APRILIA Complaints

EVERY TIME IT RAINS OR THERE IS WATER ON THE ROAD THAT SPLASHES UP WHEN YOU GO THROUGH IT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FOR LIGHTS AND PANEL FLICKER ON AND OFF AND GO OUT CAUSING ME TO PULL OVER UNTIL WHAT EVER HAPPENED GOES BACK ON. SINCE THERE ARE RURAL AREAS, NO LIGHTS ARE AVAILABLE TO SEE BY. ONGOING SINCE WE GOT THE CAR, BUT SINCE WE MOVED UP TO OREGON IN 2007 IT HAS INCREASED DUE TO RAIN.

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE FREEWAY ON MY MOTORCYCLE AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BIKE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND KEEP IN THE LANE. I WAS IN A HIGH WIND AREA AND THOUGHT IT MUST BE THAT BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE BRAND NEW AND HAD LESS THAN 100 MILES ON THEM. ABOUT 2 MILES LATER IT FELT LIKE I HIT SOMETHING METAL THOUGH THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE LANE AND A FEW SECONDS LATER IT FELT LIKE I HIT SOMETHING AGAIN, WHICH I REALIZE NOW WAS PROBABLY THE TIRE COMING OFF THE RIM. A FEW SECONDS AFTER THAT I WAS ON THE FINAL CURVE LEADING UP TO THE BENICIA MARTINEZ BRIDGE AND I HEARD AN AUDIBLE BANG FROM MY LEFT SIDE AND FELT PRESSURE AGAINST MY LEFT LEG AND THE BIKE WAS FORCED INTO THE LEFT LANE AND INTO TRAFFIC WHO NARROWLY AVOIDED ME. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE BIKE AND PULL IT OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD ON THE LEAD UP TO THE BENICIA MARTINEZ BRIDGE. THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT AND OFF THE RIM. PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT I HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING AND THE BIKE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. I WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES INTO MY TRIP. THE TIRES WERE BOTH BRAND NEW AND HAD BEEN MOUNTED AND BALANCED BY A MOTORCYCLE SHOP THAT IS WELL REGARDED IN THE AREA.

THIS VEHICLE HAD A FAILED STATOR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE STATOR IS THE CHARGING SYSTEM. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT AS APRILIA HAS ISSUED AN UPDATED PART #. JUST ONE DEALER IN THE US HAS SOLD 185 OF THE REPLACEMENT NEW PART # STATORS. THIS EFFECTS ALL 2011-2015 TUONO V4 IN THE US WHICH THERE IS APPROX. 1000 UNITS IN THE FIELD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 APRILIA SHIVER 750. WHILE RIDING AT 60 MPH, THE MOTORCYCLE STALLED AND SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO CYCLE ONE MOTORSPORTS (46 N ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL, ORLANDO, FL 32805, (407) 292-5366) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECU NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

WHILE APPLYING THE FRONT BRAKE, THE HANDLEBARS ROTATED IN THE ATTACHMENT CLAMPS, CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF CONTROL AND CRASH. THE DRIVER WENT OVER THE HANDLEBARS, AND THE MOTORCYCLE LANDED ON TOP OF HIM. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS ON A HIGHWAY, BUT ALMOST STOPPED.

THE BIKE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY IN 4TH GEAR TRAVELING AT ABOUT 60MPH AND THE ENGINE CUT OUT. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT APPEARED ON THE DASH OR ANY OTHER APPARENT INDICATION OF A FAULT ON THE BIKE. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. I THEN EXERCISED ALL OF THE SWITCHES: THE TURN SIGNAL, THE HIGH BEAM, THE SIDE STAND, THE CLUTCH, BOTH BREAK PEDALS, THE LED LIGHT SWITCH, THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND THE HEATED GRIPS BUT THE BIKE WOULD STILL NOT RESTART. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF FOR 2-3 MINUTES AND WAS ABLE TO TURN IT BACK ON AND GET THE BIKE RESTARTED. I DROVE FOR ANOTHER MILE AND THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE BIKE RESTARTED. I CHECKED THE CONNECTIONS THAT I HAD ACCESS TO: FUSES, HAND CONTROLS, TIP OVER SENSOR AND THEY ALL SEEMED TO BE FULLY SEATED. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES, THE BIKE STARTED AGAIN WITH NO REASONABLE INFORMATION AS TO WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE REASON.

I WAS RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE IN THE DAY TIME LATE SUMMER 2014, THEN DECIDED TO STOP AT THE BARBER SHOP FOR A HAIR CUT. I PARKED THE MOTORCYCLE IN FRONT THEN WENT INSIDE. WHEN MY HAIR CUT WAS FINISHED, I GOT ON THE BIKE THEN TRIED TO START IT BUT IT WOULD NOT START. I TRIED PUSH STARTING IT, JUMPING IT, AND STILL NO STARTING. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY SO IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED PARTS AND STARTED THE MOTORCYCLE. THIS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AFTERWARDS, ABOUT TWICE MORE THAT SAME YEAR, THEN THE NEXT YEAR, SPRING 2015, IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THIS TIME IT LEFT ME STRANDED DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN. ON EACH OCCASION THE MOTORCYCLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER, EACH TIME THEY REPLACED A PART, UNDER WARENTY, WHICH ALLOWED THE MOTORCYCLE TO START AGAIN. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, 2016, MY WARENTY HAD EXPIRED BEFORE IT HAPPENED AGAIN, I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO COMPLAIN EACH OCCASION. AFTER THE WARENTY HAD EXPIRED, THEY REFUSED TO HELP ME AND BECAME IRATE AND DISRESPECTFUL DURING THE CONVERSATION. NOW AGAIN, SPRINT 2017, MY MOTORCYCLE WILL NOT START.

PLASTIC FUEL TANK DEFORMATION RESULTING IN MOUNTING BOLTS NO LONGER LINING UP WITH HOLES. FUEL TANK IS UNABLE TO BE SECURED PROPERLY ANY MORE. THIS IS NOT A RESULT OF IMPROPER USE OR DAMAGE, BUT BY BAD DESIGN.

THIS COMPLAINT CONCERNS THE STATOR (CHARGING) ASSEMBLY FOR THE APRILIA TUONO V4. IN MY EXPERIENCE, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY CHARGING SYSTEM, AT MY COST, BECAUSE THE STATOR BURNED ITSELF UP, PREVENTING THE CHARGING OF THE BATTERY. IN READING A FORUM FOR THIS BIKE, IT IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AND HAS CAUSED MANY TO BE STRANDED. MY STATOR BURNED ITSELF UP WITH MY ODOMETER SHOWING 8,113 MILES. APRILIA HAS PRODUCED A NEW, UPDATED STATOR AND ROTOR ASSEMBLY, BUT REFUSES TO RECALL THE MOTORCYCLE TO CHANGE THIS $350 ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START MY MOTORCYCLE AND THE VOLTAGE WAS LESS THAN REQUIRED FROM THE BATTERY. MANY OWNERS BELIEVE THE BATTERY IS THE INITIAL CULPRIT AND REPLACE IT ERRANTLY.

THE VEHICLE, A 2012 APRILIA TUONO V4R, STALLED WHILE IN TRANSIT ALMOST RESULTING IN A CRASH. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM WAS ACTING ERRATICALLY AS INDICATED BY THE DASHBOARD SETTINGS AND A WARNING LIGHT WAS FLASHING. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER THE NEXT SHUTDOWN. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF AN ISSUE AND HAS ISSUED A REVISED PART IDENTIFIED HERE: HTTP://WWW.AF1RACING.COM/STORE/SCRIPTS/PRODVIEW.ASP?IDPRODUCT=40351 THE ISSUE IS DOCUMENT BY MULTIPLE OWNERS HERE: HTTP://WWW.APRILIAFORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?302525-RICKS-MOTORSPORT-VS-APRILIA-STATOR&HIGHLIGHT=BURNT+STATOR THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT RECALLED THE DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, ISSUED GUIDANCE, OR RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. I HAVE TESTED AND REMOVED MY STATOR AND A PICTURE IS ATTACHED TO THIS COMPLAINT.