Aprilia RS660 Tech Discussion

They're not MA legal but we tested some variable stacks for an overseas customer. We threw them in the garbage. Maybe they work ok on a stock-ish engine but they sucked on our MA spec engines.

 

Something I found interesting. The RS660 is limited to 85% throttle in the BSB Pirelli National Sportbike Championship.

 

Hi all - hoping to dip into the collective knowledge of the group. I have a Tuono 660 Factory streetbike; might do some track days, for now it lives most of its life running around the canyons west of Denver.

My question - what do you guys like for shocks? I was thinking of having a Nitron built (I had a full ADV R3 built for my Tiger 800 and it's *wonderful*) but as there are a big selection of makes/models for the RS and the Tuono, thought I'd get your opinions.

 

Bitubo

 

Nitron, Bitubo, and K-Tech are all great, among others. The Ohlins, however, is an STX which is 20-30 year old tech vs their newer TTX design.

 

What do you like about the Bitubo?

What shops/vendors do you all like? Any that know the 660s well on your opinion?

 

Good to know!

 

Bitubo lets you do high and low speed compression and rebound with adjusters, instead of having to change the shim stack like ohlins. You can get this, plus hydraulic preload for like $1300, or pneumatic preload for $300 more.

Basically the same/better than ohlins for less money imo. I think they’re not as popular just from a recognition standpoint, they work well enough in BSB and wsbk, and superbike unlimited seems pretty happy with them, it’s going on their MA r1 project.

 

Velocity Calibrations, Superbike Unlimited, Graves Motorsports, Robem Engineering. All Bitubo distributors.

 

Really crazy/cool idea, but I am very close to building an Aprilia for the American Flat Track series, and a couple things, for those that have actually been inside one, and looking for really honest answers before I spend this mans money on a dud....

What is the actual power output, I know dynoes are different, but average. Stock Engine
Reliability, I know the early racers were replacing rods. Are the newer ones still requiring rods? We need about 90hp and it will definitely see the rev limiter often.
Wiring Harness. Does anyone make a race harness? We are not allowed TC or rider aides next year, so wondering what electronics to use?
Engine weight? Does anyone have a real world weight of the engine? Comparable in size to the Yamaha or Suzuki?
Engine size dimensionally, anyone had one next to a yamaha 700? Curious if its a smaller package than the yamaha.,

We aren't quite ready to build a frame yet, but we are in final planning and budget stages and would really like to see if this platform can be successful.

 

With a pipe and a flash, 90hp out of a stocker, and I'd replace the rods with some Carrillos even on a stock engine. Stock bore MA spec 97hp to 100+ The engine is very similar to the CP2 engine in dimensions and weight, but make power way different. Not sure if you can disable the rider aides on the stock ecu. I'm assuming you can with the solo engineering stuff since they can do it in supersport. We're starting to play with the Solo engineering electronics. It has its own harness. We ran it for 2 endurance races so far and it performed well.

 

I'm getting a bad vibration on hard braking, almost like a warped rotor but higher frequency. Replaced 2 sets of rotors (stock rotors) and I still have the problem.

I also got a second RS660 this weekend and both bikes do the exact same thing, so I'm guessing it's the half assed mechanic that has induced the problem. I don't get more than half a wheel spin when the bike is on the stand- with either bike. Calipers are clean as a whistle and brakes are nicely bled with lots of air space in the reservoir.

I tighten the calipers, bounce the front end around, spin the wheel and grab the brakes a few times, then tighten the pinch bolt.

I'm going to try the Speights engineer OCD method next.....

PS I have sintered pads on the bikes and I can't stand them. I'm going back to the stock brembo pad that lets me squeeze hell out of the lever.

 

Did you open up the buttons so they float? I learned that from someone smarter than me.

 

Sorry I'm not getting it- what buttons?

 

Use a flathead and bend up the "petals" on the buttons (circle guys between the rotor steel and the hub). I sent you a text with a pic.

 

So nobody else has a brake shudder problem? Interestingly when the bike is hot, it rolls much more freely- no noticeable drag. I saw 2 other RS 660 guys wire wheeling their rotors at Daytona and now it's occurring to me that maybe its a mix of pad material or something?

 

Something is definitely off if you aren't getting more wheel rotation than that. Are the bearings in the wheel free? And have you tried a different wheel?
Also what pads?

 

I was wondering if a brake rotor was on backwards or something. I run Brembo Supersport rotors on my Dymags and they make fun rattling sounds until they are hot. Never had shudder.

 

That almost sounds like you have the spacers for the front wheel on the wrong side.

I’ve done it before on a Ninja 300 endurance bike and thankfully noticed it before I went out. It had the same free spinning notching you described.

If both bikes have the same issue it leans towards assembly error.

 

We’ve had that issue with two different front wheels on the RS660. I have cleaned the rotor buttons with brake cleaner, with a pressure washer, swapped them from wheel to wheel and still have the problem. Wheel is installed correctly and in the sequence you described. I’ve tried different pads and have cleaned the caliper pistons. It is very noticeable braking from 6th gear.

I’ll have to look at bending the tabs on the rotor buttons, I have not tried that yet.