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Unread 01-24-2008, 01:04 AM
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Smithers Smithers is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
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My ol 2000 Mille simply must make more power than 117 at the wheels. I've ridden enough bikes to know how much 120+ hp feels like and I'm sure my chipped, TI exhaust Rotax is pushing more than that. Not by a whole lot mind you but it's just funny that the 07 was so low on HP. Luckily around my region open roads aren't near as abundant as twisty ones. Thank goodness for that! The Aprilia easily beats any other bike I've ridden on the rough backroads we have around mid state CA. The transitions in pavement and cattle crossings always make me a little nervous with my previous motorcycles but the Aprilia is so fast to react and quick to adapt to different road surfaces that those types of conditions are no longer as much of a threat. I can roll no the gas much sooner than my local inline 4 competition that they simply disappear within a quarter mile when the pace kicks up. The Mille geometry and front brake really let you play around much more than other bikes. Put on some new tires and you will easily enjoy the older Mille as much as the new ones. Radial calipers or not, both generations make for awesome canyon bikes.

Every time I see a corner that would usually cause me to be cautious on other bikes, I just smile in my helmet and smoothly roll on the Aprilia throttle with confidence. It's not just the confidence in the performance but the confidence that if a cow or wild tiger jumps out in front of me I won't be out a couple grand in bodywork to bring the Aprilia back to showroom condition.
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