Is the RSV4 too much bike for the street... and for me?

[corey]

Guys,
Thanks for all the replies, this input its great!
As far as upgrading the monster, or upgrading to ANOTHER monster... that was at one point a consideration...
However I really like my monster the way it is, and don't really want another one... i'm pretty much set on something with a full set of body work... As far as the bikini fairing, that thing didn't do much aside from direct the airflow straight into my face or chest depending on how i was sitting.

i guess for me it's not a lingering voice that is there all the time doubting myself... but more of a voice that tells me... you'll have just as much fun on a 675, and the risk will be mitigated slightly.

i can be honest and say, that while i'd love to ride on the track, it's just one of those things that is logistically difficult for me to make happen. If the consensus is that a bike of this magnitude, at least at my skill level, is better suited for the track... then maybe that's how I should look at it. My riding situation is relatively decent. I live in Pittsburgh, but RARELY ride in the city. I usually head down to the mountains of West Virginia, or over toward the center part of the state to enjoy the curvy Appalachians. It's about as much canyon carving as one can do 'round these parts.

obviously, as some stated, the reliability of this bike is also a big concern for me.
i've been doing some research, and plan on doing much much more before purchasing. i have seen some pretty alarming stuff!
the only dealer around here (where I would likely take it for repairs) has been waiting SIX WEEKS for parts for their TEST BIKE...

[Triple J]

RSV4's are pretty reliable. Aprilias are in general. Be careful reading too much into forums...only the bad gets reported. Just like this forum.

However, a good dealer is a must. I'm lucky and Seattle has a great one. Don't bother if you don't like yours IMO. The expanding tank is also a very legitimate issue. I just got a replacement tank. Luckily, there's ethanol free within a few miles of my house.

[corey]

RSV4's are pretty reliable. Aprilias are in general. Be careful reading too much into forums...only the bad gets reported. Just like this forum.

However, a good dealer is a must. I'm lucky and Seattle has a great one. Don't bother if you don't like yours IMO. The expanding tank is also a very legitimate issue. I just got a replacement tank. Luckily, there's ethanol free within a few miles of my house.

Good to know about the tanks. I've been lucky with my monster, getting a gratis replacement and having it epoxied internally has been a solid solution thus far.
The dealer is a relatively big name around these parts, but the KTM/APRILIA shop is a small one in general.

Anyone have any insight into doing your own work on these bikes? I'm relatively confident in everything aside from internal engine stuff.

[caperix]

I had the same discussion with my self a few years back.  I as trying to decide on a 675 or a 749 to add in addition to my 620 monster.  When the 848 came out, I fell in love with it & ended up getting it.  I do love the 848, but a SBK on the street 400 miles away from the mountains is a bit of a downer to me, that bike just needs to be ridden hard to get the most out of it, & it is just too expensive for me to take to the track, I do have an RC51 for that, but I have decided that is too much bike for my skill level at the track.
If you can test ride first do that as much as possible, the SBK are a blast on a twisty back road, but I find my self preferring the monster more & more.  A higher end bike will point out the weak spots in the monster suspension very quickly, so if you do keep it be ready to want to upgrade.  But don't be surprised if after a few years of sore wrists & difficult maint work you find a new love for the monster.

[toudg]

It's like asking us what kind of girl you should date  .  I've made a decision matrix when I purchased my last bike.  I ended up buying the bike "that I wanted to f*ck", a S4Rs.  Just go for it, there's nothing rational here 

[webspoke]

My wife has an '06 675 which has been a solid benchmark while I have moved through other sport bikes and now my SF.  It is an excellent choice coming from your s2r800.  You can ride in the lower rev ranges (below 10k)  and carry speed nicely, and then crank up the aggression in the 10-14k range when you want to play moto2 and go fast.  The handling is terrific, if maybe just a bit on the 'not rock silid stable' at high speeds.  It is much more nimble than the 848 I used to have, you can really feel the weight difference.  Dead reliable, just needs oil, batteries, tires etc.  Brakes are it's weak spot compared to the nicer mid and big bore bikes.

I fear the RSV4 might be too much - when I picked up my '07 cbr1000 to test the sportbike waters, it was a quantum power leap compared to the s2r1k and 1100 hyper I had been riding.  The acceleration gets you into situations so much faster than before.  You cannot 'grab handfuls of throttle'  on a litre bike without knowing which timezone you want to land in, smooth is key.  I dialed back to the 848 and was happy for a few years.  I good mid size sport bike is the right step. 

[corey]

Thanks for the inout webspoke. good to have some solid experiential advice in the mix.
the more i'm looking and listening, the more often the 675 is coming out on top.

"play moto2..." good way to put it

[DRKWNG]

the more i'm looking and listening, the more often the 675 is coming out on top.

I loved the way mine rode when I had it.

[corey]

I loved the way mine rode when I had it.

I've taken a standard  675 out for a test spin (non-R model), and really loved it. it felt like riding a laser beam.
we'll see what happens in the spring. going to do a lot of sitting and looking and reading over the winter.

[77south]

My advice is, go to a track school, like the California superbike school.  Rent a bike for the week, get the power ranger gear, and learn how to ride a high end bike.  That way whatever you get, you'll know how to ride it, whether it is the Aprilia or a decade old CBR600 for track days.  And once you have the training, you'll know better what you want so you can get a bike that works for you rather than trying to mold yourself to fit the bike. 

Disclaimer: I have not yet had a track day or race instruction of any kind. But I really want to.

[the_Journeyman]

You have to decide.  I've been on everything from a Jap race replica, a mid 80s 1150cc "sporting" bike to my Monster and a 900SS.  I can only say.  If you enjoy riding it, it's worth having.  However, you also have to balance that with what you know about yourself.  I went to jail on a GSXR-600 but lived through the incident, luckily.  The 900SS and 1150cc bike were after that, with a completely new perspective on riding.  It's all on whether you can pick when to really twist on it and when to behave from both a legal and survival standpoint.

JM