Sold my 1400 Stelvio today.....

[pete roper]

Sorry to see it go but it was getting too heavy and Jude wanted the Mana back in service before we get too old to ride together.

Please don't anyone suggest I should look at a V85 🤮 I'd rather stick red hot pins in my penis than ride one of those miserable little shitters.

[po18guy]

And why not? I was looking at the Shiver 750 and then the 900, but Mandello called.

[NEWELL]

On 2/18/2020 at 9:37 PM, pete roper said:

Sorry to see it go but it was getting too heavy and Jude wanted the Mana back in service before we get too old to ride together.

Please don't anyone suggest I should look at a V85 🤮 I'd rather stick red hot pins in my penis than ride one of those miserable little shitters.

Whoa! 

[Kane]

Pete, beside the difference in weight, are there other things about the Mana that lead you to keep it over the Stelvio? Do you like the Mana’s trick transmission?

 

[pete roper]

I've always been a fan of automatic bikes and scooters. My first big trip around the USA was on a 1980 Convert in 2004 and I've always liked 'Twist and Go' machines because for some reason they seem to enrage dimwits and shitgibbons who think they are 'Real'  motorcyclists and only some sort of inferior people would want to ride autos and scooters. I fart on their heads!

In any sort of 'Urban' situation an auto wins hands down but they are also awesome for touring with a pillion as there is none of the lurching when you change gear.

I originally bought the Mana simply because I like Autos but I was also fascinated by the E-CVT, the three ride modes and the faux 'Gear' system. I swiftly realised that as a touring machine it is second to none. I have the full boat of 'Touring' gear on mine which is an NA but I also owned a GT in the US and that was even better, the frame mounted fairing is much superior to the screen on my NA. With the Givi bags and top-box plus the storage compartment where the petrol tank would be on a conventional bike it has enormous carrying capacity and even with a full load of gear and Jude and I on it it will happily sit way above the speed limit for as long as you want it to.

Unlike the other 'Tri-Map' Aprilias the different ride modes are controlled by the TCU and the engine mapping doesn't seem to change appreciably in the different ride modes. In reality I rarely take mine out of 'Touring' mode. The ability to change 'Down' ratios with the 'Gear lever' or paddles is a great boon on steep descents but I rarely use 'Sport Gear', the faux 'Manual' system as I have 'Manual' bikes for that.

The one thing that does let it down in stock trim is the suspension which is poverty pack, bargain basement rubbish. One of my first mods was ro stick Gen 2 Tuono forks and a Hyperpro shock on it and it can now be great fun for giving blokes who reckon they are a bit 'Gun' a hard time in the twisties. With the fork swap came 100mm radial calipers and HH pads so it stops as well as it handles.

Its not light or powerful, (Although it is both lighter and more energetic than a V85!) but it is very easy to ride, it's different in a good way and it's fun!

Why do I prefer it over the Stelvio? Personal choice, lack of weight and suitability to purpose, it's that simple. It's funny, in 2013 I bought a California 1400 'Touring' in the USA. At that time I still owned my Mana GT there. We did a three month tour on that huge black pig and not a day went by when Jude and I didn't say, "Damn! I wish we were on the Mana!" Live and learn eh?

[Lucky Phil]

1 hour ago, pete roper said:

I've always been a fan of automatic bikes and scooters. My first big trip around the USA was on a 1980 Convert in 2004 and I've always liked 'Twist and Go' machines because for some reason they seem to enrage dimwits and shitgibbons who think they are 'Real'  motorcyclists and only some sort of inferior people would want to ride autos and scooters. I fart on their heads!

In any sort of 'Urban' situation an auto wins hands down but they are also awesome for touring with a pillion as there is none of the lurching when you change gear.

I originally bought the Mana simply because I like Autos but I was also fascinated by the E-CVT, the three ride modes and the faux 'Gear' system. I swiftly realised that as a touring machine it is second to none. I have the full boat of 'Touring' gear on mine which is an NA but I also owned a GT in the US and that was even better, the frame mounted fairing is much superior to the screen on my NA. With the Givi bags and top-box plus the storage compartment where the petrol tank would be on a conventional bike it has enormous carrying capacity and even with a full load of gear and Jude and I on it it will happily sit way above the speed limit for as long as you want it to.

Unlike the other 'Tri-Map' Aprilias the different ride modes are controlled by the TCU and the engine mapping doesn't seem to change appreciably in the different ride modes. In reality I rarely take mine out of 'Touring' mode. The ability to change 'Down' ratios with the 'Gear lever' or paddles is a great boon on steep descents but I rarely use 'Sport Gear', the faux 'Manual' system as I have 'Manual' bikes for that.

The one thing that does let it down in stock trim is the suspension which is poverty pack, bargain basement rubbish. One of my first mods was ro stick Gen 2 Tuono forks and a Hyperpro shock on it and it can now be great fun for giving blokes who reckon they are a bit 'Gun' a hard time in the twisties. With the fork swap came 100mm radial calipers and HH pads so it stops as well as it handles.

Its not light or powerful, (Although it is both lighter and more energetic than a V85!) but it is very easy to ride, it's different in a good way and it's fun!

Why do I prefer it over the Stelvio? Personal choice, lack of weight and suitability to purpose, it's that simple. It's funny, in 2013 I bought a California 1400 'Touring' in the USA. At that time I still owned my Mana GT there. We did a three month tour on that huge black pig and not a day went by when Jude and I didn't say, "Damn! I wish we were on the Mana!" Live and learn eh?

Just looking at these mana's Pete because I know nothing about them. The pillion seat look very high to me, is this the case? Totally different bike to a 1400 Cali.

How many dunny rolls did you get for your Stelvio:)

Ciao  

[pete roper]

The seat isn't flat like say a 1970's Tonti. It is after all a *Modern* ish motorbike. Because of the petrol tank being under the seat I suppose they may of raised the arse end a bit more than they would of otherwise of done but another thing we did was get MJM to build us a seat and squab which are much more comfortable than the stocker but the squab is even higher. Luckily Jude being a shortarse this is actually beneficial! If I was married to a Naiomi Campbell type skyscraper model I could see it being an issue but for two ageing fatties it's fine.

As for the Stelvio? I asked $13.5k and got it. An awful lot of work went into it as the 1200 and 1400 motors are very, very different despite their seeming similarities. There was an awful lot went into the build and tune of that bike but little of the work was mine. Most of it was the labour of Michael and Mark.

Pete
 

PS. That's equivalent to about seven dunny rolls at the current exchange rate I reckon!😂🙄