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PETE WRITES......"I first became attracted to the
Aprilia Moto 6.5 when I saw it in the pictures from the European motorcycle shows in
CycleWorld and Rider magazine in 1995. Last Spring, my wife and I took a trip to Italy and
located a Moto 6.5 in an Aprilia dealer in Lucca on the road to Pisa. The dealer
said that he was willing to sell me the bike and ship it to me in the US. We later
communicated by fax with the assistance of computer translation software and consumated
the deal. I wired the lire and they put the bike on the boat. Some three months after the process began, I had the bike and I was a happy man. It has a Rotax engine and rides very much like a BMW 650 Funduro, but looks a hell of a lot slicker! CIAO." |
Pete sends a fact sheet on the uniquely designed machine with some of the
"particulars." The Rotax is a 650 CC, five valve, DOHC single cylinder. The
oval-frame chassis wears wire-spoked wheels and alloy rims with a fat high-profile rear
tire. The entire physical appearance of the machine is due to the vision of just one
man...this is a rare concept in today's world of corporate decisioning. Aprilia left the
styling work to Philippe Starck, a French kitchenware and furniture designer. It's
sensous, low-slung tank and rounded tail piece reminds us of both the Ducati Monster and
the HD Buell with a distinctness of its' own.
We got to see the bike at the Hawkins' Benefit Ride in Balboa Park and it is a
head-turner. The advertised weight is 330 pounds with 42 horsepower at 5500rpm. We dunno
about vibration at that engine speed. We'll have to ask Pete.
The entire machine is monocolored in a soft grey color broken only by the seats' silver
fabric and the orange accent color highlighting the mollusc-like fuel tank. Cool ride,
Peter!
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