117 ROELAND STREET, CAPE TOWN
PH: 021 461 0991/021 461 1015
FAX: 021 461 0996
VAT #: 4230168546
REG #: CK92/04746/23
Jackie@eurobike.co.za
January/February/March
Hi all
We are already in March and this year promises to go as quickly if not quicker than last year. Stretch and I took off 4 days over Xmas and that too, went too quickly. This is the only holliday we take every year and it is far too short to cram everything we would like to do into it.
We closed last year on a bit of a “low” as it was really a bad year for most bike shops and we watched as many of the long standing shops closed their doors, this was more evident in Johannesburg than in Cape Town. Its sad to see this happen when you have been in the industry as long as we have. However, we opened again in January and had one of our best months ever – the workshop was buzzing as we struggled to accommodate all the bikes getting booked in and this has not yet stopped. Everyone must be taking advantage of the great biking weather in Cape Town!
RACING NEWS
Killian finished the 2010 season in 3rd place overall for both the Modified Tar Class and the Modified Supermoto Class (Tar and Dirt) racing the Aprilia SXV550 – well done. He participated in the All Bike Race Day on the Aprilia SXV450 and entered BOTT’s (Battle of the Twins) and finished 7th overall in a field of 17 bikes and most of them being 1098 Ducati’s, 999 Ducati’s and the GS800 boxer cup bikes – a fantastic achievement for his first time on the Main Circuit and on a 450 Aprilia!! He finished 2nd overall in the Motards.
His first race of the new season on the SXV450 was on 12 February and he finished 3rd overall in the Motard Tar and Super Motard (Tar/Dirt) in the stock class. His race on 5th March he finished 1st overall in the Motard Tar class (see more regarding this in Stretch’s race report which is on the blog)
We would like to thank the following sponsors who are assisting with his racing: Langston Racing for their generous donation of Alpinestars leathers, gloves, boots, knee guard, neck brace, socks, brake pads, Shark Helmet, Michelin Tyres, and Aprilia SA for the discount on his spares.
Steven Matthew”s races a RXV450 and he finished 1st overall in the EWXC in Novice B Class for 2010, he finished in the top 2 in the Social Enduro and offroad Classes and is hoping to do the Roof of Africa on his Aprilia RXV450. A fantastic achievement for Steven and this was the first year that he raced an Aprilia, in previous years he has raced a Honda.
Next Motard Race – 9 April at Killarney on the Half Main
Next Enduro Race – 12 March in Wellington
Killian (#4) and Dean Hart following on a KTMPHOTO COURTESY OF EYE CATCHER IMAGES
NEWS FROM APRILIA
The designers and engineers at Aprilia obviously haven’t spent the last two years sitting around discussing Max Biaggi’s relentless progress towards his and Aprilia’s first World Superbike championship. While the Roman Emperor stamped his authority on the racetrack the boffins worked hard at improving the breed even more for the rest of their customers, and the fruits of their labour will be seen in the first quarter of 2011, when the championship winning V-four arrives in Special Edition RSV4 F (APRC) guise.
Aprilia’s roots are in racing and the competitions department works closely with the manufacturing division. This collaboration over the past two years while racing the RSV4 in World Superbike now brings the same technology that allowed Biaggi to challenge so strongly in 2009 and dominate the World Superbike Championship in 2010 to a roadgoing version of the litre-class V-4 superbike. This all comes together in the Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC) package.
Apart from the state-of-the-art traction control that has eight manual settings and automatically adjusts itself to suit the characteristics of the tyres on the bike, the new RSV4 Factory APRC SE features Aprilia Wheelie Control (AWC) with three settings, Aprilia Launch Control (ALC) with three settings for lightning-fast starts on the racetrack, and Aprilia Quick Shift (AQS) for ultra-fast gear changes without the rider closing the throttle or using the clutch.
The APRC package uses an automotive inertial sensor platform with two gyro meters and two accelerometers feeding the ECU information about the dynamic conditions of the motorcycle. This is then used to fine-tune the engine management parameters accordingly, while leaving the rider with the capability to adjust any of the APRC components individually.
Unlike most other motorcycle electronic rider aids, the Aprilia systems give the rider plenty of choices rather than arbitrarily emasculating the machine at any faint hint of potential trouble. The eight-setting traction control cleverly “learns” the tyre radius and final gear ratio when the rider asks it to, and then does its job accordingly, where most other systems are optimised for a single size and type of tyre. The three-setting Aprilia Wheelie Control monitors where a wheelie starts and where it is likely to end and kicks in to make for a softer landing, and the launch control system allows the rider to simply open the throttle and dump the clutch when the flag drops or the light changes if he chooses, or launch the bike from the line in the conventional fashion. This system also provides three settings for the rider to choose from.
Apart from the race-developed electronics the Special Edition RSV4 F APRC motorcycle comes with improved engine lubrication for prolonged track use, closer internal gear ratios, and a new, lighter exhaust with an advanced butterfly valve management system to suit the ride-by-wire mapping and allow improved breathing and efficiency throughout the rev range. The Aprilia Special Edition Aprilia also boasts new ultra-light forged aluminium rims shod with new-generation dual-blend 200/55 tyres specially developed in a collaboration between Aprilia and Pirelli.
Recently arrived in South Africa is the all new Dorsoduro 1200, a hard-core evolution of the stylish Dorsoduro 750 V-Twin supermotard. This performance-focused street fighter is blessed with stunning looks that make it stand out in any crowd. The new highly oversquare 90o V-twin water-cooled engine uses four valves per cylinder, double overhead camshafts and twin-spark ignition to extract 130 horsepower at 8700 rpm and 115 Nm of torque at 7200 rpm from 1200cc. The four camshafts are driven by a combination of gears and chains and the engine features triple-map Ride-By-Wire technology with Sport, Touring and Rain maps. Fully adjustable 43mm upside-down front forks and a piggyback design side-mounted Sachs rear shock are standard, as are Brembo brakes with radial calipers. The outrageously agile and sporty motorcycle is designed for pure functionality with very little in the way of ornamentation and an absolute minimum in the line of body panels.
The bike is also available with a two-channel ABS system and Aprilia Traction Control (ATC) with three different selectable levels of performance.
Thankyou to Andre van Rooyen at Aprilia SA for this article.
1200 Dorsoduro
The bike arrived and prior to even uncrating it we sold it to one of our customers who has a perchant for black naked bikes. The first time he saw it was when it came out the crate. It was not long before he had clocked up enough kays for it to have its first service. Liking more simplistic designs, Stretch did a modification to the tail end and made up his own “tail tidy”. It looks really good. We have just received the “gel seat” he ordered and this he reckons makes a big difference. (the standard seat is a bit hard).
The next shipment will be here mid April and the Importers have agreed to keep the price at R119 995 incl vat for this shipment only. If you want one, R5000 non-refundable deposit will secure one for you. They are available in black or perlascent white.
RS125 4 Stroke:
The RS125 will be replaced with a 4 stroke version and this bike should be in South Africa in June/July. The “doing away” with the 2 stroke’s has been on the cards for a long time and this is all due to 2 stroke emission laws in the States. If you have a 2 stroke then hang onto it as I see these becoming quite collectable, if you don’t have one – nows the time to purchase one.
In standard trim the RS125 pushes out 28hp and with an arrows performance pipe ups the power to over 30hp. The 4 stroke version will push out (depending on market) somewhere between 13bhp and 16bhp!!!
FACEBOOK
Please don’t forget to go and join our Facebook site. Under search type in EUROBIKE CAPE TOWN all in CAPITALS. We update the news on our page weekly. If you would like to start a discussion on the page then please do.
That’s all for now, don’t forget Coffee on Saturdays from 09h00 to 12h00.
For those of you in Cape Town please bear in mind that should you wish to go on a breakfast run then leave very early as our roads are full of cyclists and runners limbering up for the Argus Cycle Tour (Sunday 13th March) and 2 Oceans Marathon on (Saturday 23rd April)
Stretch and Jackie
The designers and engineers at Aprilia obviously haven’t spent the last two years sitting around discussing Max Biaggi’s relentless progress towards his and Aprilia’s first World Superbike championship. While the Roman Emperor stamped his authority on the racetrack the boffins worked hard at improving the breed even more for the rest of their customers, and the fruits of their labour will be seen in the first quarter of 2011, when the championship winning V-four arrives in Special Edition RSV4 F (APRC) guise.
Aprilia’s roots are in racing and the competitions department works closely with the manufacturing division. This collaboration over the past two years while racing the RSV4 in World Superbike now brings the same technology that allowed Biaggi to challenge so strongly in 2009 and dominate the World Superbike Championship in 2010 to a roadgoing version of the litre-class V-4 superbike. This all comes together in the Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC) package.
Apart from the state-of-the-art traction control that has eight manual settings and automatically adjusts itself to suit the characteristics of the tyres on the bike, the new RSV4 Factory APRC SE features Aprilia Wheelie Control (AWC) with three settings, Aprilia Launch Control (ALC) with three settings for lightning-fast starts on the racetrack, and Aprilia Quick Shift (AQS) for ultra-fast gear changes without the rider closing the throttle or using the clutch.
The APRC package uses an automotive inertial sensor platform with two gyro meters and two accelerometers feeding the ECU information about the dynamic conditions of the motorcycle. This is then used to fine-tune the engine management parameters accordingly, while leaving the rider with the capability to adjust any of the APRC components individually.
Unlike most other motorcycle electronic rider aids, the Aprilia systems give the rider plenty of choices rather than arbitrarily emasculating the machine at any faint hint of potential trouble. The eight-setting traction control cleverly “learns” the tyre radius and final gear ratio when the rider asks it to, and then does its job accordingly, where most other systems are optimised for a single size and type of tyre. The three-setting Aprilia Wheelie Control monitors where a wheelie starts and where it is likely to end and kicks in to make for a softer landing, and the launch control system allows the rider to simply open the throttle and dump the clutch when the flag drops or the light changes if he chooses, or launch the bike from the line in the conventional fashion. This system also provides three settings for the rider to choose from.
Apart from the race-developed electronics the Special Edition RSV4 F APRC motorcycle comes with improved engine lubrication for prolonged track use, closer internal gear ratios, and a new, lighter exhaust with an advanced butterfly valve management system to suit the ride-by-wire mapping and allow improved breathing and efficiency throughout the rev range. The Aprilia Special Edition Aprilia also boasts new ultra-light forged aluminium rims shod with new-generation dual-blend 200/55 tyres specially developed in a collaboration between Aprilia and Pirelli.
Recently arrived in South Africa is the all new Dorsoduro 1200, a hard-core evolution of the stylish Dorsoduro 750 V-Twin supermotard. This performance-focused street fighter is blessed with stunning looks that make it stand out in any crowd. The new highly oversquare 90o V-twin water-cooled engine uses four valves per cylinder, double overhead camshafts and twin-spark ignition to extract 130 horsepower at 8700 rpm and 115 Nm of torque at 7200 rpm from 1200cc. The four camshafts are driven by a combination of gears and chains and the engine features triple-map Ride-By-Wire technology with Sport, Touring and Rain maps. Fully adjustable 43mm upside-down front forks and a piggyback design side-mounted Sachs rear shock are standard, as are Brembo brakes with radial calipers. The outrageously agile and sporty motorcycle is designed for pure functionality with very little in the way of ornamentation and an absolute minimum in the line of body panels.
The bike is also available with a two-channel ABS system and Aprilia Traction Control (ATC) with three different selectable levels of performance.
Thankyou to Andre van Rooyen at Aprilia SA for this article.
1200 Dorsoduro
The bike arrived and prior to even uncrating it we sold it to one of our customers who has a perchant for black naked bikes. The first time he saw it was when it came out the crate. It was not long before he had clocked up enough kays for it to have its first service. Liking more simplistic designs, Stretch did a modification to the tail end and made up his own “tail tidy”. It looks really good. We have just received the “gel seat” he ordered and this he reckons makes a big difference. (the standard seat is a bit hard).
The next shipment will be here mid April and the Importers have agreed to keep the price at R119 995 incl vat for this shipment only. If you want one, R5000 non-refundable deposit will secure one for you. They are available in black or perlascent white.
RS125 4 Stroke:
The RS125 will be replaced with a 4 stroke version and this bike should be in South Africa in June/July. The “doing away” with the 2 stroke’s has been on the cards for a long time and this is all due to 2 stroke emission laws in the States. If you have a 2 stroke then hang onto it as I see these becoming quite collectable, if you don’t have one – nows the time to purchase one.
In standard trim the RS125 pushes out 28hp and with an arrows performance pipe ups the power to over 30hp. The 4 stroke version will push out (depending on market) somewhere between 13bhp and 16bhp!!!
Please don’t forget to go and join our Facebook site. Under search type in EUROBIKE CAPE TOWN all in CAPITALS. We update the news on our page weekly. If you would like to start a discussion on the page then please do.
That’s all for now, don’t forget Coffee on Saturdays from 09h00 to 12h00.
For those of you in Cape Town please bear in mind that should you wish to go on a breakfast run then leave very early as our roads are full of cyclists and runners limbering up for the Argus Cycle Tour (Sunday 13th March) and 2 Oceans Marathon on (Saturday 23rd April)
Stretch and Jackie
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