2009 Aprilia Mana Review

[pplassm]

Originally Posted by longride

I think it has been stated by a few that when they put electric starters on motorcycles then anybody could ride one. With auto trans you just bring in a whole new cache of basically unskilled riders.

Kind of like Kwads off-road.

"The best thing about kwads, is any idiot can ride one. The worst thing about kwads is, any idiot can ride one."

[El_Duderino]

Originally Posted by acecycleins

Ken- The can is a charcoal EPA piece of trash. After the break-in miles most will pull it off and close off the breather nipples (ha, ha- I said nipples. Look, I did it twice). They come on Ducati's, too. Gotta sell them with the can, but once it's in the customers hands we couldn't tell them not to take it off- wink, wink.

So they are US-wide and not CA-only, then? The parking brake is not that pretty either, but I guess that needs to stay on!

Anyone know for sure if the ABS version will indeed be coming to the US in 2010? And the half-faired "GT"? This Press Release states that their new ABS will be on the 2009 Mana, but I'm guessing that's for the Euro version only, for the time being. And here's some more about the Mana GT.

As for concerns about engine braking, I read in another review that while in any of the Auto modes that you can still downshift manually, so that will provide the same sense of engine breaking that you get in Sport Gear mode. This would make sense for approaching turns or for passing.

I wonder why they went with a right-side chain? Is it necessary for the CVT? At least Aprilia included spools for swing-arm stands, so chain cleaning won't be messy for the wheel. And I guess touring-types will find fault with the fuel filler being under the rear seat.