4/9/2013 : Goodbye, Aprilia RS Tuono...

I have been running to and fro helping the buyer of my Aprilia RS Tuono (he's an average Joe like the rest of us readers, so let's just call him "Joe") to arrange for insurances, etc so that I could effect the transfer of ownership for the bike over to him on 5th September 2013. Joe was supposed to meet me at JPJ but he had some friends in town and had to take a rain cheque at the very last minute.

But Joe has been looking forward to getting the bike (and he's an Italian enthusiast too and holding an important post too), so I offered him to take possession of the bike tonight. Before you could say "Ready, get set, go!", Joe was at my place and ready to familiarise himself with the Italian bella.

I showed him how all the buttons and such worked, and took off the seat and such so that he knew what went where. He went for a testride around the carpark and you could see that he really loved the Italian CBU bella and would make a good master for bella.

I've been staying up late to make sure that he reached home safely, and just received his confirmation on the matter :

"Hey, yeah it was exhilarating experience! Haven't had this for the longest time! Thanks again for all the help... Thanks, it was nerve wrecking as I haven't been on a bike on a highway for so long... The Bella was so natural at high revs and when it was straight clear roads, I'd give it a go. Boy did she shoot! I was so focused on the road, it was my gf who later told me I exceeded 120 km/h coz I overtook her hehe. I'd thank you for introducing me to Biking again! Thanks and gd nite.".

I couldn't be more pleased that bella is going to a good home. Joe was not foreign to Italian ownership having currently owning 2 Italian rides, so bella would be in good company back at his home.

Sure, part of me was a tad sad that bella was no longer in my biking life. But I thought back how I rescued and restored and nursed her back to her current healthy state, and that felt really good. It has been a good journey and I was lucky to be able to do my bit for this rare ride in Malaysia.

Had I been able to take photos of bella with the other RS Tuono that was on sale at RM20k a few months back, it would have been way cool to feature both the bikes of a same make and model together on this bike enthusiasts' blog.

But well, cest la vie... Enjoy these parting shots of bella before she left with Joe earlier the night.

I got lots of attention and thumbs-up/hello/etc signs by other fellow riders and drivers while on the road with bella thus far. Although bella is no longer with me now, I hope that fellow readers would continue to share your enthusiasm with Joe if you see him riding around KL.

That's 2 happy buyers-turned-friends that I have had this year with the conclusion of my sales towards the Kawasaki Ninja 650R and Aprilia RS Tuono. It feels good to share good rides with fellow riders.

Going forward, I believe I would try to accommodate the characteristics of my new Benelli Keeway TX200G's single-cylinder motard engine and work on improving and modifying the new gal. Let's see how things go from here henceforth, fellow readers!