Aprilia RS250 250

I spent a year with the pre-facelift RS250 from 1997. It tested both the outgoing model and the newer model, and couldn't really see a difference. The handling on the newer bike seemed almost indistinguishably sharper. However, I preferred the looks of the out-going model, and it was £2000 cheaper, so...

It doesn't matter what angle you view the bike from, it just looks like every teenager's deam bike, from the trademark Aprilia red fork bolts to the sculpted magnesium alloy "banana" swingarm. If I still had this bike, it would be dry stored, minus lights and number plate... in my living room...

On country lanes, it's just brilliant. The responses are synaptic. If it was a car it be a Lotus Elise or Caterham. You tell it to do something, it just does it. If you're not telling it to do the right things, that's your problem...

The bike has a very low seat height, and weighs less than 150kgs, so it's a good place to "cut your teeth" (literally, if you're overconfident--you have been warned). It was on this bike I learned how to actively countersteer, get my knee down, and trail-brake.

However. If you're going to buy this bike, please consider the following points carefully and decide whether you want one so much that you can live with these things.

I bought this as my only bike, and I used it to get to work, and spent a summer riding around London for two or three hours a day, on average, just exploring. For this kind of activity, the RS250 is hard to justify. As glorious as it is above 11,000rpm, cruising around at 4,000rpm is a pain. The bike feels weedy, it sounds raspy and gutless, and it's uncomfortable.

Also, the typical Italian bike "long-arm, short-leg" riding position meant that my mirrors were next to useless. To see anything behind me, I had to physically twist around and look.

A kickstart saves weight, which I applaud. On the other hand, when you set off, kickstarting a sports bike looks a little awkward. That and the engine note will mean the crowd of children gathered around your bike will soon lose interest and drift off. If that sort of thing is important to you.

As a purpose built, two-stroke race replica, this thing is quite expensive to run. The fuel economy is not what you may be used to if you've spent your life on four strokes. The engine needs careful maintenance, and Aprilia parts and servicing are expensive. Luckily, many Suzuki parts from the RGV250 are the same. For example, the Rotax engine is simply a tuned version of the RGV powerplant.

Bear in mind that many young riders bought these things to tear around on without considering the cost of maintenance, and then skimped on servicing, fully synthetic oil, etc. If you can't find one with full service history, seriously consider something else.

That said, it is an incredible bike. Now that I'm a little older, and can afford to keep a few bikes, I would dearly love to pick up another one to experience the heady aroma of two stroke, and the razor-sharp responses once last time before they disappear completely.

Tearing around Mallory Park last summer, all I could think about was how much extra fun I'd be having if I still had my little Aprilia.

Buy a good one, for the right reasons, and you'll never forget the experience.