In common with all the Aprilia 1,000cc V twins, the Futura can suffer problems with the clutch operation. Usually, but not always, these can be traced to a leaking clutch slave cylinder. Other clutch problems, while not unheard of, are rare. Symptoms Difficulty finding neutral; Difficulty changing down; As the situation progresses the clutch lever […]

The right handlebar light switch on the Aprilia RST 1000 Futura has been known to come apart, especially if you’re not careful with it. When this happens the part you operate with your thumb pings off with great force – that’s because there’s a tiny spring with a ball bearing on the end which locates […]

Paint Futura paint can be difficult to match and is best done by a professional. Aprilia do not release paint codes either. Some colours are easier than others are available as touch-ups on ebay from a company called Bike Colours. Flame Red would appear to be the hardest to match, made harder still by its […]

If you suffer from a high fuel consumption you can check the following items for improvement: 1) Let the Aprilia dealer check your Throttle Position Sensor and idle trim fuel settings( using latest 05 engine mapping). with the axione unit. measure the mixture with lambda or CO probe. combine with throttle synch. takes about 1-1.5 […]

Aprilia Futura – Crash damage repair With a fuelled-up weight of 235 kilos (513lb), the RST1000 Futura is a lot of bike to drop. As standard and without panniers, it’s also vulnerable to the sort of damage that can incapacitate the bike, even in a static tipover or an off at walking pace. Vulnerable parts […]

Aprilia Futura – Dash/ instrument problems The Aprilia Futura’s dash is a thing of beauty, especially after dark when its instruments look back at you bathed in a blue glow. But they can go wrong. Sadly, it seems that problems with the dash are becoming more common as the bikes get older, and they appear […]

Aprilia Futura – EFI error codes and diagnosis The Aprilia Futura’s engine management system is able to self-diagnose faults (well, some of them, at least!) and tell you what’s wrong with it. If an EFI fault is present, the EFI light will flash. To find out what’s wrong, you’ll need to put the bike in […]

Against the background of a bike that’s supremely reliable in the long run, there have been known to be a few electrical gremlins in the Aprilia RST1000 Futura. Electrical problems are far more likely to show themselves in bikes that have been ridden through the winter in the UK and Ireland where salt is used […]

This problem is common to all Aprilia V twins, and is easy to fix if you deal with it promptly. Symptoms Especially when braking hard from high speed, the front end shakes violently but the vibration reduces with speed. The symptoms can be mistaken for warped discs, and worn steering head or front wheel bearings, […]

The rear wheel on the Aprilia RST 1000 Futura is a thing of beauty, but it must be re-fitted with care. It’s an ingenious design, which allows the wheel to be removed independently of the chain and the brake disc. Not only is it pretty, but it makes tyre changes a doddle. At first sight […]

The Aprilia RST 1000 Futura shares a sidestand cutout switch with all the other 1000cc Aprilias and over time this can give trouble due to corrosion. It’s placed right where it collects lots of crap from the road, but it could be fair to say that the switch itself is either poor quality or poor […]

This isn’t an exhaustive list but some advice specific to Aprilia Futuras that won’t start. First of all, when you turn the key the bike does a systems check and primes the fuel pump for five seconds or so. Always wait for it to finish before touching the starter button (or hitting the kill switch). […]

A handful of Aprilia Futuras have suffered problems with the tail light lens. The lens is fragile from new and appears to grow more brittle with age, but the few failures serve as a warning to us all to be very careful when replacing tail light bulbs. The lens is held on by three screws […]

Aprilia Futura – Water collection in the filler cap When filling up after a heavy downpour (or washing the bike), it’s not unusual to open the filler cap only to see water swirl down into the tank. This is because the top part of the tank is a cover that isn’t water tight and has […]