DRZ to an Aprilia, there is a no comparison. I started on a DRZ400sm and now have an SXV450 they are worlds apart. The DRZ is an every day road/farm bike. The SXV is a race bike with lights on it! As for maintenance, changing the oil does not take over an hour. Once learnt it takes the same time as any mx bike. Service intervals are high because of it's pedigree as a race bike and the fact it only carries 1300cc of engine oil. Also the 690SMC is definitely heavier. These bikes have been road raced as well as supermoto raced the world over and are a proven winning machine. Riding one once does not equal owning/riding/racing one. They are different like most Italian marques, be it car or bike and take a different kind of approach to ownership. I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival in Aus and look forward to many more happy years riding and racing one.
The SXV is, as the report said, an incredibly fun bike to ride. The ownership experience has been mostly positive. I have had no issues with reliability. The big unspoken issue here is frequency and ease of maintenance. One the bike has been derestricted, the SXV requires an oil change with every 4 hours of use. For me that means every weekend I ride equals an oil change. For dirtbike guys this is not a big deal. For someone accustomed to a modern streetbike, it's a pain. Not only are the oil changes frequent, but the design of the bike makes them time consuming. I also have a 2009 Husqvarna 510SMR. The Husky's service interval is also short. (not as short) But, to change the oil on the Husky is a 15-20 min job. On the Aprilia it's more like an hour. I
love riding the Aprilia, but I am not sure how long it will live in my garage.The scream emitted during fast idle from the engine’s internal mechanical flurry and the roar of the sleek and expensive looking 2-into-1-into-2 pipe configuration is wake-the-neighbors loud. But, once the engine is up to temperature, the fast-idle knob can be switched off and the engine settles at 2000 rpm, a far less attention grabbing volume.Punch the throttle and feel the immediate burst of power from the unique 549cc liquid-cooled V-Twin engine. Designed and manufactured in-house by Aprilia, the motor features aluminum cases and a narrow 77-degree cylinder angle that’s said to reduce vibration and eliminate the need to use a counter-balance mechanism. Each piston gobbles up 80 x 55mm dimensions and squeezes fuel to the tune of a 12.1:1 ratio. The top-end consists of twin cylinder heads, each powered by a single chain-driven camshaft actuating four titanium valves.
A dry-sump system engine lubrication system reduces the size of the engine and there’s also separate engine oil and transmission/clutch reservoirs, ala Honda’s CRF250R and CRF450R motocross bikes. This reduces fluid contamination, extending oil life and maintenance intervals.
Right off the bottom, the engine pumps out upwards of 80% of its max torque from as low as 5000 rpm. Torque gradually increases, eventually peaking at 34.8 lb-ft at 9000 revs. This gives the engine such a wide spread of propulsion through its 11,400 rpm range that it makes it difficult not to loft the front wheel through each of the transmission’s five gears.
Despite employing an electronic fuel-injection system, the SXV guzzles down fuel through its twin 40mm throttle bodies like a 5000-lb SUV. In fact, the modest capacity of its 2.1-gallon fuel tank equates to a range of less than 80 miles depending how zealous you get with the right hand. Overall throttle response is excellent and provides a direct feel to what’s happening at the business end of the rear Dunlop tire around the racetrack at speed.
Engine: 549cc liquid-cooled V-Twin, 8-valve SOHC
Bore and Stroke: 80 x 55mm
Compression Ratio: 12.1:1
Fuel Delivery: Fuel-injection
Horsepower: 61.6 hp @ 11,100 rpm
Torque: 34.8 ft-lb @ 9000 rpm
Clutch: Wet multi-plate, cable actuation
Transmission: 5-speed; chain final drive
Final Drive Gearing: 16F/46R
Frame: Hybrid steel-trellis/pressed aluminum
Front Suspension: 48mm Marzocchi inverted fork; 2-way adjustable for compression and rebound damping; 10.8 in. travel
Rear Suspension: Sachs hydraulic shock absorber; 4-way adjustable for high/low-speed compression, rebound and spring preload; 9.9 in. travel
Front Brake: 320mm disc with 4-piston FTE radial-mount caliper
Rear Brake: 240mm disc with single piston caliper
Front Wheel: 3.5 x 17-in.
Rear Wheel: 5.5 x 17-in.
Tires: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifer 120/70-17, 180/55-17
Curb Weight: 313 lbs.
Wheelbase: 58.6 in. Length: 87.5 in.
Seat Height: 36.1 in. Ground Clearance: 12.5 in.
Fuel Capacity: 2.1 gallon MPG: 38
MSRP: $9499
Colors: Black Off
Warranty: Six months, unlimited mileage
