The best scooter never built

[Speed Demon]

MaxMoto News: 21/09/03

Significant advance in Aprilia's DiTech Technology.
Aprilia has shown a new prototype at the Milan Show which demonstrates that they are getting some significant gains from their Direct Injection 2-stroke technology that, until now, we've only seen in a 50cc scooter.

Not so long ago, ever tightening noise and emission laws looked as if they spelt the end of the 2-stroke on our roads. The legendary Aprilia RS250 has already ceased production. However, Aprilia have been fighting back with their DiTech system that produces significantly more power, better fuel economy and better emissions than the equivalent 4-stroke.

It appears that Aprilia have now succeeded in leveraging their DiTech techno into a light and compact 500cc 2-stroke single-cylinder engine producing some stunning performance figures:
- power of 50bhp at 6,500rpm,
- torque of 65Nm at 6,000rpm,
- fuel consumption at 107mpg for the ECE 40 cycle, and 96mpg at 70mph!
And it'll meet the Euro 3 emission laws due in 2006.
It seems the 2-stroke is far from dead.
The prototype on show was a good looking 500cc ultra-light sports scooter that illustrates the increasing convergence of the scooter and motorcycle worlds. It has:
- belt driven Continuously Variable Transmission plus button selected sequential manual,
- frame mounted engine (for less unsprung weight),
- rigid aluminum frame,
- mono shock, single sided swingarm with belt final drive,
- disc brakes front (double) and rear (single),
- front lights from the new RSV Mille, rear LEDs.
- promised luggage, satellite navigation and ABS (anti-lock brake system) options.
- tank range of up to 450 miles,
- top speed of 105mph,
- Standing 1/4 mile in 12.5 seconds (An '02 Yamaha R1 only does it in 11.1 seconds)
- dry weight of only 175kg.

Does all this sound too good to be true? Well, it is only a prototype, but if a production version came anywhere close to these figures, it'll clearly make the opposition obsolete at a stroke (2-stroke at that).

What else can Aprilia do with DiTech? Revive the RS250 road bike? A new RS500? A new MotoGP 2-stroke?

Mmmmmm.....can't wait!

From here:
http://www.maxmoto.co.uk/aprilia_leonar ... tech.shtml

Saw that at Eicma 2003. Would have flogged my Tmax in a heartbeat to get a 500cc 2-stroke scooter. Shame Aprilia didn't go for it.

[coaster]

Hmm, agreed, that would be a very nice scooter, it would have sounded awsome Regarding unsprung weight though, that's a pretty hefty swinging arm on there

[Speed Demon]

Hmm, agreed, that would be a very nice scooter, it would have sounded awsome Regarding unsprung weight though, that's a pretty hefty swinging arm on there

Yes, but it is aluminium and single-sided. Prob not as heavy as it looks. Aprilia build quality might not have been the best but they very rarely mad a poor handling scooter. I don't think their testers would let it go out of the door if it handled like a Piaggio X9

What appeals to me is decent performance and fuel economy. They should still get on and make it!

[scooterjet]

Sounds great but didn't Aprilia drop the Di Tech as it was too unreliable?

[Speed Demon]

Sounds great but didn't Aprilia drop the Di Tech as it was too unreliable?

There were certainly issues with all sorts of stupid things going wrong, but cheaping-out on oil or fuel quality was one of the worst causes I am told (by someone who repaired lots of them).

The thing is that Orbital/DiTech is not the only 2-stroke direct injection technology to achieve those results as you will see soon. Several outboard and snowmobile manufacturers have got it nailed now with variations on the direct injection theme and there's a much simpler tech coming out now that uses off the shelf parts.

Certainly putting out an unreliable maxi-scooter is a good way to go bust - perhaps that's why it never got made at the time - but I think there is enough expertise around now to do a good job of it if anyone had the balls to try.

[Muttley McLadd]

There were certainly issues with all sorts of stupid things going wrong

That's all part of the fun of owning something made by Italians.

[Speed Demon]

There were certainly issues with all sorts of stupid things going wrong

That's all part of the fun of owning something made by Italians.

I agree, but one man's 'fun' is another's 'standing around in the rain waiting for the AA'...

[scooterslag]

MaxMoto News: 21/09/03

Significant advance in Aprilia's DiTech Technology.
Aprilia has shown a new prototype at the Milan Show which demonstrates that they are getting some significant gains from their Direct Injection 2-stroke technology that, until now, we've only seen in a 50cc scooter.

Not so long ago, ever tightening noise and emission laws looked as if they spelt the end of the 2-stroke on our roads. The legendary Aprilia RS250 has already ceased production. However, Aprilia have been fighting back with their DiTech system that produces significantly more power, better fuel economy and better emissions than the equivalent 4-stroke.

It appears that Aprilia have now succeeded in leveraging their DiTech techno into a light and compact 500cc 2-stroke single-cylinder engine producing some stunning performance figures:
- power of 50bhp at 6,500rpm,
- torque of 65Nm at 6,000rpm,
- fuel consumption at 107mpg for the ECE 40 cycle, and 96mpg at 70mph!
And it'll meet the Euro 3 emission laws due in 2006.
It seems the 2-stroke is far from dead.
The prototype on show was a good looking 500cc ultra-light sports scooter that illustrates the increasing convergence of the scooter and motorcycle worlds. It has:
- belt driven Continuously Variable Transmission plus button selected sequential manual,
- frame mounted engine (for less unsprung weight),
- rigid aluminum frame,
- mono shock, single sided swingarm with belt final drive,
- disc brakes front (double) and rear (single),
- front lights from the new RSV Mille, rear LEDs.
- promised luggage, satellite navigation and ABS (anti-lock brake system) options.
- tank range of up to 450 miles,
- top speed of 105mph,
- Standing 1/4 mile in 12.5 seconds (An '02 Yamaha R1 only does it in 11.1 seconds)
- dry weight of only 175kg.

Does all this sound too good to be true? Well, it is only a prototype, but if a production version came anywhere close to these figures, it'll clearly make the opposition obsolete at a stroke (2-stroke at that).

What else can Aprilia do with DiTech? Revive the RS250 road bike? A new RS500? A new MotoGP 2-stroke?

Mmmmmm.....can't wait!

From here:
http://www.maxmoto.co.uk/aprilia_leonar ... tech.shtml

Saw that at Eicma 2003. Would have flogged my Tmax in a heartbeat to get a 500cc 2-stroke scooter. Shame Aprilia didn't go for it.

Like that a lot but whats the deal with the exposed drive belt? surely all the road crap/muck would cause it to wear out prematurely?

[Speed Demon]

Like that a lot but whats the deal with the exposed drive belt? surely all the road crap/muck would cause it to wear out prematurely?

An exposed toothed belt was good enough for Buell and they've just fitted one to the new Tmax because it is more power efficient than the enclosed chains they used before.

[soulsurfer]

Ooh! Mmmmm I like that