By Diablo_Mille_R on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 06:24 am:

Just bitten the bullet and will take my bike to Motosport Wareham for the next service, booked in for 3rd July, so now I need to get the rest of the miles on it (my excuse to ride it anyway). Had a talk with Darren (nee of Marks Aprilia) who remembered me from when I had the last service done in December at Marks. Learnt some stuff I did not know about:

1. Aprilia are changing OE oil from Putoline 15/50 Syntec 4 to Motrex. I don't know the grade of Motrex or the reason, maybe someone else knows?

2. I mentioned the fact I have an aftermarket airkit and it is lockwired on making access to the throttle bodies tricky for balancing and stuff. I said 'so you want me to put the std box on for service then you are not messing with lockwire and stuff?'. He went quiet for a bit, then said this type (and the Aprilia SP box) have been specifically marked as racetrack use only by Aprilia. I'm not just talking about the rene box, the make is not an issue here, but any plate plus filter using the tank as half the airbox setup. Evidently Ducati have this setup and have had a load of warranty claims for dirt ingress into the engine, despite the filter being fitted. Because of this Aprilia have stated that any airbox/airkit that does not use the std filter position and airflow, and has a sealed airbox fed from the front is not for road use. Read into this what you will, but from what I see they are saying if you get some dirt into the engine and it messes something up, Aprilia will not be held responsible, IE no warranty.

Is there anyone who has an ear to the ground with Aprilia UK who has more info than this?

Obviously I'm a little concerned about the problems Ducati have had in the past using a simialr setup to mine.

Later,
RichDMR  

By Rca on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 07:25 am:

DMR,

I reckon what you need is an understanding and sympathetic dealer who will keep quiet about mods when it comes to warranty claims where the mod isn't the direct cause of the failure.

Although, if an aftermarket part is the direct cause of the problem then a claim should be made against the aftermarket part supplier. Even if the supplier says a part is for 'race use only', they can't ignore the 'fit for purpose' laws, and in the case of an air-filter box and filter, if it doesn't filter then you can make a claim against the filter manufacturer for consequential losses aswell as the cost of the filter.

Russell  

By Powermaster on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 09:03 am:

Good one, RCA, and does your "fit for purpose" include the fitter or is he out of trouble, BTW, what Ducati filter are we talking about, last time I checked mine I did not see one.
So if you buy an accessory from Aprilia that is not homologated for road use, it invalidates your warranty? Well that can only be good news for us accessory manufacturers  

By Spoof on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 10:03 am:

I had one dealer tell me that fitting the RSC pipes and chip would keep the warranty intact, then I had another (much more trustworthy to my mind) dealer tell me that any aftermarket can, "aprilia sanctioned" or not, would technically "void" the warranty. So I went and scooped up some Renegades.

I do find the airbox issues to be a valid concern and I live in a pretty dusty area. I just do regular inspections and so far there are not even minute signs of dust around the filter or the plate base on my airkit. I hope it stays that way!

BTW, I'd sure like to know the viscosity on the new oil.  

By Befbever on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 10:25 am:

1. My manuel (he's from Barcelona) says Aprilia recommends Agip Extra Raid 15w50, not Putoline.
2. Ducati's break. Period.

I think my stock clutch wasn't for road use. Is that why they won't validate my warranty claim then? Aaah, that clears up a thing or two.  

By Diablo_Mille_R on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 11:26 am:

Jorge,

All the info I have is above, hence I was aking if anyone knew more. I don't know which Ducati(s) the problems were on. From what I know you are spot on when you say if any non homolgated part is fitted (Aprilia, RSC or otherwise) it will be frowned upon. Hence Aprilia's own SP airbox kit is not for road use.

Bef, saying Ducati's break may be correct, but surely so has your Aprilia clutch

I'm heading to the dealer on 3rd July, I'll see if I can learn some more then, and feed it back here.

Cheers,
Rich 

By Crmc33 on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 10:49 pm:

whats a warranty?

Yours fatefully

Warren T. Claim 

By Crmc33 on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 10:58 pm:

....and another thing (I know nobody takes any notice anymore!)

Ive probably mentioned it in the past but if you are fitting the Rene airkit or have done already, please please please make sure that the base plate seals properly against the fuel injector bodies. I needed to make up the famous mousey mat gasket to do this as there was daylight between the two, which in a very dusty environment is not nice to peter piston and billy bores.

Just general common sense really. Once this is sealed then I dont expect a problem of dirt ingress after fitting the airkit as the actual filter seems good quality.

Aprilia are just covering their asses with the non-std air filter thing. I think I would say exactly the same thing if I were the manufacturer. 

By Benw on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 11:22 pm:

Aprilia got rid of Putoline a while ago. It's all about sponsorship, not about which oil you should use. I was talking to the Aprilia dealer rep from the factory a while ago and he was saying that they were swapping manufacturers to someone else who could/would give more money in sponsorship.

B  

By Crmc33 on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 11:37 pm:

Thatll explain why Duc*ti have just switched to Mazola 

By Rca on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 - 01:35 am:

Powermaster,

...does your "fit for purpose" include the fitter or is he out of trouble...

The answer is: yes, the fitter is liable if he doesn't fit it properly.

Russell

PS I was raised in the US and don't recognise sarcasm.  

By Powermaster on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 - 03:38 pm:

Thank you RCA, I can sleep in peace now. No, my comments were not sarcasm intended, I just wanted to make the point that one should not always blame the product as the person who fits it is many times is the cause. I give you an example, I fitted many Airkit and never have I notice the throtle get stuck, however I keep reading about this and cutting the rubber, bla,bla, makes me wonder?
Regards

Diablo the 916 generation, don't have air filters.
As for the filter we use , we are very confident that if fitted properlly thare should be no reason to be alarmed, if Paris Dakar bikes and Rally cars don't have a problem with them I very much doubt if road bikes will. However like many I don't take chances and at every opportunity I have I check any bike that turns up at the factory with fitted Rene airkit. I also do non stop checks on our in house tester's bike, MR Mental  

By Spoof on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 - 04:11 pm:

Surely if you add a bit of caulking the warranty would still be honored. 

By Bonerp on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 - 11:05 pm:

Phew, glad I only spent £38 on an Evo filter then
!!!!

Seriously, this issue with the Duc's, do they have a website like this, with a forum? Maybe someone dare go in (and dare you to mention you own an Aprilia!!!) and ask the questions of their bikes?  

By Mental_Trev on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 01:31 am:

---

Quote:

I also do non stop checks on our in house tester's bike, Mr Mental

---

By Crmc33 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 02:55 am:

it takes along time to remove grit from inside the engine!

Good game, good game,
Anthea, give us a twirl,
nice, and what are the scores on the bores

 

By Crmc33 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 03:55 am:

Quite an interesting website...
 

By Daz on Thursday, June 20, 2002 - 05:41 am:

By Richandall on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 07:45 am:

Interesting Fact #207

- If you're low on oil your clutch makes crunching noises on fast downchanges.

I added nearly a litre of Putoline's best cooking oil and the crunching stopped. So, That's a Fact.

Which raises a Request for Interesting Fact #208.

How much oil do you consume per 1000 miles?

In this case, 1 litre in 2,500 miles. Which seems a bit steep for a bike that a) don't leak, b) don't smoke and c) don't chew baccy and spit.

Any ideas?

- Rich

 

By Befbever on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 12:36 am:

Half a litre between services has always been the standard for me.
Now with the 10w40 after 1000 miles, no oil consumption detected yet.

OTE 

By Taffrsv on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 12:41 am:

I agree with Bef here, my bike always burnt oil using full syn, swapped to semi syn 10-40 no problems now.

Taff  

By Crmc33 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 04:21 am:

mines done about
4000 litres per mile

I think thats right?

mostly on 10-40 semi, now on 15-50 full mineral pork dripping. Clutch still slipping wiv the ficker stuff.

Will be going back to 10-40 semi soon. 

By Befbever on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 05:45 am:

Was that 'semi soon' or '10-40 semi'?

You still in Sauerkrautland, C.? 

By Crmc33 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 06:03 am:

it was semi synth, soon.

I am indeed in the land of Germanium.
Off to the UK for 9 days on Thurstag tho. In auto unfortunately.  

By Befbever on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 06:12 am:

Ah, I mite be off to Blighty for a day myself this week. Provided I can walk.
Perhaps we can meet? Say, around Swanly?  

By Crmc33 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 07:09 am:

Do you mean Stanley?
It may be part of the UK but the Falklands is just too far. Even in a Skoda. 

By Befbever on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 07:55 am:

SWANLY! Close to Brands Hatch?
Exit 3?
No?
Hello?
Olivia?
 

By Powermaster on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 12:18 pm:

oh Dear, those verrucas are killing me.