I will pay to test ride a Futura

[RRdvark]

Seriously.  I want to buy either a Triumph Sprint ST or an Aprilia Futura.  I test rode a Sprint Wednesday (08 ABS model), but now I need to ride a Futura before I can make a decision.  I've found a selection of them for sale around the country, but none close enough to me (central Indiana) for a test ride.

So if there is anybody in the central Indiana/Indianapolis area with a Futura that wants some extra folding money (be reasonable), let me know.  I am willing to ride my 600RR to your location and you can ride it while I ride the Futura to make sure I behave.

I feel pretty silly posting this (like some teenager trying to scam a joyride) but I can't think of any other way to throw a leg over one.

[Stray Cat]

The Future is a great riding bike. Two things though. One make sure that the PO or somebody through the history of the bike has done the alternator wiriing fix. If not you'll be doing it. Check the Aprilia forums. Not a big deal but....

Second, you will never, ever see what's behind you with those usless mirrors. They are worthless. Even GSXR mirror mods is worthless.
Other than that, they are a great riding bike.

[Lawn Dart]

The Futura was so far ahead of it's time.   If it had ABS, I'd have bought one.

[Orson]

I'm curious to know if Aprilia might still have some unsold Futuras sitting in a warehouse somewhere  

Anyone hear anything about that?

[evilted]

I'm curious to know if Aprilia might still have some unsold Futuras sitting in a warehouse somewhere  

Anyone hear anything about that?

In October 2007, right before I found my '05 Sprint ST 1050, I had tried several times to buy a freshly uncrated Flame Red 2004 Aprilia Futura with 0 miles from a guy in Woodstock, GA who had worked at Aprilia's US headquarters there.  I think his ask was $8k.

Anyway, in spite of the fact that he had the bike listed on craigslist, and I called him several times asking to see the bike, he only called back once and never set up a time for me to see the bike.  I got the sense he wasn't that serious about selling.

Maybe it's still crated up someplace?

[Snowbird]

Second, you will never, ever see what's behind you with those usless mirrors. They are worthless. Even GSXR mirror mods is worthless.
Other than that, they are a great riding bike.

Yeah, don't buy the bike if you are wider than the mirrors.

[RRdvark]

Thanks for the tips guys.  I'm riding a 600RR now so I am familiar with worthless mirrors - I don't think I've owned a bike with mirrors that showed anything but my elbows.

[chornbe]

At least the Futura sits you up more so you can turn your head more than 8 degrees to look around. Mirrors are just there for law makers

[servicerifle]

I'm curious to know if Aprilia might still have some unsold Futuras sitting in a warehouse somewhere  

Anyone hear anything about that?

Funny you should ask...

When I was doing recon for ESTN 2007, I went to an Aprilia dealer in Western NC.  Didn't see any Aprilias in his showroom, only Chinese scooters and the like, so I asked the guy at the counter.  He was the owner, he said, and he had about 8-9 brand new Aprilias in the basement.  Aprilia had not completed the paperwork allowing him to sell them, and he'd not technically purchased them yet...they were just sitting there, and had been for a few years.  Wonder whatever happened to them?

[RRdvark]

Funny you should ask...

When I was doing recon for ESTN 2007, I went to an Aprilia dealer in Western NC.  Didn't see any Aprilias in his showroom, only Chinese scooters and the like, so I asked the guy at the counter.  He was the owner, he said, and he had about 8-9 brand new Aprilias in the basement.  Aprilia had not completed the paperwork allowing him to sell them, and he'd not technically purchased them yet...they were just sitting there, and had been for a few years.  Wonder whatever happened to them?

Dealer name?

[servicerifle]

Honestly I don't know.  But...I poked around on Google and even looked at street view at a bunch of dealerships in the area, I THINK it is "Rick's Cycle" in Valdese.

[RRdvark]

Okay, maybe the test ride thing isn't going to happen.  Anybody ridden both a Futura and a Sprint?  Can you give me a comparison of the two?  Power?  Handling?  Comfort?

[evilted]

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,40207.0.html

Okay, maybe the test ride thing isn't going to happen.  Anybody ridden both a Futura and a Sprint?  Can you give me a comparison of the two?  Power?  Handling?  Comfort?

[RRdvark]

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,40207.0.html

Thanks for the link evilted!

[Castaway]

The Futura is one of the bikes I search CL and Ebay for when I'm in need of cool bike daydreaming. There was one for sale in CT recently - it had less than 5K on it and the seller only wanted $3500. Hard to resist.

[Dan K]

Check http://jaxed.com - and choose the 'mash' category.  

It searches motorcycles by model and make and year across ebay, craigslist and more.

That's where I play when day dreaming (and actually searching for a bike, although I prefer to buy from a forum so I can check out the seller in a bit more detail, have support of community, etc.)

There's a $3900 black futura with 36k miles for sale in Minneapolis, nothing else.  Slim pickins.

- Dan

[RRdvark]

With searchtempest I found a couple within two hours of my house that didn't show up searching through google or other methods.  Hoping to go look at one (or a couple on Sunday).

I've emailed with the guy in MN - he also had it listed on the apriliaforum classifieds.  I really like the black ones (asphalt gray, I think it's called), but I'm more worried about mileage than colors right now.  There's a black one in eastern PA (26k miles) and another one at AF1 in Texas (40k miles).

[Snowbird]

Be patient an look through the winter. When I was looking, fewer bikes we listed from now until February.

[RRdvark]

Be patient an look through the winter. When I was looking, fewer bikes we listed from now until February.

How many miles do you have on your Futura, Snowbird?

[Snowbird]

How many miles do you have on your Futura, Snowbird?

66k on one, 22k on the other. The one with 66k had the living shjt ran out of it-- by me-- and received a lower miles motor transplant.