[AseemYadav]

There is no clarity on whether the bookings will be online or at the dealer level. Please let everybody know, if anybody has the info. Knowing the reliability risks, I like everybody else would like to be at the front of the queue on this one. Especially as I missed the bus in March 20, with last of the Yamaha R3 during Covid times. This bike seems to be head and shoulders above the R3 in every aspect. Waiting with bated breath. Both the racing livery and the white colour scheme are looking stupendous. Can somebody who has seen them in flesh shed some light on which one is better.

[SR1602]

Originally Posted by AseemYadav

There is no clarity on whether the bookings will be online or at the dealer level.

As per journos who were at IBW, bookings can be done online. I have been in touch with the MotoPlex showroom near my place and they've informed me to drop in anytime after the 15th to book it. The confusion present now is whether this will only be sold through MotoPlex dealers or all Aprilia/Vespa dealers.

[yatesh.92]

Originally Posted by 2nd_gear_7krpm

With 20% road tax and around 20k for insurance, it would cost about 5 lakhs on road in Bangalore. Add 50k more to load it up with OEM accessories, still it is not a bad deal!

20k for insurance Are you calculating the amount if taken from outside? Because if not, then you're severely undercutting the amount. Insurance cost for the Duke 390 is at 25k and OTR price comes to 3.73 here in Pune as per the quotation. Even if I negotiate, the max reduction I could expect should be around 5-7k. Aprilia being 4.1 lakh ex-showroom, insurance cost should easily be around the 30k ballpark figure.

[2nd_gear_7krpm]

Yes, I generally avoid insurance from the showrooms. They keep significant cut. For eg. insurance for my Honda City (14 lakhs ex-showroom) costed 35k in godigit, whereas showroom gave me a quotation of 48k odd amount. In any case, the 20k above is my best guess, I don't think it should exceed even considering zero dep and a few add ons.

[deep_blue]

This seems to be a great sports bike & its decently priced too. I would love to have it as my 1st motorcycle (only competition now being the Ninja 400, since I keep reading here about the R3 seeming & looking outdated).

My only grouse is I hate how these car & bike manufacturers have begun behaving like cell phone manufacturers. I mean they had a kind of soft launch in September & its taken them 3 months just for a price reveal. Even the website is incomplete & announcements are already made that deliveries are to be made in March - April onwards. The company doesn't seem sure of itself, its product or its sales & service network.

Off course bookings will start immediately as they'll want us to pay but when do we get the test rides/reviews. I don't understand all these delay tactics.

Just for the above, in case Kawasaki matches the price, I just might be tempted to jump the gun. That's where we have to hand it over to companies like Enfield & now (Bajaj) Triumph. Atleast they are taking the Indian customer seriously.

[SR1602]

Went to the showroom again to enquire about the booking amount et all and they're just saying I'll have to wait till the 15th for all the information. I have a feeling that due to the initial fiasco, the upper management has really tightened the noose at the dealer level by giving them details only when required or the showroom personnel themselves are doing so purposedly to avoid problems. Nonetheless, I found out through LinkedIn that the booking amount is Rs.10000 and it will only be sold through the premium MotoPlex dealerships. Also, the showroom manager cleared the air and told me that the pre-booking can only be done online. Normal bookings later should ideally trickle down to the showroom level too.



Also, a few minor observations with the bikes showcased IBW. I am sure they are the very initial level prototypes as some of the journos mentioned that switchgear quality was just average. But as we see in the second picture below, the road-ready model showcased at EICMA with the mirrors and rear fender had a very slightly different layout and everyone in Italy had no such qualms. The IBW models also didn't have the adjustable brake lever which was there on the EICMA model. Hopefully, this isn't a differentiation between the domestically sold models and EU exports.

[akshay.manoli]

I was at IBW, and got a chance to sit on the bike and rev it. But I was not satisfied with the exhaust note. Not sure if it really is a 270 crank - no one from Aprilia team had that info. It was sounding almost like a single. Is it possible to extract some good note using after market exhausts?

[e46]

OT: I am waiting for Benelli to launch the 302R or S, what a sweet sounding engine. I am hopeful they would be able to launch it below 3L.

Should have more service centres as well than Aprilia.

[v4run]

I had a chance to look at the bike at the MotoGP a while back and the fit and finish of the bike is second to none. I feel the 4.1 lakh price tag is a bit too high considering it is local made. I like the white one the most, the pictures don’t do justice. Looks like a proper Italian sport bike. When are the ride reviews happening? And how do we know which showrooms are motoplex?
Knowing aprilia I would wait until 2025 to make a call on this bike. Definitely not the one to be a beta tester.

[SR1602]

Originally Posted by akshay.manoli

I was at IBW, and got a chance to sit on the bike and rev it. But I was not satisfied with the exhaust note. Not sure if it really is a 270 crank - no one from Aprilia team had that info. It was sounding almost like a single. Is it possible to extract some good note using after market exhausts?

It's a 270 crank for sure alright. The thing is that any stock exhaust post BS3 standards will sound very muffled due to the emission norms getting more and more stringent with the passage of every year. An aftermarket exhaust will surely make it louder but if you're expecting that sought-after "vroom vroom" sound, you're not going to get that from any twin cylinder in the market (excluding Benelli's 360-degree twins).

In other news, happened to pass by the showroom during my evening walk. Was happy to see that they're reworking the entire 2nd level solely for the RS. The manager also confirmed that MotoPlex showrooms across the country are going to be repurposed to primarily cater to the RS, possibly a few scooters in addition and of course the existing 5/10 CBUs they will manage to sell every year. The same will apply for the service bays as well.

[2nd_gear_7krpm]

Hello Aprilia India team You can't be serious with this message! I guess now we be rather happy that you're not asking for home mortgage for RS 457! Thank you Aprilia!!

If you need the working capital loan, please let me know. I know a few bankers who can give you a wonderful deal. You may not reach your funding target with just customer advances

[shastryBLR]

I too got the same message from Bangalore Motoplex, No breakup of on road price, no timeline on expected delivery.

Look at the audacity to ask for full ex-showroom price.

Aprillia has created a slightly premium, desirable bike to turn around its fortunes. and the showroom is hell bent on putting them out of business. You are not ferrari my dear sirs!

[SR1602]

Originally Posted by 2nd_gear_7krpm

Hello Aprilia India team You can't be serious with this message! I guess now we be rather happy that you're not asking for home mortgage for RS 457! Thank you Aprilia!!

If you need the working capital loan, please let me know. I know a few bankers who can give you a wonderful deal. You may not reach your funding target with just customer advances

You beat me to it

I was just about to post this screenshot here and ask about the ethical validity of even planning such a scheme let alone executing it. I have pinged the Chennai Motoplex guys asking the same. Will wait for their revert and get back. I think this is only at the dealer level because the Chennai guys completely stopped talking about this priority booking scheme after they first mentioned it sometime in September. But regardless, this totally tarnishing their brand image.

[AtheK]

Point is that there will be many who would want to actually do that, all the youtubers being there main targets, who need to post videos of "First Ever XXX"

I am guessing they will be getting limited numbers initailly and I am sure they will easily be able to sell them out even with this antics. Sad and sorry state but that is what this industry has become.

[SR1602]

I am at a total loss of words right now.....