Aprilia SL 1000 Falco

SL 1000 Falco

This bike, even though it is a V2 sports twin, is as different from the Guzzi as can be. Look at the Aprilia site if you want the details, or better yet see your dealer for a test ride. It's a fascinating piece of go-fast machinery and isn't riddled with the typical problems of it's competitors: it's got a better chassis than Suzuki's TL, it's got more oomph than Honda's VTR, and it packs more punch than any of the 600 Fours. It's still a fairly comfortable ride and with the optional softbags is even fine for touring.

Modifications

The rider will notice three problems:

jerky engine behaviour below 3500 rpm in most gears
flat spot at 5500 rpm
hesitation on abrupt opening of the throttle

Depending on what country version your bike is, there is a restrictor inside the airbox which needs to be removed and a wire on the blackbox which needs to be clipped. Excellent information on performing these modifications is available at the Apriliaworld.com website. The information given relates to the RSV Mille, but the Falco setup is just the same with the exception of the exhaust restrictor, which is not present on the Falco.

Note: Follow these instructions at your own risk. If you are unsure what to do, have your dealer do it for you!

The results are pretty dramatic. It is now possible to roll through villages at 3000 rpm or less. Along those country roads, you don't have to downshift to get across the 5500 rpm hole. And throttle response is instantaneous, regardless of whether the throttle is yanked open or opened more gradually.

Common Problems/Caveats

Clutch Fluid

Dash Reset

It is never a good idea to expose electronics to torrents of water. However, I have ridden my bike through a lot of very heavy rain and also regularly wash it with a pressure washer. My only dash reset so far has happened when I stalled the engine while taking off from a traffic light. This remains a bit of a mistery.

The Aprilia Display Cheat Sheet presented below will be useful to help you reset the rev limit indicator to a sensible value after this has happened.

Shock Horror

Aprilia obviously tried to keep the price of the bike down by fitting a low spec, low cost unit. This isn't nice in itself, however, the really bad part is the shock *will* fail after a relatively short time. The first unit lost its damping after about 13,000 km, with the spring becoming soft and sagging at the same time. A replacement unit fitted under warranty blew a seal after just over 1,000 km, leaving a puddle of oil under the bike and again no damping.

Aprilia shops will fit replacement units under warranty. I suggest you make use of this to let them see the high failure rates in their warranty statistics. Eventually, of course, the replacement units will fail as well. Until Aprilia decides to use a different shock, bike owners will have to dish out their own money for aftermarket upgrades. Common choices in Europe include White Power/Technoflex and Öhlins, in the States Penske and Öhlins.

Tires

Depending on where in the world you bought your bike, it comes equipped with either Metzeler MEZ3 or Michelin Pilot Sport tires. Mine came with Z3s.

Metzeler MEZ3: In new condition, they handle and stick reasonably well. Dry stick isn't as good as the Z1s I'm used to, but sort of okay. In the wet, they're better than the Z1s but then that's not really difficult. I exchanged them with about 50% tread left at 2500 kilometers in preparation for a longer vacation trip. Even at that point, handling started to degrade. Turning in to curves, they go off-vertical very easily, then require firm pressure to increase the lean angle, and finally lean over hard with minimal input. Not good and it gets worse as they wear on...

Bridgestone BT56: Next up I fitted BT56s. Lovely! Dry stick very much comparable to the Z1s, razor sharp handling without making the bike unstable. Best of all: finally some sport tires with lots and lots of wet grip. Simply excellent. Brilliant tires with only one problem: wear. The BT56s start shedding their rubber as heat increases. Even on the road, you can see rubber rolls and pieces come off. They are not suitable for track use. I'd still recommend them for road use if you don't push things too hard. For the more squidly of the bunch, try Bridgestone's BT010.

Bridgestone BT010: This is the designated successor to the BT56. Dry and wet stick is comparable to the BT56 while it lasts longer, although exactly how long depends on your riding style of course. The BT010 feels quite different, making turn-in at the corner a much quicker affair. The bike leans off-vertical very easily, but still predictably. As you increase lean angle, the BT010 wants to push the bike down, requiring the rider to release pressure and actually stabilize the bike at maximum lean angle. This is my largest complaint about the tire: I prefer having to apply pressure in a linear way. More pressure, more lean angle.

The verdict so far: BT56 for thrashing down the back roads, and BT010 for the long holiday trips.

Frame Numbers

Digits	Meaning
1-3	Manufacturer Code
4,5	Type
6,7	Version
8,9	Country Version
10	Year of Manufacture (W=1998, X=1999, Y=2000)
11	Place of Manufacture (N=Noale, S=Skorze)
12-17	Manufacturer Number

Luggage System

The Falco system is part-#8792153. Especially in Germany, many dealers either think or want to make you think Aprilia doesn't sell the set separately. Ask them to check their order system for this part number and they should be able to order it for you. Expect to pay about 350 Euros for the set, consisting of the left and right hand side rack, two bags with rain capes, a cushion for mounting one bag on the pillion seat, and the mounting hardware. If you have trouble obtaining the items locally, I dealt with Centro Aprilia in Berlin, who provide excellent service.

The set is nicely designed and well-made. The rack is pretty unobtrusive. The bags each seem to hold about 15 to 20 liters. If you absolutely want to carry large, hard luggage the rack might be a good starting point to convert to e.g. Givi mounting. I plan to try this in the future. Apparently, there is also another set available which comes with an additional tank bag. The only letdown are the rain capes which are made out of a very fragile material and will easily tear. It is probably a good idea to replace them with plastic transparent rain covers available for soft luggage from most motorcycle accessory warehouses.

Aprilia Display Cheat Sheet

To this end I have hacked together this Aprilia Display Cheat Sheet which you can download as a PDF file and tape to your garage wall or indeed carry with you on the bike. Let me know if you would like to see something changed or added.
Note: You will need Adobe's Acrobat viewer if you don't have it already.