Category: Aprilia RS250 Chesterfield

The gearbox oil was last changed about 400 miles ago, and about 20 years!! So despite looking reasonably clean I drain it out for replacement. I drain out over 800ml.

The oil plug is also relatively clean.

Cleaned off and ready to reinsert!

On the advice of the tuning works, I go for Silkolene light gear oil, and fill it to the correct 700ml measure.

However after consulting the manual, it looks like Medium gear oil would be the correct choice! As a result I shall probably drain this out and replace with medium soon!!

From reading the Silkolene data sheets, Gear oil ‘medium’ is the equivalent weight to engine oil SAE 20W/50 as called out in the manual. Gear oil ‘light’ is a 10W/40.

The original crush washer was clearly reused previously and crushed to nothing! I fit a new washer to the correct torque setting.

Edit:

Gear oil light I feel is too thin, so it has been replaced with medium, a mere 40 miles later!!

After 20 years it’s time for the RS and the original fitment Dunlops to part ways…it’s an Italian bike, so Italian tyres will be going on this time…in the words of Juha Kankunnen, I have opted for black, round Pirellis. Diablo Rosso III’s to be precise, which are my favoured road tyre of the moment.

The original Dunlops still rode well, however the history showed the rear one had been plugged, and so it was, on removal the plug was still there!

Of course, while the wheels are off it would be rude not to inspect the front calipers and pads and also deep clean the swingarm area.

There’s not much wrong with the calipers. I have bought a replacement Brembo caliper seal kit but this will have to wait a bit longer, along with the new front brake master cylinder as I’m itching to get this on the road now. For today it’s just a clean up of the pads/gubbins and clean and regrease the pistons.

The rear comes up nice and shiny…