Faults:

Replaced starter solenoid.

Eats rear tires, does not like weak batteries. This is not really things that go wrong, they just eat tires, and the big pistons need some juice to spin and start.

General Comments:

Awesome, brilliant, pick your superlative. This thing will put as grin on your face, first time every time. The motor had a lumpy, torquey power delivery that I love. Zero to eeh hah! in an instant. Plus it thunders right on up to the rev limiter if you let it, and just rips. It is light on its feet, and the dirt dike type handlebar makes for a comfortable sit up and beg riding position. It wells well under 500 pounds wet and ready to rock. Throw on soft saddle bags and a tank bag, and tour the world.

Wind protection is lacking; at about 135 MPH it had more, but I felt the wind was getting too strong. Even though I was on a race track, I decided that was fast enough. I don't see this as a big issue. You can get arrested doing that on the street.

The back brake is a well known issue. There is a special bleeding procedure. Even when it is right it feels "wooden", but who cares, the front brake does the real work. The back is good enough for use in a parking lot, or small adjustments to speed in a turn. Some people have used a different master cylinder and relocated to a cooler spot. I just live with it.

It is also somewhat difficult to find neutral, which is best done from second as you roll to a stop. I have read of a cure with a different oil jet for the clutch. It seems to be not difficult or expensive. I would rather ride than wrench and just deal with it so far (9 years, yikes).

This 2003 is a first gen Tuono. I loved this bike so much that when a friend had a 2007 second gen model for sale, I snapped it up. It has the same issues with back brake and neutral, and the same fixes. But, the styling is different, the power delivery is less lumpy, but still kicks ass, and I love it too. These Rotax V twins are pretty "bulletproof". I love my Italian Supermodels. Meant to sell the older one when I got the newer one, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Faults:

The kill switch got water in it after a eight hour ride in a heavy storm, which killed the ignition, and required a squirt of water repellent to get it clear, which it did without further problem.

General Comments:

This is an absolutely excellent motorcycle in every sense that is important. It has great torque, is controllable, super responsive and goes hard. Oh yeah, and it's even reasonably comfortable...

It steers quickly, which is good on tight twisties which require quick hard left-right changes, and just wants to lean and lean and lean - race track lean angles on the road (let's hope the roads stay clean, eh?).

It also brakes solidly and surely, without perhaps fierce bite from high speed, but with excellent two finger stopping power none the less.

In all, it makes me a better rider than I really am, is a huge amount of fun, and leaves me feeling like I am high. I am still buzzing off last Sunday's ride, and it is now Wednesday night!

This is easily the best bike I've owned, and equal to the best bike I've ridden, the other being a Ducati 916 SPS.

Faults:

Split balance pipe, which resulted in the bike running very rich.

General Comments:

A very enjoyable bike, the unusual styling, upright riding position, combined with a fantastic engine, superb chassis, suspension and brakes, delivers an all round package second to none. The best bike I've ever owned.