Buying an Aprilia falco : eBay Guides

I've recently bought a Falco on ebay and here's my reflections. You can buy a Falco from as early as 1999, but the later ones (around 2003/4) have black frames, which makes them look more modern. Mine's a 2000 in metallic red. The main message I would give is that this is a solid, flexible all-round bike, but it's more sporty than it looks in pictures or its image suggests. The engine is identical to the Mille (with a small change in tune), so this is a big fast bike. Also, the running gear is very similar to the Mille, so you really can crack on and do track days too. Also, the riding position is sporty - this is no arm chair VFR. So, if you want to plod around and sporty tour, I would try to ride one first - or you might get a shock when you pick it up. The engine is reliable and I get 50mpg on a motorway commute - expect 42 mpg average. There's a nice Falco forum for advice and most Falco owners like to modify - the good news is many of the Mille trick bits fit on the Falco. The price of a Falco is fairly low - a nice one for less than £2k. Mine cost £1100 and it's fine! So I'd say go for it, but I suspect it will be too hard core for many sporty tourer types. Me, I got a shock but a pleasant one!