I was that 50-60 year old guy who walked into an aprilia/moto-guzzi shop in So-Cal about four years ago. My eye first caught hold of a brand new "red and gold" Rosso Corsa. It's $14,995 sticker was more than I was willing to spend, but the next bike I looked at, an '03 RSV Mille, was priced just about the same. I fell in love with the V11 but aprilia was racing Moto GP at the time and I ended up with a SL Mille Falco, before finally realizing my first love.
This article is right on the money!