Broke down and stranded on my Aprilia Tuareg 660.
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- čas přidán 4. 06. 2024
- My brand new Aprilia Tuareg 660 broke down on my in the San Francisco Bay area. The counter shaft seal completely blew out spewing oil all over the swing arm, the rear tire, the brake rotor and brake pads. This was particularly frustrating because I had the first service on this bike completed by the local dealership. When I took the bike in the for the first service I notified the dealership I thought the counter shaft seal was leaking. I was told the oil I saw on the bike and leaking on the floor was chain lube. I didn't know how to argue with the them to get the bike re-evaluated by the same technician. I took the bike to a local dealership where a warranty claim was submitted. I was forced to fly home and will have to fly back once the bike is fixed to ride it home. This has been a really frustrating experience.
- Auta a dopravní prostředky
One bad mechanic can ruin a really good dealership. And a bad dealership can ruin a really good mechanic. Finding a good dealership with a good mechanic is like looking for the preverbal "needle in a haystack".
It sure seems that way. I talked to the dealership yesterday in person. I don't expect anything will be done about the situation but I let them know what happened and it was avoidable. I may try a different dealership if I have future problems.
I worked at Ford dealerships for 38 years before retiring. I totally agree!
Agree, even Stevie Wonder could see that wasn't chain lube.
@@silverdale3207 Thats funny and true!
i don't think these companies realize the damage they're doing to themselves by not having absolutely excellent customer service in the era of social media
I agree. They really don't get it.
I own 2 Ducatis and an Aprilia Tuareg, I don't let my local dealers touch them except for resetting my oil change indicator lights.
I think I am right there with you now.
Just made it back from the MABDR with 11,500 mi on the clock. Other than that stupid fuel gauge not working properly the bike has been flawless. Sorry you're having such a bad time right now.
Glad to hear you have so many miles with only one small problem. It gives me hope that once the seal is fixed the bike will provide me many trouble free miles.
Sorry Matt. If they can’t guarantee Japanese levels of brand reliability, Aprilia should at least deliver on reliable customer service. Your video has swayed me to now not move forward with my purchase of the Tuareg. Never thought I would be riding a new V-Strom 800 DE, but I’m now confident about my decision. Thank you for sharing
I wanted to be transparent with my experience. Sometimes content creators don't want to reveal all the warts from their decisions. I hope I don't regret buying this bike, but the start is not great. Enjoy that 800DE. That seems like a fantastic bike.
Same here, I really wanted a 901expedition but didn't want electrical bs problems amd or unavailablecams for when those parts fail, so I thought id try the Aprilia, until I chatted with a few owners. Half had had problems, half had not had problems. 50/50? No thanks
That's not a risk I'm willing to take. Not in this day and age.
Is the 800DE a little heavier? Yup. Doe it leave me stranded? Never once. Snow, sand, gravel, tons of mud, and asphalt accumulating almost 12k miles, 4 sets of tires, a few oil changes, a couple air filters since October and overall I'm very pleased with the bike.
Murphys law, it always seems to happen at the worst time.
Sorry about the bad luck.
One of the disturbing parts of the story is that they couldn't approve the warranty almost immediately.
Best of luck!
Thanks. Yeah, the amount of time it is taking is ridiculous. I will be calling customer service to get things moving.
Damn Matt, what an ordeal over a simple seal. I would have said to hell with the warranty, order me one and installed it myself. I won't say I told you so but one thing with my T700 is that motor has been around for 10 years, more so with my DR and KLR650. Parts are usually on the shelf or a few days away if needed. I hope you get it fixed and can ride the coast like you wanted. I did that ride on my T700 last year it was amazing on a bike. You had told me in a comment a year ago to ride the SF bay bridge when I was not sure about the homeless and SF city in general. I'm glad that I followed you advise. I hope Aprilia makes this right.
Thanks dude. I am really glad you enjoyed the Golden Gate Bridge. It is so iconic. Now every time you see it in a photo or on TV you will think of your ride across it. Right on. I think everything will come through, I just don't know how long it will take. I already ordered the seal myself. I should have it tomorrow, so about five business days. Not sure how quickly the dealership will get one. Its a waiting game.
Glad you’re keeping us posted as to what is going on, as I am curious to see what they do for you!!
I spoke with the local dealership in person yesterday and explained what happened. If they do step up and help remedy the situation I will let you know.
Not that this will make you feel any better , but I have just over 5,000 miles on my Tuareg with no issues. IDBDR and COBDR and White Rim Trail. Hopefully your issue is an anomaly. I think you may want to establish a relationship with a more knowledgeable and reliable dealer for any future visits. This one really dropped the ball. Good luck with everything.
Thanks. I still have confidence in the bike due to all the owner that have left comments on their experiences. I think once the seal is sorted the bike should be good for 10s of thousands of miles. We'll, I am going to find out anyway.
Really sorry to hear this! I hope you get the bike fixed soon, and get out and enjoy it. I’ve got a relatively new Aprilia dealer 20 miles from me, and a very experienced dealer 100 miles from me. After watching your video I’ve decided to take my Tuareg to the experienced dealer for service and any needed warranty work (none so far).
Thanks. I hope it's done by 4th of July. I really want to rack up the miles on this bike.
If it's still under warranty why not try out the local dealer first? IF they screw up you can always decide to take it to the experienced dealership. And for all you know it might have been a experienced mechanic transferred to the new location and the old location hired a new one.
Friend of mine had the same bike . while on a 4 day trip, The air filter sucked in dirt due to not being secured properly from the factory and it shut down the bike and ruined his trip. He then had to have a COMPLETE new engine installed. Yes it was under warranty. He did not trust the new 660. then sold it !!!
That is a horrible story. I was told to install the UNI Filter straight away to avoid this issue. I have already ordered a replacement seal to carry as a spare if this ever happens again. I plan on taking my chances to prove out the bike and dealerships. Probably not the smartest choice.
Hi there Matt, This could have happened on any bike regardless of brand. And boy I would have been frustrated as well. What the hell is wrong with these dealerships who refuse to listen to a customer as well aquatinted with bikes as you. I had a countershaft seal blow out in Glamis on my XR650R, on my KTM 300 and my Beta 498. I'm sure you might know but the root cause of a blown CS seal is crankcase not venting or not enough chain slack. Sometimes the owners manuals are wrong on slack adjustment. Good luck my man. I still think you got a solid machine. Just a stroke of bad luck and poor dealership tech.
I agree, stroke of bad luck. I think the seal was damaged during assembly. Seals can leak, I understand that. The dealership failure is what really gets me fired up.
@@advmatt Good point on it being defective from the get go. And yes easy to nick a seal when putting it on. I'm guilty of it myself!!
To be honest, it sounds like you already knew something was wrong, but you gambled. You knew the dealer wasn't right the moment they said it was chainlube, but you rolled the dice.. and that's okay. You just have to deal with it, unfortunately, on a dream trip. Also, that sucks.. but all I've had was a fuse issue that kept popping, and the famous fuel sensor issues. I have 7k on mine so far, so good. I love the bike. Best of luck, dude. Keep us posted
that sucks man, those dealerships should be ashamed robbing you of a good time with your bike on your trip.
Agreed. I tried to talk to local dealership. They gave me lip service but didn't offer any assistance.
Thanks for posting your issues with the Tuareg and the mechanical issues. PNW Voyager had issues with his Tuareg 660 as well. The Tuareg sounded like such a great bike. I rented one on RidersShare and was totally impressed with the bike, so I can relate to why you purchased one. Wish you the best of luck getting it back
Thanks. Yeah I saw PNW's stuff. I was mistakenly thought things would be different for me. It is a great ride. Once I get it back I will further test its reliability and report back.
Seals and bearings are easily sourced, I think I would have repaired it myself at a motel parking lot. This would have saved the cost of rental vehicles, motels and restaurants.
I don't know how easy it would be source a seal for an Italian motorcycle for from a bearing shop. Maybe it would be possible. I wanted it covered under warranty and fully documented for any potential future issues.
Exactly what I was thinking. An oil seal is an oil seal. You just measure the inner and outer diameter. Probably order one on Amazon next day. 🤷
@@MrPerattzi I have a replacement, I will see howbeasybit is to source it somewhere else.
@@MrPerattzi exactly!
You really need to call out the dealership. You never know if this is a common issue with their business. Others in the local area need to know or be able to confirm shoddy customer service. Shop rates are way to high for customers to be treated like this.
It’s one thing for dealership to be unable to replicate an issue but it sounds like this was pretty obvious. Imagine if what they might say to someone who has little motorcycle knowledge.
Good luck with the bike going forward.
I gave a lot of consideration to whether I would name the dealership and for now decided against it. I spoke to them in person yesterday and explained the bind they put me in. The issue is being discussed at the dealership. I plan to follow up, so for now I wanted to keep the dealership's name out of it. I might reveal it later depending on how things go.
In Arizona, we have a couple dealers that unfortunately have a reputation of having horrible mechanics working on Ducatis and other high end brands. A bad dealership that tolerates shoddy work from their mechanics ruins the reputation of the brand. The brands need to crack down on this problem by using a QC follow-up system like the car manufacturers use.
I agree. I am planning to call customer service and provide some feedback. I am not sure it will do anything but I need to let them know.
Sucks to hear your trip got wrecked. I looked at both the Tuareg 660 and the Husky Norden 901 pretty hard in the spring of 2023 and came real close to pulling the trigger on the Husky, but in both cases I was extremely hesitant to buy either due to 1) the very small dealer network here in the U.S. - especially in my area, and 2) parts availability here in the U.S. Only reason I didn't end up buying the Husky was because the one and only dealer within 3 hours of me wanted to play games and jerk me around so I walked away. Ended up buying a new TransAlp 750 this February and couldn't be happier. Yes I had to add my own cruise control (Veridian) and yes it has tubed tires rather than tubeless, but in all reality tubed tires aren't the huge issue soo many keyboard warriors want to make it out to be.
I understand your decision making. Reliability and parts availability over excitement and break downs makes a lot sense. I personally have had it with tubes after several side of the road punctures with tubes. Adding the Veridan Cruise control is a game changer on any bike without CC. Great choice.
Sorry to hear about this Matt. The worst part of owning anything is getting it repaired. I would never go back to the 1st dealer ever again. Name ‘em and shame ‘em! As bad as dealers can be, and as frustrating as it is to wait - it could be a lot worse.
I took my Honda ST1300 to an independent shop for its 30k service and got it back a year later - half put together - with a salvaged motor from another bike. The guy lost a shim into the motor, ran it, and cracked the block. It was a total disaster and cost me an entire riding season - not to mention the bike which I got rid of a week after I finally got it back.
At least you have other bikes to ride!
What a horror story you have. That's really bad. Exact reason why I want to do maintenance myself. Always have a back up bike. I learned that when my GS went in for warranty work and I didn't get it back for over month. I never want to be without a bike.
Sorry to hear this. Other than a bad battery, my 23 has been flawless so far
Great to hear your bike has treated you well. I think once the seal is fixed this bike will be fine.
@@advmatt I agree. The Tuareg is a great bike and a great value. We have similar tastes in bikes as I also ride a R1250 GSA as well
Thanks for sharing. I’ve been seriously thinking about getting the Tuareg but one of the things holding me back is the lack of dealerships. With this news of having problems with the dealership mechanics, I think I’ll stay away
I think the mechanic issue was likely just at my local dealership. The dealership where I left the bike has a good reputation for service. They are at the mercy of the Piaggio Group at this point, which seems to be slow moving.
V good of you to report this. Owners should know these things. It is v disappointing piaggio even need to approve such a problem, incredibly poor back up. Sorry for you…
Thanks, i appreciate the feedback. The bike is fixed, it took two weeks and two flights. I will let Aprilia know what happened with my local dealership.
They said Chain lube???? Jeez, It is weird how we are reluctant to question so called "Experts" even when all our own logic and experience screams "BS! BS!"
I had a hard time believing it myself, but it was pitched to me with such confidence. I also asked others in the shop about it before accepting the bike and received the same answer. They see chain lube dripping off of bikes all the time. I was also told the technician took the bike out for an extended ride to look for leaks. I just learned the extended ride was only two miles. I don't think the service manager knew it was this short of ride. I have spoken to the dealership in person about the situation they left me in. I am waiting to hear back if they are planning to do anything about it.
Wow that sucks bud. Sorry to hear that and...I wish the best😄.
Thanks. Bike is repaired, just need to get out to pick it up.
Hey Matt, sorry to see you having to deal with issues right off the bat with the new bike. Nothing worse than that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when things go wrong so far from home, I know! Hope you get it resolved soon and can get back to enjoying the bike.
Thanks. It has been really disappointing. All things considered at least I was able to get the bike to a dealership on my own without a tow. It could have been worse, but not a great start with a new bike.
The RS 660 a lot of guys complain about seals leaking as well.... good luck and best wishes
I saw a few older posts on it. Hopefully it's not a reoccurring thing.
Thanks for the honest video. I am looking at the Tuareg 660 now. The closest dealership for me is 80 miles away, after seeing this and hearing about approval process, I’m going to keep my Africa twin.
Probably not a bad idea or maybe look at the new Transalp if you are looking for a lighter bike.
@@advmatt
I looked into that also. I liked the Tuareg because of adjustable suspension, tubeless wheels and cruise control.
Sorry to hear, having issues with a new bike is frustrating enough, but being away from home even make it worse. I hope you get it sorted without too many other hassles.
Thanks. We will see. I keep everyone updated.
Im sorry to see your issues. Currently i found out my dealer sold me the extended yamaha warranty when i bought my T7 new in oct 2023. The only person i ever spoke to is now telling me i bought some 3rd party warranty insurance company that her employer also owns/runs. She may of "mispoke" she says.The world is full of garbage people sometimes. Best luck good sir🤟
That's awful and super shady. Hope you get that sorted out.
@advmatt super shady.
I called Y.E.S. They had no record of me ever. I bought a plan through yamaha. Only bummer now is I have two full years of "warranty" overlapping paid for out of pocket.
Thanks for the content. I'm definitely catching up. Take care, good sir
No bueno @advmatt sorry you have to deal with this BS. I once had mechanical issues with my old t100 outside of Lake Tahoe a number of years back. I chose to uhaul her home to my trusted mechanic instead of relying on local shops. Cost me $800 to get her home to San Diego and it was resolved same day once back. Your experience thus far just made me feel better biting that bullet. Hope the best for you amigo for a positive ending…keep us updated! 🍻 -Tim
I took apart a 2022 660 engine from a RS660 that shows made in china on the internal parts and the bolts that holds the brackets of the gearbox assembly are so soft that you can squash them with hand held pliers. I just hope the Tuareg 660 engine didn't get that type of poor craftsmanship carried over. On the other side of the coin the Tuareg 660 is so balanced at going from road to off road it is so hard for me being an owner of a Tuareg 660 that I could end up with similar issues as a few others that had with their Tuareg 660s. Oh and I have been smelling engine coolant at times.
Engine coolant from exhaust?
@@bobanppvc I haven’t thoroughly checked it out, because lately I have been spending most of my time on the new Transalp 750 mods
The bike is so great to ride its hard to turn away from it. But if its in for warranty issues more than under my butt, it is not worth owning.
Mee,too,a smell of coolant sometimes.
@@klausmlm ugh, that is not good.
Sorry to hear all of this matt. This is why I love the T7 so much but you already know how good and reliable that machine is. Hope u get this fixed soon.
Thanks. Bike is fixed, picking it up in three weeks.
Sorry for your bad luck. I had high hopes for the Aprilia Toureg 660. The specs look very good. I like lightweight ADV bikes for good off road performance but bikes with enough power to comfortably cruise on the highway on the rare occasions I need to do that. The 660 looked like it was a lot closer to that goal than the other manufacturers would provide. They cripple their small ADV bikes to protect sales of their heavy mid size and bloated full size ADV bikes.
I wasn't too worried about the Aprilia dealership network in the US because I prefer to do my own maintenance and minor repairs, but this story is a train wreck. One dealer is either completely incompetent or didn't want to do the warranty work and flat out lied to you about the mechanical failure. Another dealer can't even get permission to do what is obviously a warranty repair in a week and won't get around to it for who knows how long, forcing you to incur car rental, airline travel, and miss a moto camping vacation.
I paid $4920 out the door for a new 2019 BMW G310GS, in late October when BMW Motorrad and the dealer wanted it sold. It had a comprehensive 3 year factory warranty and BMW roadside assistance. I never needed either, but that was a comfort. A friend took a test ride on mine and bought his own that week. Last month, he traded in his three year old G310GS and bought a new one, so he's covered with the warranty and roadside assistance again.
The Toureg 660 seal should have immediately been covered as a warranty repair at the initial service and all dealers should have those parts in stock or at worst, two days away. The BMW dealer in my state is not good but I'm confident that most BMW dealers, including the one 80 miles north of me where I'd go for repairs would have correctly identified and owned the problem, and had the bike fixed under warranty before your trip.
20/20 Hindsight: I'd have told the local dealer that this wasn't chain lube, and I'm not leaving on a trip across the western US on that bike. I'd ask them to clean the excess oil from the inside links of the chain (none on the outside - that's a big hint) and the skid plate, take it for a short test ride and inspect it for leaks.
I have a lot of experience of BMW warranty claims. They do a good job. This experience has been a complete train wreck. The first dealership told me they took the bike for an extended ride to test out the seal. I later learned the ext3nded ride was two miles. Complete disaster.
Pretty crazy to spend money on two plane tickets & an REI duffle over a $20 seal. It wasn’t leaking that bad, ride it home and add oil on the way if you have to or just change the seal yourself.. Adventure Riders require problem solving skills..
Thanks for posting though! I’m interested in the bike and the kinds of problems it develops.
I did think about riding home and adding oil but it became a huge safety issue. The rear tire was covered in oil and the rear brakes oiled up too, making them non-functional. The tire was my biggest concern. There were times I rode on the gravel on the side of the road to scrub the oil off. I had a 1000 mile ride to get home and had already added 1/2 quart in the last 500 miles. I thought the safest way to proceed was to take the bike in. I should have ordered a spare seal to have with me. I will be ordering counter shaft seals for all my bikes to carry as spares to change on the road if necessary.
So sorry for you! Good luck with this.
Thanks.
Matt! So sorry! Nobody wants to see a fellow rider stranded and dealing with these issues. I commented a while back about being a fellow Tenere and KTM 390Adv rider. I was excited about seeing some of your T7 content, and truthfully a little disappointed you didn’t love it as much as I do.
However, you followed your heart and I always look forward to your videos.
I consider your experience a worst case scenario. When one has to book a flight home without the bike-man, I feel for you. Sorry to see that. I look forward to some crazy shenanigans from you on the 390 in the meantime! Good luck with everything!
Thanks dude. It was a tough pill to swallow when I finally purchased the one way flight home with less than a week's notice. It hurt a lot. I am getting new tires mounted on the 390 Adv to hopefully get it out this weekend for some camping. I am in the process of making a few minor changes to the T7 to hopefully get it to be better for me. There was a reason I kept both of those bikes. Thanks for sticking with me. Cheers.
Good luck my friend- I've been forrunate with mechanics in general I hope good fortune regarding your bike comes your way.
Thanks, I appreciate the positive thoughts!
I nearly got the tuareg. But my bike is my main transport.
I'm so sorry you are having trouble. But I pick up my transalp this Sunday. I'm thinking it will be the safer bet
It sure seems like the Transalp is the safer bet.
I would not trust the manufacturers guide on chain tension. A tight chain is a very common culprit on countershaft seal damage. I squat test every new bike. You can use a ratched strap over the rack to the axle on each side compress the suspension till countershaft is aligned with swing arm picot and rear axle. Use any straight edge, string line, mop handle for an alignment tool. Adjust chain to 1” total slack. At this point the chain is at its longest possible length during the suspension arc. Do not adjust beyond 1” total slack, the chain needs a little room to grow on its rotational path around the sprockets. Been my method for close to 40 years on hundreds of bikes, ultra long life 10-12k miles and spotless countershaft seals. I adjust chain tension every three tanks of fuel, 700-800 miles. Presently on a 22ktm modded 890 w/26k miles zero problems with this method, on my 3rd chain Also, DID xring chains go 8k miles+ without a drop of lube or wax. I remove them during service and soak in lucas gear oil. After completely dry and wipe down with a soapy mix (2 times per life of chain) …dry xring chains for the win and everything stays so clean and save money on all the worthless “loooobz” and waxes. 🤙
Great tips on the chain tension. It was one of the first things I checked when I first starting seeing oil drips. Unfortunately I was seeing oil drips straight away in the first 50 miles. I think the seal was damaged during assembly the progressive got worse. I will start using the strap method on my bikes to test it out. Seems dead accurate. Thanks.
When I had a 701 in 2018 I picked it up new, rode home 70 miles and noticed the counter shaft was leaking and the chain was too tight. I set it right and rode back to them to get it fixed, they replaced the seal and tensioned the chain. They took it for a test ride with chain too tight and it was leaking again. Honest this crap went on for months and they also damaged the countershaft bearing with a screwdriver. Bad dealer and bad mechanics ruined my husky/KTM experience and I won't venture back to them again anytime soon.
@@matthewallison6823 terrible experience. I was concerned about chain tension as soon as I saw drips of oil. The chain was loose, so it wasn't from chain tension. You had a really bad experience. I kept hearing about these, now I am living it.
Wow! That sucks! I don’t know exactly what your schedule and dealership locations were, but if it wasn’t leaking enough to cause safety concern, I might have taken extra oil and went straight home.
I thought about riding home but it would have been 1000 miles. At that point the rear tire was covered in oil and the rear brakes were not working from also being soaked in oil. I had already added half a quart of oil. It was leaking too bad to return home.
Gday Matt sucks to hear about your situation esp when you had an awesome trip planned but I gotta say you’re being very civilised about it. Thumbs up for your approach even though it’s certainly will be testing your patience. Once she is fixed she’ll be back on the road better than ever with many more happy miles of riding to enjoy.
Stuff the ‘I told you so’ comments and give yourself credit for how you’re handling this. Well done mate!
Thanks, I really appreciate the feedback. I received word today the bike is fixed. I will pick it up first of July and get back to crunching the miles on it. I have a three week trip planned later this year to stretch it out. Cheers.
Bummer Matt, as a rider of a T7, you know the solidness of them, so I'd never pee in ones Cheerios. Good luck!
Exact reason I kept my T7 and my 390 Adventure. Both are solid bikes, even if they are not as much fun to ride. The Tuareg has to earn my trust and so far, this experience, is just not doing it. We will see how things turn out.
wondering if you considered having it fixed on you, so you could continue on and argue with aprilia later. also I have experienced leaking countershaft seals and wondered if I was seeing a mess caused by chain lube or crankcase oil so I added uv stuff available in auto shops. my uv flashlight showed I had a leaking seal. just mentioned this for future/others as a way to get warranty service done. looking forward to hearing the outcome of your moto story. maybe my next bike will just be a v strom and nothing exotic though the tuareg gets plenty of good reviews. cheers bud.
I didn't have a replacement seal. If I had one I may have been able to get it fixed at the shop as a warranty claim. The shop didnt have any in stock. I will carry counter shaft seals from here on out. The UV stuff sounds great. I have never heard of that. Thanks.
Sorry to hear. That's everybody's nightmare. I don't think it speaks to the bike. It speak volumes about the dealer you took it to originally and the one in the Bay Area! That is unacceptable. Poorest customer service I've heard of in a long time. I've heard issues about getting parts but warranty should of been approved immediately. Hope this is the last of any issues and you have many super adventures on the Taureg. I'd let Aprilia know you have 10,500 subscribers and the longer this takes the more potential customers their going to lose.
Thanks. I tried to get a customer service number to directly contact Aprilia. The only number is a number in Italy. I asked the dealerships and they don't have contact numbers. I wish I had some sort influence, but the reality is I don't. It won't change anything as far as Aprilia is concerned.
Damn! Sorry to hear about this! That dealer that blew you off should be ashamed. I’m still interested in upgrading to the Tuareg from my 390 Adventure next year but that new KTM 790 has me second guessing myself. Good luck Matt. I think the warranty will come through for you.
Thanks. I still believe the Tuareg is a great bike. I think the seal likely was damaged during assembly. I think once the seal is fixed I will get thousands of trouble free miles.
The countershaft seal might not be the issue at all. The nut holding it in place can loosen and cause the leak.
It might be. The dealership got it fixed. I pick it up next and will find out what was wrong.
Hi Matt, so sorry for your issues. Now you have me a little worried, I just traded in my 390 Adventure for the Taureg a couple weeks ago. So far, I absolutely love the bike and smile every minute I’m riding. I go in for the first service on Friday. 600 miles and no issues, but I will surely keep an eye on the seal. Don’t give up, I think this is a great bike.
I still love this bike. Every new bike I have owned had one warranty issue or another. I am sure once the seal is replaced it will be good to go. The seal was likely damaged during installation.
Matt, so sorry to hear about this problem. My Tuareg is doing well. However I only have 4500 miles on it. I love the bike. I think I would call out the dealership that made the poor diagnosis. Hoping this gets resolved. Best!
Thanks. I gave a lot of consideration to whether or not I would name the dealership. I decided I would not at this time. I spoke with them yesterday in person and I am waiting to hear back if they are going to do anything.
Man, that’s a bummer. Hope it resolves soon.
Thanks.
I’m rolling through British Columbia and Alberta mountains. Thinking of you Matt
Thanks dude. You are living the dream. What a fantastic ride! I have been watching your videos as they roll out. Looks amazing!
I've put 8500 mile on my 22' in AZ summer-winter dirt and long street ride and no issues, thankfully. Sorry for you trouble and dealerships are good and bad ya never know.
Glad to hear your experience has been so good. I am sure once the seal is replaced I will get thousands of trouble free miles. My guess, it was damaged during assembly.
I feel your pain. I sold my reliable Yamaha Super Tenere 1200 for a Triumph GT 1200 Explorer and the thing was a lemon. I kept it for too long hoping it would get better and it never did. Left me stranded 2500 miles from home and cost me a fortune to get it home. Too bad as I really liked that bike, it just didn't like me.
That's terrible. I have always had the fear of this exact thing happening. I am lucky I was able to find an Aprilia dealership since there are a limited number. Hopefully my costs will be limited to a few flights and Uber rides. Still not cheap. I expect to be out of pocket close to $1k with the travel costs, not to mention the time wasted on this effort.
What went wrong on your Triumph?
@bobanppvc my clutch was messed up. They had tried to fix it 3 times at the dealer and said it was good to go. It lasted the 2500 miles from Toronto to Sturgis and had similar issues so I took it to a dealer out there. They also "fixed" it and about 10 miles out the door the clutch finally burned out. I had to rent a UHaul to bring it back to Canada as it took about 2 1/2 months to get parts. Turns out there was also both an oil leak as well as a leak at the drive shaft and had stalling issues as well as connectivity issues with the electronics.
@@mikemills5144 What was reason of clutch burning?Triumph Tiger 900 and 1200 look like 85% finished product with their laggy displays,too soft rear suspension,triple T vibrations...
@bobanppvc it was the 1200 Explorer. I actually really liked the suspension and thought the stock seat was the best stock seat I have ever had. Stock windscreen was too small for me, heat management was excellent.
I had a Moto Guzzi v85tt , loved it. It had several completely avoidable issues, complete lack of interest from the main dealer ( he has since given up Piaggio)
Piaggio will take your cash but then you are on your own. I bought a Suzuki v strom 800 , zero issues so far. Hope you get this problem resolved.
Thanks. I new I was taking a risk. From all the owners I have seen comments from it seemed like a safe bet. It was still a bet. Good choice on the V-800. Great bike.
Bad luck mate. After so many miles under your wheels they should have treated you with more respect. If it's any consolation I had an Aprilia Caponord, which was trouble free and a joy to ride. Hopefully once the seal is replaced you will have happy trails and will follow your gut instinct to do your own servicing.
Yeah thanks. I am confident once the seal is fixed I will get 10s of thousands of miles on this bike.
I’ve got a crap dealership too. Hate letting them near my bikes. I’m lucky I can do it all myself but there’s always a slight risk of warranty claims with brand new models (like the camshafts on my 22 model Triumph Tiger 1200) 🍻
Ugh, that is rough. I hope Triumph took care of you. Knowing how to do your maintenance these days seems nearly a necessity. It just worries me in some cases it could give brands an out from the warranty.
@@advmatt Luckily warranty, but it’s been 2 months without use of the bike so far 🤷
@@daveo9844 warranty is good but no bike is bad. I hope you have a back up bike. I learned my lesson with BMW. I had a warranty claim that took five or six weeks. I had to cancel an extended trip. After that I have always had a back up bike.
So sorry this has happened, the original dealership sounds terrible, Chain Lube for pity sake. Sounds like a KTM dealership I used for my 390 Adventure, they were useless. I hope everything gets fixed and you continue on your travels.
Thanks, appreciate the support. There is a huge lesson in here for me. This will be the last new bike I ever buy and the last Italian bike I ever buy. I will do all the service myself here on out.
Dealerships don't seem to be able to approve anything by themselves, poor situation when something so simple could easily be fixed. Hate to see you got jammed up.
I agree. Dealerships should have some autonomy to make decisions on these simple warranty issues. It would make the owner experience so much better.
I'm sorry to hear you're stranded over a countershaft seal. I was stranded for a week in quebec when my tundra lost a wheel bearing. I was towing my DR650 + bicycle. I'm finding out the dealership didn't do a great job as I recently had to have the axle replaced. I ended up heading home 4000 miles after they finished with it as I knew they had messed things up just didn't know how bad. I had to return once for my brakes and they also put wrong oil in my limited slip differential.
What a huge pain to have a shop mess up vehicle just trying to get basic service completed. You feel my pain. I will carry a spare seal here on out.
@@advmatt I wonder if the shop could have found one for you somewhere in the USA and had it overnighted?
@@clivekent7465 I think they could have but they weren't going to do any work until Aprilia approved the warranty claim. The bike is fixed and ready for pick up. It took two weeks.
@@advmatt I was just thinking of saving your trip at the time. tell them to fix it and you will pay. on your way in a couple of days. win win I would have thought. anyway sounds like you are set to head out and enjoy. have a great time!
Just convinced me to get the Transalp. So sorry for your no fault mishap. There's a reason they have their reputation.
Enjoy the Transalp. It seems like a great bike. Yep, this is not helping their reputation at all.
Go ride the Suzuki 800 DE before picking up the Transalp. You might change your mind? They're both nice bikes!
@@dwayneneufeld1696 I've been looking at the TransAlp and the V-Strom 800DE. My local dealer has a brand new 800 marked down $2000. I can get it for less than the TransAlp. I like both, but the matte finish on the Honda is a big sticking point with me. With the 800 marked down that much it is looking like a great deal and it is in the blue and yellow which I like.
Of you never lube your chain, the dealer can not blame the chain lube! 😎 - Frank
Agreed, they never asked and seemed to make assumptions.
Ah man, sorry to see the bad luck with the bike/dealer :/
Hopefully the CA dealer will get it sorted, but the extra expense, time without the bike, and early failure of a part would leave anyone a little concerned.
I think I had around 9500 miles on my Tuareg, and they were (largely) problem free.
Good luck!
Thanks. I am glad to hear Tuareg owners like yourself let me know how many miles you have gotten on your bike. It gives me hope that after the seal is fixed I will be on my way to many many miles on this bike. Cheers.
I owned an Aprilia once and it was brand new and it also left me stranded. Never again 😞.
Sorry you're experiencing something similar.
Drag. I was really hoping for a better experience. I think the dealership dropped the ball. I can accept a few warranty issues and the dealership addressing them. This one, its on the dealership not on the bike. Hopefully I will still have lots of riding on the Tuareg ahead of me.
@@advmatt in my experience the dealer was exceptional considering they fixed my bike before getting approval from Aprilia. Good luck 🤞.
@@MotoCampAdv that is good to hear.
Don’t give up on it. Hopefully Aprilia will make it right and doesn’t become a service nightmare. Really enjoy mine so far. I’m in Redding and work in the Bay Area. Let me know if I can help you in any way.
Thanks, I appreciate the support. I still love the bike and plan to rack up the miles on it. I really think had the first dealership fixed the seal the bike would have performed flawlessly.
And this is what drives us to do our own work. I’ve had too many bad experiences with dealer “mechanics” (I use the term in its loosest possible sense) to trust any dealer with any of my bikes. Of course, you _can’t_ do the work yourself if you can’t get the parts, which is often a problem with small brands like Aprilia. I love the Tuareg in theory. In practice, I’ll go with a Yamaha, or a Honda, or maybe, if I get a wild hair, a Triumph.
I agree. I prefer to all the service myself. I was actually able to order a spare seal for myself and should get it in five business days. That's not too bad. Who know how long it will take for the dealership to receive the warranty seal. I may have made a mistake buying this bike. Time will tell.
This is why I got the T7 even though the Tuareg seems to be better all around. I need 1000% reliability. Don't see these 'broke down' videos with T7's! Anyways, good luck with your bike and safe riding!!
This is the reason I kept my T7 and 390 Adventure. This bike will be on a short leash for a while. Thanks.
Burning through clutches, brake pads, rusty and cracked frames is reliable?
I didn't see it as reliable or efficient amd sold that pos. Lost my ass on it too.
dang that sucks. I rode my brandnew 390 adv for about 10 min when the first warning light started flashing. Had some issues with the screen and stalling after that for some time. It all went away by itself eventually. But there is nothing worse than not being able to ride a new bike. Hope they fix yours soon and obviously under waranty
Thanks. Yeah, just waiting to hear from the dealership that has the bike on its status. I will start annoying them next week requesting updates. Glad your 390 sorted itself out.
A bike is and always stay a bike. Any make and model can fail and break down. THe way dealership deals with a situation like yours is what's important. Obviously, this dealership has no consideration whatsoever for you and the fact you have to fly back (with all the expenses and logistics related to it). Aprilia are good bikes. Dealership network is not very well developped. But acting likethis one does, it certainly won't score any point in gaining general public's trust.
Good luck to you and please let us know what's happening. Cheers from Calgary.
I agree with you. Bikes have issues which is why we get warrantees. I don't blame the bike. I look forward to getting it back. I do have a problem with how this was and is being taken care of. Absolutely zero consideration for the bind it had put me in.
I took the Tuareg 660 out of contention as my next bike simply because too many Aprilia owners have experienced reliability and service issues. Only considering a Transalp XL750, Tenere 700, and a V-Strom 800DE at this point.
What a bummer, since, based only on specs, the Tuareg 660 is a perfect bike for my needs. 660cc is such a sweet spot...
The concept of the 660 is a home run. The execution of the 660 is coming up short. Although I have received lots of comments from very happy riders. The Transalp may be the closest of the three to the 660.
@@advmatt Yup, I'm leaning towards the Transalp but I'm a big guy (6'-3" and 225 lbs) so I need to be sure that the ride triangle works for me and that I won't bottom out the suspension. The V-Strom 800DE is apparently bigger (and definitely heavier) with a fully adjustable and better quality suspension than the Transalp.
The rumor is that Yamaha is going to make significant changes to the Tenere 700 soon, so I'm going to wait awhile to see what they do.
For now, I'm having fun on my CB500X with a Rally Raid rear monoshock. It doesn't have enough ground clearance nor suspension travel for faster off-road riding but it's still a lot of fun despite its shortcomings.
@@alozborne if you can ride a CB500X than you should fit on a Transalp. Get yourself the high seat and Bob's your uncle. You will likely need a new springs on the forks and shock at your weight. None of those bikes will come stiff enough. I weigh 215 and have to change the springs out on every bike or replace the rear shock, which comes with a heavier spring. You can add electronic cruise control to the Transalp. I don't know about the 800DE. Cruise control can be added to a T7 but its really expensive. Good luck with whichever bike you choose.
@@advmatt My CB500X is definitely cramped for longer trips, but I make it work. Like you mentioned, I replaced the rear shock with a Rally Raid level 1 shock (120 Nm spring) - big difference! The front Showa shock on the 2022 is actually decent. I would rank my three options in this order: Transalp, V-Strom 800DE, Tenere 700. Appreciate the feedback, thanks!
Keep us posted. I'm curious how this turns out.
Will do.
Looking at buying another mid weight adventure bike, had a T7 and loved it, but my heart is saying Aprilia, my head is saying another T7 🤯
I was in the same place. I let me heart make the decision. Warranty delays are a huge issue. The riding experience is undeniable. I really think once the seal is fixed the bike will perform well for me.
Matt, that's a real bummer! I'm so sorry and hope it only gets better from here. On a lighter side, how did the bike do on the highway out there?
The bike handled so well. It cruised at highway speeds, was really comfortable and a joy to ride. I can't wait to get it back. I did have to take it easy because at the end the rear tire was soaked with oil.
I hate to say it, but many dealers need to have their work double checked. My local KTM dealer put the air filter in backwards after my 18k valve inspection. Luckily I checked it before a ton of dust got pulled into the motor. Hope you get it resolved quickly.
Thanks. If you find a good moto mechanic stick with them. Dealerships can be challenging. They never share our sense of urgency to get bikes serviced or fixed fast.
I was on the fence between the T7 and the Tuareg 660. I heard rumors of the Tuareg having some issues. I hate that for anyone but I must say I am happy I made the choice to purchase the T7. Aside from that, any dealer can make for a bad experience on any brand of motorcycle. Good luck and keep us posted. PS, my dealer didn't torque down my front end bolts when I purchased, thank goodness I put new tires on and realized at that time all the bolts were hand tight.
You are correct about dealerships making for bad experiences. I have worked with some that were really easy to work with, BMW for example. The other brand of bikes I have its been hit or miss. Doing the service myself is the way to go.
I'd never tell you "told ya so!" but dang man... what's up with that dealership? Had a similar issue with service at my local dealership...took over a month to get my Honda back. I guess you'll be second guessing not doing the work yourself in the future. Hope your KTM is still treating you well. Sending y'all love from Texas.
Thanks dude. Getting the 390 Adv fitted with some new tires to hopefully get aome camping I'm this weekend. Always have a backup bike.
These guys are like unicorn trainers they are one of a kind!! Italian dealership mechanics and parts departments. The shaft seal issue is in multiple languages, so if you are not finding examples of the common leak in English -CZcams look further..
Thanks for letting me know. I saw a few threads on the versions of the 660 engine but it was from a few years ago. I would seem this is a known issue. The first dealership should have hesitated to replace it. Cheers.
The Aprilia maybe a fun capable bike but that’s no good to anyone is it’s always in the shop!
I’d worry about how much this bike will cost you when the warranty ends. To be fair I do really like the Aprilia it rides fantastic but there are just too many people reporting issues for me. (Especially as they don’t sell as many as a T7 for example)
I plan to thoroughly test out it's reliability once I get it back. I plan to rackbupnthe miles on this bike, as long as it stays out of the shop.
Some of us are just unable to deal with these kind of frustrations(so we ride Japanese) too many similar horror stories with brand new Euro bikes…😢
Hope it all pans out for the better 🍻🍻
Thanks. These types of issues are why I kept my T7 and 390 Adventure. I had hoped I wouldn't need them, but I wanted back up bike insurance.
@@advmatt Wise man 👨
The 390 after all is not a Euro bike and is the only KTM I can safely recommend to friends being an Indian Bajaj 🍻🍻
@@BlazinBlades you are right about that. I am planning to take mine out this weekend for a couple nights of camping and fishing.
European... especially Italian... DON'T DO IT!!
38 years as a mechanic has taught me this😂.
I knew the delay in getting parts was potentially going to be an issue. I had heard of horror stories with Italian brands but decided to try anyways. It appears to be a huge mistake now.
A $20 dollar part and half hour of labor added to your bill at the servicing dealer would have been the direction to deal with this problem. The difference between a Japanese and Italian motorcycle manufacture is customer satisfaction with its products and its dealer network.
Use your warranty card only for big problems and just chalk up little ones as part of the cost of owning a niche Italian motorcycle.
Looking back, you are right. Unfortunately I expected better from the dealership. I have a spare seal coming just to be on the safe side.
Hi Matt. I just came back from “Americade rally” N.Y.. and demo 15 bikes in 2 days…..my first choice was the Tuareg, second F900gs and third Moto Guzzi Stalvio (if i’m looking for more road oriented). Now i ad T7 for one year, sold for many reasons….this summer i will go opposite, lightest possible, so bought 390 adventure…..now fun start, i got couple know issue with the bike, start at 250km brand new, have to argue with dealer, make video to proven what i said…..i start to be angry and not the good way…..KTM know all the issue with this bike, but at dealer i was the first all the time. What i understand over the year….is buy to the closer dealer you get, any brand anyway, as long as you get nice support it wiill make you happy and smile. I deal with all major japanese, over the year, with big problems…..but at the end, we are not aware of mecanical and this happen to ALL BRAND. Keep good work, be patient, hale and exhaled. By the way i see the CF moto Ibex 450, at the rally….nice machine👍
I hear you. Inhale, exhale. I already feel a little better. Warranty issues always seem to be a headache. With BMW warranty was handled easily, but it took a long time to get parts, so not ideal. There is no perfect solution, well except buy used bikes and do the work yourself. Cheers.
@@advmatt the Tuareg iis amazing bike. I will probably trade mine 390 for Suzuki V-Strom 800de……nearest dealer, small, deal with the boss, good luck Matt✌️
Did you take one from the team while you were down there?
No, it was not offered. Didn't know that I could.
Hey @apriliaofficial you guys need to fix this situation and reimburse this guy for his troubles.
Hopefully they are listening.
Many people have seen water pump seal leaks. This is the first that I've heard about a countershaft seal leak.
First I had seen it with this bike too.
Okay, I made up my mind. I wanted the aprili so bad, but I think I'll stick with the Suzuki. I need peace of mind with reliability.
This experience has really taken the luster off of this bike. I still think for now the blame resides with the first dealership. If the seal leaks again, than its a real problem with the bike.
Not good. Hope things get better.
Thanks.
Seal is easy to replace and easy to get
I ordered a spare for myself. It will arrive in about five business days. I agree, easy repair. I don't know why the dealership failed to take action. I should have done it myself, but the dealership made me question my mechanical knowledge and skills by telling me it was chain lube. Lesson learned, do the small stuff myself, take it in for big warranty issues.
When I picked up my motorcycle from the dealership it didn't have any chain lube on it. It had chain wax. I know you didn't want to ruffle any feathers in the moment but I would have looked them dead in the eye and said quit bullshitting me I know that's oil. Sorry I'm just a little pissed off on your behalf because of this because I hate dealerships because they do shit like this. The only time I ever brought my bike to the dealership was to get the quick shifter installed and activated and the first service light reset. Other than that I'm doing it all myself. I don't trust them. I have the service manual I know how to do the valve service on this motorcycle now All I need is the parts.
I spoke with the offending dealership a few days ago to discuss the situation. I am waiting to see if they are going to do anything about it. I will provide a summary video once the experience is over outlining my entire experience. They were very convincing that it was chain lube. I was also told the mechanic took the bike out for a longer ride to test it out. I just learned the long ride was two miles. I am quite disappointed. I will revisit the dealership for next steps.
@@advmatt hey call the Aprilia customer care line and tell them about your experience. What's crazy is when you call that number an actual person picks up
@@turbolag5107 I can't find a customer care number other than the one in Italy. If you have it can you please provide it. I asked the offending dealership for a number and I was told they didn't have one. That seemed suspicious to me.
The dealer did not have a cs seal in their inventory? Should have been an easy fix,..... It sucks with this bureaucracy. Hope it will sort of fast, so that you can enjoy the bike. Fingers crossed.
No they didn't have a seal. I was told they would have to order one after getting approval from Piaggio. I think once the seal is fixed the bike will be good to go.
Infuriating to say the least, no matter what bike brand you ride. Here is to hoping they make it right, but for sure name and shame the initial dealership, they did you dirty.
I gave a lot of consideration to whether I would name the dealership. I spoke to them in person yesterday laying out all that had happened. They are to discuss amongst themselves and let me know. I plan to wait until after this all sorted to decide if I need to call out any dealerships. I would prefer to give a dealership some praise, so hopefully that will happen.
@@advmatt I get it. Shit happens, sometimes it's not necessarily nefarious.
Countershaft seals are relatively inexpensive and simple to install. Did you look to see if there were any available for shipping?
I have already purchased one and should have it tomorrow to carry as a spare. Since the bike is new and under warranty I didn't want to do it myself. I might rethink that now. Thanks for suggestion, I was thinking the same way.
@@advmatt I always carry a spare in my “seals” bag. Only weighs a few grams. Not hard at all to install. If you do it yourself make sure you only press it in until the outer seal surface is flush. Clean the cavity well first of course. Good luck man
@@DanielByersCycleSouth I am getting the same seals for my other bike just in case. Its small and easy to change, no reason not to carry one.
Bummer. No two ways around it. And it will cost Aprilia some sales for sure. Not sure Piaggo understands that reliability and service is key for non-japanese bikes. They have something to prove essentially. Japanese makers can sort of rest on their (well deserved) laurels.
Yeah, I am not sure any manufacturer really cares about the individual rider. My experience will certainly be a cautionary tail for anyone on the fence about buying a Tuareg.
I TOLD YOU SO!!!!
😢 just kidding. Sorry this happened to you. I hope it doesn’t sour your joy of what is a phenomenal bike. Get it all squared away and ride it.
I plan to rack up lots of miles on this bike, once I get it back. I think the ride home will remind me why I purchased it. I am trying not to allow one dealerships mistake sour the bike for me.
Most motorcycle dealers are notoriously bad globally. Very unfortunate case. In Finland I kinda get it as there are no dealers that live off motorcycle business alone but I have seen so many bad shops abroad too.
I think it doesn't help that the Piaggio Group is so slow in responding to dealerships when there is a problem. It really slows everything down making everyone look bad.
@@advmatt Also true. These are the niggles on going with a smaller manufacturer but they really should up their game.
Only have 2000km on my Tuareg so far.
Whats up with Aprilia seals?Who was their suplier?Its bad quality seals or bad surface finish that wears them...On my GSXR you need to split cases to change them hope Aprilia have better design
I looked at the cut away drawing and it appears the seal is pressed in. Should be an easy fix. As long it was just a bad seal and not something else the bike should be good to go. I ordered spare to carry with me in case this happens again.
@@advmatt put thin layer of gasket maker on static part of it...
Brutal man, Is the mechanic at the first dealership really that lousy ? Or just would rather kick the can down the road and not deal with it? either way. that’s absolutely horrendous !
I almost picked up a new Tuareg but opted for the new 790 Adv , needless to say I’m rolling the dice with Ktm once again.
I hope you can get this sorted out sooner than later
Cheers
Thanks. I briefly considered a 790 or 890 but really fell for the Tuareg. I can't go get it for a few weeks so hopefully it gets sorted in that time.
Recommendation to prove case:
Clean all around seal immaculately while in dealership and with service manager watching. Then poof a cloud of baby powder over the area. Then don't touch it. Come back to it hours later or next day. Case closed.
Great way to prove it. There were plenty of signs without doing this. I was told the technician took it out for a longer test ride. Turns out it was a two mile test ride. Not exactly trying.
Yes, the mechanic misdiagnosed, but also the bike failed and it’s a new bike. Doesn’t instill a lot of confidence in the Tuareg, which is a shame; seems like a great bike otherwise. At this point I’ll stick with Yamaha or Honda.
Completely understandable. I have had several new bikes and almost all of them have had one warranty issue or another. It was a small thing that is easy to fix. I shouldn't have trusted the technician's assessment and trusted my own. Lesson learned.
That sucks. It may not be an Aprilla bike issue, but a bad dear network is just as bad. I own a KTM, I know.
Fingers crossed for you bro.
Thanks dude. I am thinking the same thing. Not an overall Aprilia issue, some new bikes have minor things come up, but to be ignored. That's a whole different problem. I have seen your videos on the issues you had with your new bike. You are feeling me.
Well that really sucks for what is in reality a $10 lip seal that can be bought from most bearing shops, that they can replace in less than 30 minutes
That what they are on most bikes anyway.
It’s the sad reality for many brands and many dealers these days they just don’t care
I have already ordered one for myself for $18 and should have it in five business days. They have caused a lot of trouble over such an inexpensive item they could have billed to Aprilia.
question you should be asking is why the seal was leaking in the first place with a new bike
Great question. I can only assume it was damaged during assembly, but the thought crossed my mind that the counter shaft has a burr on it that is damaging the seal. That is unlikely, but I did think about it.
Ps. Suzuki v storm 800 DE…..maybe…?
I am financially committed now to a hot Italian. I need to see this through and maybe get some counseling. The 800DE looks like a great bike.