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Administrator · 04-17-2009, 09:27 PM

Original Article:
2009 Aprilia Mana Review

Please discuss the Motorcycle.com article 2009 Aprilia Mana Review in our Motorcycle Forums below. Use the reply button to let others know your comments or feedback on the article. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, along with your thoughts and personal opinions on the bikes and products we have tested.

schizuki · 04-17-2009, 10:20 PM

Shifting scares a lot of people away from motorcycling. If manufacturers really want to grow the market, they'll follow Aprilia's lead.

Dr_Sprocket · 04-18-2009, 04:41 AM

The Mana totally blows away the DN-01 in terms of style, performance, and value. Way to go, Aprilia! I've seen the future... and the future is here, now. Who would've ever thought that the Eye-talians would produce a better value than the Japanese?

schizuki · 04-18-2009, 05:59 AM

That 31-inch seat height is too high for a bike that would otherwise appeal to ladies, though. Major mistake there. Could be related to the fuel tank position.

Nitpicks: it's "wringing...the throttle", not "ringing". And "sacrifice" is spelled wrong. And nothing can be "very unique." Sorry, I went to Catholic school. Can't help knuckle-rapping.

Back to the bike - that storage compartment is sweet. This bike's got a pretty tempting combination of practicality and style. Good job, Aprilia.

Duken4evr · 04-18-2009, 06:41 AM

The storage compartment rocks. This might be the perfect courier bike. Of course few couriers can afford 10 grand for a new bike. Perhaps it will become highly sought after by them in the used market 10 years from now. Pretty niche market there.

Quote:

For the lion’s share of my more than 15 years of riding, I did virtually all maintenance, and the occasional ground-up overhaul, to all of my bikes. Through smashed knuckles, greasy fingers and entire weekends lost to the most “basic” repairs I came to genuinely enjoy the mechanical-ness inherent in motorcycles. Part of that enjoyment for me is found in finessing throttle, clutch, brake and transmission into a harmonious mechanical symphony that keeps the bike moving in precisely the direction I point it and in the manner I choose.

Well said, and exactly why this bike would not interest me. My motorcycles are an escape from our BS laden sanitized for our protection world. This thing would bore me to tears.

acecycleins · 04-18-2009, 06:53 AM

That seat height thing will be solved by the aftermarket. Yeah!- free market. That should take care of the girls and virtically challenged males. Exhaust will appear from Leo Vince within 6mos. And PowerCommander will come out with a new brain within a year.
Piaggio was the best thing to happen to Aprilia in the last 15yrs. Glad it happened. Now, if it parts would arrive in days instead of weeks they'd be the most popular Italian brand.
When I worked the Great American Motorcycle Show in Feb the Mana sat directly across from my booth. It got play from women to crusty old dudes looking for new "easy to use" toys for their toy-haulers. I believe that initial intrest was strong based on foot traffic. Good job Aprilia.
Nice write up. Did anyone ask Aprilia if they's make an "R" version with upgraded suspension? About a grand more and you may entice guys like me that want a little sport riding out of the little easy to use Mana.

Buzglyd · 04-18-2009, 07:06 AM

The seat hight issue will be solved by the upcoming Womana. It comes in pink and has a GPS with coordinates to find the Vietnamese Nail Lady wherever she may be.

Kenneth_Moore · 04-18-2009, 07:48 AM

Aprilia produces the $10,000 scooter without the $6,000 transmission. Honda goes back to the drawing board, and motorcycling will never be the same.

Pete, what's that goofy looking cannister in front of your right knee? An isulated beverage holder? An espresso maker? Would a two-slice toaster and 110vdc inverter fit under the faux gas tank cover? And how long did it take you to stop clenching your left hand uselessly as you shifted gears?

mugwump58 · 04-18-2009, 07:51 AM

Love the storeage scheme. Of the things that I don't like doing, shifting isn't one of them. Valves, cleaning the chain... sure.
As some one noted previously this too isn't for me.

But! If it gets more folks on the road I heartily endorse it, not that that means anything to anyone. The more people that ride the more people will become aware of riders, see the "Spring" thread.

seruzawa · 04-18-2009, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzglyd

The seat hight issue will be solved by the upcoming Womana. It comes in pink and has a GPS with coordinates to find the Vietnamese Nail Lady wherever she may be.

You are SO lucky that Sachi isn't here any more.

04-17-2009, 09:27 PM	#1
Administrator Administrator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: On My Bike Posts: 0	2009 Aprilia Mana Review Original Article: 2009 Aprilia Mana Review Please discuss the Motorcycle.com article 2009 Aprilia Mana Review in our Motorcycle Forums below. Use the reply button to let others know your comments or feedback on the article. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, along with your thoughts and personal opinions on the bikes and products we have tested.

04-17-2009, 10:20 PM	#2
schizuki Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Just hangin' in Milan with Clara Posts: 4,997	Shifting scares a lot of people away from motorcycling. If manufacturers really want to grow the market, they'll follow Aprilia's lead. __________________ *Reverēre meam auctōritātem* "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

04-18-2009, 04:41 AM	#3
Dr_Sprocket Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Delmarva Peninsula Posts: 2,331	The Mana totally blows away the DN-01 in terms of style, performance, and value. Way to go, Aprilia! I've seen the future... and the future is here, now. Who would've ever thought that the Eye-talians would produce a better value than the Japanese? __________________ "Aid to the helpless indigent is civilized. Aid to the irresponsible is socially corrosive." ----- Schizuki (c. 2011)

04-18-2009, 05:59 AM	#4
schizuki Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Just hangin' in Milan with Clara Posts: 4,997	That 31-inch seat height is too high for a bike that would otherwise appeal to ladies, though. Major mistake there. Could be related to the fuel tank position. Nitpicks: it's "wringing...the throttle", not "ringing". And "sacrifice" is spelled wrong. And nothing can be "very unique." Sorry, I went to Catholic school. Can't help knuckle-rapping. Back to the bike - that storage compartment is sweet. This bike's got a pretty tempting combination of practicality and style. Good job, Aprilia. __________________ *Reverēre meam auctōritātem* "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

04-18-2009, 06:53 AM	#6
acecycleins Founding Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North Georgia Posts: 4,129	That seat height thing will be solved by the aftermarket. Yeah!- free market. That should take care of the girls and virtically challenged males. Exhaust will appear from Leo Vince within 6mos. And PowerCommander will come out with a new brain within a year. Piaggio was the best thing to happen to Aprilia in the last 15yrs. Glad it happened. Now, if it parts would arrive in days instead of weeks they'd be the most popular Italian brand. When I worked the Great American Motorcycle Show in Feb the Mana sat directly across from my booth. It got play from women to crusty old dudes looking for new "easy to use" toys for their toy-haulers. I believe that initial intrest was strong based on foot traffic. Good job Aprilia. Nice write up. Did anyone ask Aprilia if they's make an "R" version with upgraded suspension? About a grand more and you may entice guys like me that want a little sport riding out of the little easy to use Mana. __________________ "Slack" - a state of being in which everything flows smoothly.....a frame of mind so at ease that the universe naturally cooperates.

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04-18-2009, 07:06 AM	#7
Buzglyd Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 10,850	The seat hight issue will be solved by the upcoming Womana. It comes in pink and has a GPS with coordinates to find the Vietnamese Nail Lady wherever she may be.

04-18-2009, 07:48 AM	#8
Kenneth_Moore Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: VIsiting the GIft Shop in the Pit of DIspair Posts: 7,118	Aprilia produces the $10,000 scooter without the $6,000 transmission. Honda goes back to the drawing board, and motorcycling will never be the same. Pete, what's that goofy looking cannister in front of your right knee? An isulated beverage holder? An espresso maker? Would a two-slice toaster and 110vdc inverter fit under the faux gas tank cover? And how long did it take you to stop clenching your left hand uselessly as you shifted gears? __________________ www.kennethmoore.org

04-18-2009, 07:51 AM	#9
mugwump58 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: 43.47N-76.48W Posts: 589	Love the storeage scheme. Of the things that I don't like doing, shifting isn't one of them. Valves, cleaning the chain... sure. As some one noted previously this too isn't for me. But! If it gets more folks on the road I heartily endorse it, not that that means anything to anyone. The more people that ride the more people will become aware of riders, see the "Spring" thread.