My decal kit arrived from Italy today from Decalmoto.com First impressions are that it looks fairly decent for the money, I'll give an update when I start to install it.
Note: The green looks more green in the flesh, maybe my camera/ office/ monitor makes it look more blue than it is?
Max Biaggi, the Roman Emperor needs no introduction but for those who need a refresher he is a 4 x 250cc Grand Prix World champion, 3 x Aprilia, 1 x Honda and 2 x World Super Bike Champion both on an Aprilia. Max is most famous for his black Chesterfield Aprilia 250 but what people maybe don't realise is that Max cut his teeth in the ultra competitive Italian 125cc Sport Production championship and won it in 1990 on board an AF1 Futura.
At the recent Aprilia All Stars event at the Misano race track Biaggi stopped by the Duo Tempi Bei Tempi club stand to pose with and sign their Futura bike.
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| RSV250 Grand Prix bike |
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| Biaggi on board the Futura |
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| Biaggi's Af1 Futura |
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| The Emperor |
In order to move this project on I have taken the nuclear option and applied to take the AF1 to Stafford in October as there is nothing like a deadline to create motivation!
First thing was to get the rear subframe and swingarm off and get them to the powder coaters. I hit a small hurdle in the fact I don't have the swing arm main pivot lock ring tool, but a screwdriver and hammer moved that. I removed the rear hub, rear shock then main swing arm pivot and then finally the swing arm.
With the swingarm off the chain sliders were removed and the lower one has broken, so replacements will need to be sourced, and the bearings removed for painting.
Taking the back end off and seeing the wheels also confirmed I need to look at getting these painted also.
Other progress: I ordered the decal kit of e-bay and started to clean a lot of the loose parts.
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| a few chips on the rim, meaning these need paining |
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| rear subframe ready for painting |
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| swingarm ready for painting |
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| cleaning up the rear of the engine case and frame mount |
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| rear shock and alloy rocker cleaned |
Here is a great picture from the 1987 Milan motorcycle show showing the Replica version of the AF1 Project 108. As you can see the bike has slightly different colours with red on the tank and more green on the side panel and a green number spot on the tail, but the biggest change is that it also features a single headlight.
It is common for manufacturers to display non-production ready machines or display machines in differing colours to test the market, or maybe the headlight fairing just wasn't ready in time for the show? I have also heard that twin headlights only became legal in Italy in 88, so maybe aprilia updated the bike to take advantage of this, but that needs fact checking. Either way its another piece of the model time-line.
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| image 1987 Milan Motorcycle Show |
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| production version of the AF1 Replica |
Motorcycle Mechanics magazine have a feature called 'Bay-watch' where they look out for projects on platforms such as eBay hence the Baywatch pun! This month they spotted a 88 Sintesi AF1 project priced at an extremely cheap price of £425, but with a catch as the bike is located in France. I have have checked the website Leboncoin which is where I suspect the bike was but it has gone. For those not familiar with Leboncoin here are all the AF1 related bikes currently for sale. Anyway here is the feature.
Back in 1992 I bought my (at the time) dream bike, a 1991 Aprilia AF1 Futura, reg number J671 JOR. This bike was a UK specification machine with the twin headlights, which at the time I thought they were quite ugly (love them now!) compared to the faired in Italian version. The UK version was specific for our market and actually differed quite a bit form the original Italian spec machine which makes it an interesting model. It actually has more in common with the later Italian spec GE and GR models than the FM type Futura, even in the owners handbook the drawing of the Futura had the GR type seat unit.
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| My original owners manual for the UK spec Futura |
Here are the main differences:
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| Type FM 1990 |
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| Type UK - 1991 |
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| Type GR - 1991 |
The FM model uses what looks like Sintesi parts, certainly the sprocket guard, 38mm front fork and mudgaurd are. the frame is Sintesi based but a little wider at the top to accommodate the different sized tank. The updated components used on the UK bike remained the same until the AF1 was discontinued.
According to the 125 Stradali the type GE 1991 ran from the 25th September 1990 and was updated to GR spec on the 31st Jan 91."Curiously, the approved tailpiece and tank are still those of the Futura 90, although they were never adopted in production, moving directly to the 1991 bodywork as you can see in the photo. (Evidently at the time of approval it must not have been clear yet what the definitive bodywork for the '91 model would be)." Note the UK Futura had a metal fuel tank (I believe plastic tanks were not yet type approved in the UK) while the replacing model (GR) had a plastic fuel tank with a cover.
This part is pure conjecture. I would probably suggest by the time Aprilia UK decided to import the Futura (1yr after launch) production on the type FM had finished and Aprilia had moved on to the type GE/R. Probably Aprilia still had good stock of bodywork so decided to produce a UK specific version with the twin headlights to suit our regulations using the original bodywork on the newer chassis. I do remember the Futura being sold side-by-side with the Sintesi replica (type EU), hence why even though the Replica is a 1989 model mine was registered is a 1992
If anybody has any additional info or can confirm any of the above I would love to hear from you?
My right side rear riders rear set had snapped where the heal guide joins the main frame so I have been on a look out for a replacement, however this seems to be a common brake so the part is rare.
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| snap! |
Recently one popped up on ebay via Ultimate Parts Ltd so I jumped on it, part 81 32 626 (AP8132626).
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| check the part number is correct for your model! |
The replacement part is the correct part number and reference for the Sintesi model, however the Futura and Sport Pro use the same part with a different finish so will have a different part number. An example being, 89 model part number 81 32 626 which is described as 'polished' and for the 90 model 81 35 211 which is described as 'mat polished', but are essentially the same part.
The replacement looks like its a ball burnished finish, so very bright alloy and the challenge will be to match the other three foot rests. I made a quick test polish using a rag and autosol to see what an original foot rest will look like. With a bit of work they will polish up nice, however it will not look like the original part. I need to have a think about this and explore some options...
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| test polish |
My decal kit arrived from Italy today from Decalmoto.com First impressions are that it looks fairly decent for the money, I'll give an ...
