Comfortable Mille

[naimchase]

There have been many threads about changing bars on the Mille.

My first Aprilia was a new ’03 Tuono. I was already tired of low bars and found it perfect for me. I then got a salvage Mille for trackdays and a loaner. I hardly rode it at all because of the bars. I finally put the same bar setup on it that I have on the Tuono. These are 1982 Yamaha Seca 650 bars in adapter sleeves. They are exactly the same WIDTH as the Mille bars, but the same height and fore-aft position as the Tuono bars. The wrist angle is just right.

The Mille mirror mounts just touch the bars at full lock. I cut the eBay fairing just behind the second shield mount screw, just past the mirror mount, and down to about one inch behind the top edge of the hand guard. I painted it with a spraycan and kept the stock one for restoration. The screen is as long in the center as stock, with the sides cut off. I left the hand guards off since the bars are not behind them anymore.

The Mille now feels just like the Tuono, but with better aerodynamics. I discovered the Sargent seat was noticeable in its absence. Today’s Mille ride to the mountains pointed out the maintenance needed on the 13K+ Tuono. That Ohlins shock sure is nice, too.

NOTE to appearance perfectionists:
This is a SALVAGE Mille bought for trackdays. Repairs were made with eBay parts and spraycan.

[norcolmille]

A great bike !

And I fully understand. My old 996 is gone becuase it was a torture rack after normal canyon day if 150 miles. My latest salvage mille came with Heli bars and I AM redoing a seat for more comfort.

A recent day of 400 miles in Colorado canyons requires a more comfortable seat...

You did a great kob with the bars and fairing....well done !

[drift]

that looks great!

can you post about how you installed the bars? what was the process of drilling, etc.

thanks for showing!
Bruce

[futfalc]

looks great and i'm guessing it did not cost $800 like the superbike kits out there

[naimchase]

Thank you for your support.

I did it this way because I wanted it to feel exactly like my Tuono. This is a trackday practice bike, and I wanted information and techniques directly applicable to my street ride. I may eventually convert it completely to Tuono specs.

The stock Tuono parts were not cheap, but I found the top triple clamp on eBay. The uprights are new from the dealer. I made the bar sleeves myself. The Yamaha bars are still available new. The brake and clutch lines came from our friends at AF1. NOTE: The Tuono has 2-pad calipers, and the Mille has 4-pad. The brake line is special, NOT a Tuono part.

The bars have a steel plug welded in the ends. A 6mm x 1 hole has to be drilled and tapped in the slugs to hold the bar end weights. This requires a drill guide to center the hole because the weld is irregular.

The locating pins must be removed from the switches. Pull them straight out, without twisting. The reservoir mounts have to be modified or replaced.

On the Tuono or the Mille, there is interference with the mirror mounts to some extent. It takes some fiddling and filing to make these bars work. I chose them because I have used them for 20 years, and find them supremely comfortable. You may not consider them worth the trouble, and choose something easier to adapt.

If there is interest, I will provide pictures and part numbers.

Yes, it was less than $800.

[drift]

very cool. I had considered a mille, but don't like the aggressive seating position. great idea, great execution.

thanks for letting us know, and for the info!

Bruce

[SoulDaddy]

Sweet Mille!! Or is it a Tille? Muono??

I'm almost finished with similar mods to a wrecked Falco I bought. I've had the Falco triple clamp machined to accept the Tuono risers and handlebar. With the Falco's monster gas tank it's still a little longer reach to the bars, but it feels good and just slightly more aggressive than the stock Tuono position.

I bought a tweaked Mille fairing mount, straightened it (mostly) and bolted it on with a Tuono fairing. Got some seriously great deals from the guys here on the forum.

I'm about finished except for having a couple new brake lines made and waiting for Leo Vince to correct a boo-boo, but that's another story. Can't wait to get it on the road!

[PennyPasta]

NOTE to appearance perfectionists:
This is a SALVAGE Mille bought for trackdays. Repairs were made with eBay parts and spraycan.

Who cares what anyone else thinks? It's your motorcycle. Do what you want with it.
Racers don't stop for even a moment before cutting, drilling or modifying. Identify problem, envision solution, implement. They're just motorcycles, not religeous artifacts.
I'd be the first to hack on you if your mods were ham-fisted or dangerous. You do nice, well thought out, craftsmanlike work. If it solves a problem for you, suits your asthetic or just satisfies your need to tinker, that's fine. Screw the purists!

[naimchase]

A lot has changed since this old thread started.

I finally decided I liked the absence of bodywork more than the aerodynamics and converted it.
A leaky pump flange in the red tank caused a hurried swap to Grey right before Indy '09.

Below are photos of:
1. This '01 Mille on the way to Indy in '08 with me on it.
2. Same bike as a week-old unfinished Tuono on the way to Indy in '09 with my buddy on it.
3. My '03 Tuono same trip with me on it.

Both bikes continue to progress.
These things are made to ride.

.

[tuono07]

Hey I remember that bike!!

[jrflanne]

The Mille is one of the insane cheap deals in used motorcycles. Well, them and Falco's. Nice!

[Drt Boy]

Me too! Richard and his two friend cought up with me on IN135 on the way to Indy in '09. For a while there was a 4 Tuono freight train heading north, but it was a short while 'cause I wasn't up to their pace and they slowly pulled away from this old man. Still, fun while it lasted.

BTW ya see the size of that tail pack?!! And he ended up borrowing pants from our host! LOL

DB

[naimchase]

And he ended up borrowing pants from our host! LOL

DB

When you wet your pants ...................

[Bas]

That conversion looks really clean. I know the Gilles Tooling bar riser kit for the Mille costs an arm and a leg. It is nice to see a more reasonable solution.

Out of all the race rep bikes I have been on, the Mille does have some of the most decent factory ergos, so I imagine this is the icing on the cake.