging the sporty into the corners. The 1200c in contrast has the “easy rider” layout that looks very cool and is great for cruising the highway. The 1200c also has reasonably good ground clearance and sits firmly through the bends, but the seating position makes the tighter stuff a bit more of a challenge than the 883. It’s really up to you to decide what you’ll be doing more of. Having said that, we were all really impressed with the way both Sportsters held their line in the corners – A real surprise.

A major update we were hanging for was the engine of the 883. The last time we tried one, we weren’t too stoked. It seemed to be plagued with vibrations and harsh engine noise – not to mention uninspiring performance.
We are real happy to say that the 2004 XL883 is a massive difference and justifies the marketing targeted at the Sportster line-up. The rubber mounted engine has really smoothed thing out as well as putting out some great usable power. Inevitably there will always be people looking to extract more power from the beast, but even as is, the 883 is a hoot to ride. Power aside, the 883 was smooth and torquey.

With the radical changes with the other components of the bike, the previous evolution engine needed a bit of work to get it up to speed. Although the 45 degree v-twin set up and bore and stroke remain unchanged the cylinder heads on the 883 and 1200 have both been redesigned. Lighter and stronger internal components combined with a new oil cooling system have significantly reduced engine heat. The 1200 has received the most changes with performance cams, high flow heads and an increased redline from 5500rpm to 6000rpm. All this equates to around a 15% increase from the 03 model giving it 70 hp and 79ft. lbs. of torque. The 883 has not benefited in the same way but still makes a healthy 53 hp and 51ft. lbs. torque a moderate increase from the 03 model.
The way the Sportsters make the power has also had its fair share of treatment too; a new timing system, air cleaner, exhaust and the conversion of parts to quality engineered components have made the Sportster better. The engines are a lot smoother and the power comes on earlier and lasts a bit longer.

Power on the 1200c was probably never really an issue and certainly not on the 2004. This Sporty custom pulls like a freight-train with bucket-loads of torque in any gear. Speaking of gear it feels like it has seven and a half. A number of times we reached what we though was top-cruising gear, only to find we had two more to go. 5th gear doesn’t really get useful till’ around 120. This baby is built for cruising big open roads (that could use a higher limit). We actually needed to hang on when giving the throttle a good twist – you’ll be sure to lose a passenger at this stage (more on that later)
Being a bigger twin, the vibes came through more on the 1200c, but never really annoying apart from the buzzing mirrors. Who wants a HD that doesn’t buzz just a little bit? It wouldn’t be right and it wouldn’t be from Milwaukee. If you catch the bigger twin in low revs, it will chug a bit, but that is really the odd occasion.

Firmness is something that hits you as soon as you throw a leg over on either of these bikes. The seat feels like rock when you first plant your backside, but magically seems to soften (or numb). We only got sore after riding for a good 6 hours +, which will leave your butt aching from most bikes anyway.
The seats are well contoured for a stable sporty rid and have a ridge at the back to stop you from sliding off on fast take-offs. We found the ridge useful especially on the 1200c because of the power and seating position.

The 883 was a single seater and the 1200c may as well have been. If you can fool someone into riding with you, they will be sure not to come a second time. The seat does look cool, but that’s about it. Our test passenger had this to say (we dedicated a whole section to the seat, or lack of it:

XL 1200 C – A passengers’ perspective

Traveling the roads on a Harley Davidson is the dream of most motorcycle riders at one point in their riding carrier. The roar of the engine, its brute force and its reputation seem to scream something which only those who want to hear can receive.

For those not fortunate enough to have their own there is the possibility of ‘tagging’ along for the ride, that is become a Pillion. To be a passenger on a Harley Davidson is an honour in itself yet one might consider a few things before taking up the ranks of Pillion on an XL 1200 C.

Firstly the 1200 C is a powerful motorbike, no doubt about that, if the driver decides to ‘give it some’ you better have a REALLY good hold or else you might become the next temporary speed bump for the vehicle behind you.

Second: The passenger seat on this particular model is very short. You better have a small backside if don’t want to sit on the rear mud guard. The seat also seems to be angled the wrong way and can force the thrust of a quick burst to throw you even further back. Because of the seats length it seems like the holding strap is almost behind you and does not provide the stability needed in acceleration. It does provide a little slack which would be great if it was a little more forward.
Holding the rider is fine and is probably the best and most comfortable bet although something about one man hugging another on a Harley from behind with both arms got a few glances along the way.

One positive consideration is the foot pegs being a little forward which helped when slowing and stopping the bike. Instead of sliding forward, like you were on melted butter, you can brace the deceleration gently and not force yourself onto the rider and avoid clunking of helmets in ritual fashion.

The shocks could have been a little softer during this test and can be adjusted for personal preference.

In summary, the XL 1200 C is a great individual bike which can facilitate a pillion. Due to the seats length and angle it becomes very difficult to ‘cling’ on to the rider. This is a positive if the passenger likes an adrenaline rush every time the bike accelerates and is almost thrown from the seat.
The holding strap provided is easy to grip but makes it feel like you are trying to wipe something and only seems to come into effect when you are almost off the seat.

This bike was made with a passenger in mind but I would not recommend trips with a lot of stop-and-go.
Recommendations would depend on the bikes purpose but if a passenger came into the discussion a longer seat, possibly with a small back rest would be advised.

At the end of the day it gives you a damn fine excuse to get rid of pesky would-be-passengers….its a damn Sportster! And – In all fairness, most bikes when new are sold to look good, not for practicality. There is also an arsenal of aftermarket seats to accommodate any whining.

The great handling of the two Sportsters owes a lot to the suspension and Harley have made changes in this area too. The rear tyre has been widened from 130mm to 150mm and a new 25% stiffer chassis has been designed around it. The frame and swing arm have been strengthened as well and now the 1200 also sits lower.

The demo 883 we rode had great shocks giving us a smooth ride on all but car-sized potholes. Strangely enough the 1200c was a lot stiffer only because of the setting on the rear shocks. On these setting the 1200c was hard as nails, giving heaps of stability but knocking the wind out of you on harsh bumps. We didn’t have the tool to change the suspension settings out on the road, but we figured it would be as good as gold with a few clicks. The stiff setting would be just right with an extra body on board.

A new braking system features single disc front and rear for both 883 and 1200.
The lever effort has been reduced from previous models but I still found that the feel of the brakes was a little dull with no initial bite. This probably is not such a bad thing for inexperienced riders as you won’t get in trouble by grabbing too much brake. Braking was satisfactory and is an improvement from the old models but could be improved quite a bit.

The gearbox on both rides was very good. As you would expect, they need a bit more shoving than a Jap sports bike and give a definite “clunk” as you shift. None of this is bad really as I personally wouldn’t want my Harley any smoother than this because I’d forget what I’m riding. Shifting was fine, no complaints there. 1st gear on most HD’s is quite tall and can make slow-speed maneuvering tricky business – but then these ARE Harleys, not Pizza deliver scooters.

The instruments on the Sportsters a kept to a real minimum as you would expect – No clever gadgets to keep you from looking at the road, which has got to be a good thing. What we did like was the quality and user friendliness of the buttons and switches. The operation of the switches was soft and smooth with no harsh clicking or hard to push buttons plus the indicators had auto cancel function which is always a plus. The only thing that we could find a fault from was a missing trip meter and a tacho.

We didn’t get a chance to test out the lights at night, but during the day the headlights on the Sportsters looked a bit dim compared to other cruisers we saw passing by.

All up, we were thoroughly impressed with the two Sportsters and we thought they did their job well. They looked great. Sounded great and gave decent sports-like performance. You might not be beating Troy Bayliss around the track on one, but we did surprise a few of the weekend café racers!

Photos & Review by: George & David @ RoadCarver

Thanks to:

Blacktown Harley (02 9621 7776), IRPR and the staff at HD distribution for supplying this bike.

Belonging to this category is the F650 SCARVER. You can actually stand there all day looking at the thing without knowing what to think. It probably belongs to the “love-em-or-hate-em” group, but there are plenty of features about this ride that you can’t ignore.

Getting on the seat you realise it sits a lot lower that it looks – a real plus for novice riders or anyone who hates tall bikes. If you like your gadgets, this is for you because this thing is a gadget with a donk attached to it. Special attention has been given to every bit to make it as practical as possible.

There is an innovative space above the thing that looks like the tank (real tank is underneath the seat) that hold a tank bags, a helmet with lockable strap or even a water proof stereo system?

The tank look alike also has backward ergonomic handles that the passenger can lean forward and hang on to. The blokes can hang on to the rear handles which double up as a luggage rack.

Heated hand grips anyone? (An optional feature which stops your fingers from dropping off on cold days.) Not a bad thing really. Maybe it isn’t good for the “tough guy” image – but hey, no one has to know.

Enough of the clever devices – what is it like to ride?

Hit the starter and you’ll be greeted with a slightly familiar, although smoother sound of the single cylinder thumper.

Pull away and the first thing you will notice is how manoeuvrable this bike really is. Sticky traffic conditions – no problem. Good visibility from the seemingly high perch, although this is combine with a fairly low seat so I don’t know how they do it.

The engine is not as smooth as the bikes aesthetics would suggest, but you have to expect some vibes from the single cylinder. Having said that, it really isn’t a problem at all unless you are bogging it down really low or hitting the redline. Everything in between is very smooth considering.

Power kicks in very low and pulls hard all the way to the needle-stopper. It doesn’t mind being in the revs, although doesn’t need it to stay in a good power band. Overall a very capable donk with a versatile usage factor which fits in well with the bike.

Gadgets already covered, the other real strong point of this bike is the nimble handling. It really drops into the corners nicely. Initially it takes a bit of getting used to as it literally just flops into the bend, but you soon learn to trust it and it sits well. Everything about the handling says ‘city bike’ and would surely make one of the best commuters around.

Going through medium speed bends, you could probably keep up with most bikes as it really feels pretty good and has enough power to pull straight out of the corner at lower revs.

At highway speeds it isn’t as stable as its larger counterparts, but that’s to be expected. You feel a little shaking here and there, but again not really a problem as this only would happen way above legal speeds (theoretically of course).

The handling is confidence inspiring which is great for all riders alike.

Brakes are excellent and can get even better with optional ABS in those sticky situations. Most BMW brake systems are very powerful, so only one or two fingers are needed in most cases. You don’t want to be grabbing these for sure.

Perhaps the most interesting part about the “Scarver” is that it feels like 4 bikes in one. Slightly motocross, part touring, sporty handling and cruiserish ambience.

For those of use who don’t have a pocket deep enough for 3-4 bikes, it may be the go.
In each of the categories a dedicated bike would be better but the Scarver is a happy medium and is a great bike which is heaps of fun to ride – and practical to boot.

Main points:

• Futuristic appearance
• Low seat, stable confident seating
• Practical innovative applications
• Comfortable seat great passenger helpers
• Single cylinder vibes at low and very high revs
• Extreme manuverablility at low speeds
• Tacho takes a bit of getting used to – although aesthetic
• Solid brakes
• High manueverabilty lacks stability at high speed
• Gadgets- heated grips, accessory space – backpack,
• Good medium speed cornering attributes, good lean angle
• 4 bikes in one, every rider will find something to like
• Wide rear tire

This bike was provided by Pro Cycles, Hornsby.
See their details below for a great deal on new or second hand motorcycles:

PROCYCLES
48 George St. Hornsby 2077
Phone: 02 9477 5422

So when the chance to test the latest version of the bike at the Italian track of Vallelunga came along, I got more than a bit excited. The new bike’s spec sheet isn’t boasting too many changes and updates, but as the original was so damned sorted that didn’t seem to matter so much.

By the time we got to the track the sun was shining and temperatures were in the mid-twenties. Everything seemed perfect. Perfect that is, until I rode the bike! It simply wasn’t a patch on the version I’d tried at Valencia. It was behaving more like an overweight sports-tourer with a rhino on pillion, than the finely-honed track tool I’d remembered it to be.

I shouldn’t have been put off too much though, as the problem definitely stemmed from the suspension settings, which seemed to be set far too soft. And given the fact that the Mille R’s Ohlins forks and shock are some of the best kit on the market, it probably only needed some time with the screwdrivers and spanners before the bike could be set up properly. And hopefully then viewed just as favourably as it had been a couple of years ago.

Sure enough, after a couple of sessions firming up the damping at both ends. and raising the ride-height of the shock a little to put more weight over the front wheel to improve its feel, the verdict on the Mille R’s cornering prowess was more as it should have been – a little short of exceptional.

All the spannerwork had clearly been worthwhile and transformed the way the Aprilia dealt with the twisty bits. And it also displayed just how influential suspension can be on the handling of a bike, particularly Ohlins suspension. Unlike on some Japanese sportsbikes, changes to the equipment responded very readily.

Just as single click of adjustment alters the way the bike behaves, such is the quality and precision of the Swedish-made kit. So be warned, if you’re going to buy this bike, take time and care when you’re setting it up to suit your personal tastes.

With the bike’s suspension sorted for the track as well as it should have been, I got a chance to assess the rest of the bike, and came away pretty impressed.
Vallelunga isn’t the easiest track to master, but the Mille R was a good ally to getting to grips with it. The bike steers nicely and feels light and flickable enough to change direction without any obvious loss of stability. In fact, though there’s an Ohlins steering damper to calm any possible excitement up front, I ran with it off all day and never had so much as a shimmy. Nice to know it’s there though, as some bumpy backroads may call for its service. Anyone wanting to make the Aprilia more flickable still can order a bike with a 5.5 inch rear wheel as that’s an option (standard is six inch ).

Blasting along those sorts of routes will be easy given the handling excellence of the Mille R. Getting to high speeds is likewise a doddle for the engine. The big 60-degree V-twin has plenty of stomp on offer to make gearchanging less crucial than it can be on some four-cylinder bikes. And with 130bhp on tap you’re never going to feel short of outright power. Given its slightly more slippery shape (another one of its subtle changes) there shouldn’t be any doubt about it getting up to over 170mph, even though the engine isn’t actually making any more power.

It’s better to relax and not over-rev the motor as it’s more useful and broadly spread mid-range power and torque are where it’s best to be. In fact, if it wasn’t for a really tight hairpin, the whole of Vallelunga could have been lapped fully just using a couple of gears. With a really progressive build up of power the Mille R’s engine is a cinch to use hard.

It’s also reassuring to know that the brakes are not only very powerful but also progressive, so curbing the speed is just as easy as attaining it. The new Brembo calipers are radially mounted and are claimed to flex less, and give more even pad wear. They’re certainly very good, but as to whether they’re much of an improvement over the current bike’s is another matter. I think that only a back-to-back test of the two machines would reveal that.

That’s the story of the all the changes really. Any effects that they have made feel so marginal, you’d be hard pushed to notice them without comparing the latest bike directly with the current one. Which perhaps isn’t so surprising when you learn what they are.

Along with the radial brakes, the gearbox ratios are closer with the first three being higher overall. The forks are stiffer and feature a remote compression damping adjuster body. The forged alloy OZ front wheel has been redesigned and is a fraction lighter. The tail unit is lower and more aerodynamic, as is the front mudguard, which has also been designed to flow more air through the radiator. With new heel plates, bar end weights, a black finish to the frame and swingarm, and a brushed steel look given to the huge exhaust can, you have to admit that the new bike is barely different to the old one.

Now that on the face of it might seem a bit of a disappointment, but in a world where image is paramount, and being seen on the latest-spec tackle puts you at an advantage, the latest Mille-R is still bound to be a hit.

No price has yet been fixed but expect the new bike to be almost the same price as the old one. If that’s the case, and you fancy one of these stylish and speedy V-twins, then you should have no reservations about ordering the new version – especially if you’re a track day nut. The RSV-R will be in the shops early next year.

2003 APRILIA RSV MILLE R
BY CHRIS MOSS
PICTURES BY APRILIA

Vital statistics
Engine – Liquid cooled 60° V-twin, 8 valve, four stroke
cc – 997.6
Power – 130bhp @ 9,500rpm
Compression ratio – 11.4:1
Transmission – Six speed

Cycle parts
Frame; Alloy twin spar
Front suspension; 43mm Ohlins inverted telescopic forks, adjustable pre-load, compression, and rebound damping
Steering head angle; 25 degrees
Rear suspension; Ohlins monoshock, adjustable pre-load, compression and rebound damping, and ride height
Front brakes; Twin 320mm discs, four-piston radial calipers
Rear brake; Single 220mm disc, twin-piston caliper
Wheelbase; 1415 mm

Performance
Top speed; 170mph (est)
Fuel capacity; 18 litres