Aprilia vs Kawazaki

[cam777]

I recently had my Shiver 750 stolen so am now looking for a replacement. I've narrowed the choices down to another Shiver (900) or a Z900. There's not really anything to sway me one way or the other - same age (19 plate), price, mileage. The only thing I can say for sure is that I prefer the exhaust sound of the Aprilia, but I'm not sure that's a good enough reason!! Appreciate any more practical guidance!

[Ian Frog]

Which Z900 are you looking at?

The RS is quite nice to ride but does suffer from being a marmite attempt at a retro.

Cheers

Ian

[husoi]

My (very) personal opinion:

Kawasaky

Japanese

Best quality

more advanced technologically

Japanese

Better looking

Aprillia

Italian

Entry level bike

Italian

Italian

(Note, I really rally really don't like italian machines)

[Ian Frog]

My (very) personal opinion:

Kawasaky

Japanese

Best quality

more advanced technologically

Japanese

Better looking

Aprillia

Italian

Entry level bike

Italian

Italian

(Note, I really rally really don't like italian machines)

 

Thanks for pointing out your bias I wouldn't have noticed lol.

You clearly have never ridden a Ducati then.

Fair point about the entry level of the Aprillia though.

Also if to op uses for long distance I would be prepared to bet the Kawasaki will be a lot more comfortable.

Cheers

Ian

[Six30]

i'd say the kwaka over the shiver, but if you said the Dorsoduro and the kwak .....thats a different matter

 

[Tiggie]

I skipped over the bit that said shiver and assumed you was talking about an RSV as that's the first bike that comes to mind when mentioning aprillia.

And then you both started agreeing that it was an entry level bike and I got scared and confused

[cam777]

I think the Z900 is just the standard model (if there's such thing...), it doesn't mention the RS.

I had seen the 'entry level' of the Shiver - the last one was my first bike so that was definitely appropriate so maybe I should go kawa and avoid looking like a novice!

[S-Westerly]

I really like Italian bikes, can't help myself. My current Ducati has been a pleasure and, touch wood, very reliable.

I also like Japanese bikes and British and German and Austrian and American and even Indian. Basically everything except Chinese.

Them I really don't like and I freely admit that is a personal thing and rapidly expanding to everything made in that benighted country.

[Six30]

I really like Italian bikes, can't help myself. My current Ducati has been a pleasure and, touch wood, very reliable.

I also like Japanese bikes and British and German and Austrian and American and even Indian. Basically everything except Chinese.

Them I really don't like and I freely admit that is a personal thing and rapidly expanding to everything made in that benighted country.

 

my neighbour had a Ducati, he had it running all day once , i had to go round and complain about the noise ... turned out he was doing some concreting , wasn't the bike at all....

 

[S-Westerly]

I really like Italian bikes, can't help myself. My current Ducati has been a pleasure and, touch wood, very reliable.

I also like Japanese bikes and British and German and Austrian and American and even Indian. Basically everything except Chinese.

Them I really don't like and I freely admit that is a personal thing and rapidly expanding to everything made in that benighted country.

 

my neighbour had a Ducati, he had it running all day once , i had to go round and complain about the noise ... turned out he was doing some concreting , wasn't the bike at all....

540x360.jpg

It has been commented that the V-twin has a certain not very discreet sound. On overrun passing grumpy old ladies with their grumpy little Pekes it does cause a degree of animosity.

[Six30]

I really like Italian bikes, can't help myself. My current Ducati has been a pleasure and, touch wood, very reliable.

I also like Japanese bikes and British and German and Austrian and American and even Indian. Basically everything except Chinese.

Them I really don't like and I freely admit that is a personal thing and rapidly expanding to everything made in that benighted country.

 

my neighbour had a Ducati, he had it running all day once , i had to go round and complain about the noise ... turned out he was doing some concreting , wasn't the bike at all....

540x360.jpg

It has been commented that the V-twin has a certain not very discreet sound. On overrun passing grumpy old ladies with their grumpy little Pekes it does cause a degree of animosity.

 

best thing about the v twin

[Ian Frog]

You should hear a ZRX on the over run !

Pop and bang doesn't begin to do it justice and I fookin love it lol.

Cheers

Ian

[cam777]

I really like Italian bikes, can't help myself. My current Ducati has been a pleasure and, touch wood, very reliable.

I also like Japanese bikes and British and German and Austrian and American and even Indian. Basically everything except Chinese.

Them I really don't like and I freely admit that is a personal thing and rapidly expanding to everything made in that benighted country.

 

my neighbour had a Ducati, he had it running all day once , i had to go round and complain about the noise ... turned out he was doing some concreting , wasn't the bike at all....

540x360.jpg

 

How did your neighbour feel (and every other Ducati owners!) about his bike being mistaken for a cement mixer!!!

I think it makes more sense to go with the Kawazaki, more power and it has some great reviews with a really reliable reputation. Now to see if any dealers are actually open for business!

[Six30]

I really like Italian bikes, can't help myself. My current Ducati has been a pleasure and, touch wood, very reliable.

I also like Japanese bikes and British and German and Austrian and American and even Indian. Basically everything except Chinese.

Them I really don't like and I freely admit that is a personal thing and rapidly expanding to everything made in that benighted country.

 

my neighbour had a Ducati, he had it running all day once , i had to go round and complain about the noise ... turned out he was doing some concreting , wasn't the bike at all....

540x360.jpg

 

How did your neighbour feel (and every other Ducati owners!) about his bike being mistaken for a cement mixer!!!

 

[The Hitcher]

My (very) personal opinion:

Kawasaky

Japanese

Best quality

more advanced technologically

Japanese

Better looking

Aprillia

Italian

Entry level bike

Italian

Italian

(Note, I really rally really don't like italian machines)

 

Nothing wrong with Aprilias,they make great bikes, only thing I think that goes against one a bit is the dealer network is smaller and parts can take longer to get than a Kawasaki, both good bikes though.

[The Hitcher]

I really like Italian bikes, can't help myself. My current Ducati has been a pleasure and, touch wood, very reliable.

I also like Japanese bikes and British and German and Austrian and American and even Indian. Basically everything except Chinese.

Them I really don't like and I freely admit that is a personal thing and rapidly expanding to everything made in that benighted country.

 

my neighbour had a Ducati, he had it running all day once , i had to go round and complain about the noise ... turned out he was doing some concreting , wasn't the bike at all....

540x360.jpg

 

How did your neighbour feel (and every other Ducati owners!) about his bike being mistaken for a cement mixer!!!

 

 

The new ones don’t have dry clutches anymore, they still are very grabby and annoying to try and launch though.

[S-Westerly]

Only when they're not warmed up. Start my engine then tog up with helmet and gloves and annoy my neighbours then off I go, usually without snatching.

[The Hitcher]

Sorry, yes they’re fine for normal pulling away I meant more trying to do a quick launch on it, really hard to do, but it’s always been a bit of a weak point with Ducati sports bikes so I’m told.

[Guest Richzx6r]

You should hear a ZRX on the over run !

Pop and bang doesn't begin to do it justice and I fookin love it lol.

Cheers

Ian

 

I must admit I do like the over run on the zx6 too with a straight through fuel exhaust and I cant help myself

[Guest Swagman]

Just as a personal choice I would go with the Kwak, my mate has one and it’s a great bike, handles well plenty of power, nice finishes to it good all round bike.

[elwon20]

Can't speak for the Shiver, but both of my old RS125's were the most unreliable bikes I've ever owned.

I loved it to bits... I'd have another if I could afford to have some other bugger maintain it for me.

Love Aprilia's... hated the constant maintenance/repairs on the two I owned. Brake discs warping, callipers getting seized, various cables snapping left right and center, front headlight falling off inside its mount. You name it lol. And that's on top of all of the expected 2-stroke/carb maintenance.

However, it's possible that in the last 20 years they've become a lot more reliable, or that the RS125 model was just a one off unreliable model amongst a bunch of otherwise reliable Aprilia models. But then again they're Italian so it's equally likely they haven't and the problems affected all of them! xD

[Guest Swagman]

Can't speak for the Shiver, but both of my old RS125's were the most unreliable bikes I've ever owned.

I loved it to bits... I'd have another if I could afford to have some other bugger maintain it for me.

Love Aprilia's... hated the constant maintenance/repairs on the two I owned. Brake discs warping, callipers getting seized, various cables snapping left right and center, front headlight falling off inside its mount. You name it lol. And that's on top of all of the expected 2-stroke/carb maintenance.

However, it's possible that in the last 20 years they've become a lot more reliable, or that the RS125 model was just a one off unreliable model amongst a bunch of otherwise reliable Aprilia models. But then again they're Italian so it's equally likely they haven't and the problems affected all of them! xD

My mate had a 2016 model from new as you said cables snapped on it in the first year battery stopped charging generator gave out in second year so traded it for a mt10.