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Aprilia

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2015 7:15 am
by notanumber
Hello

I hope this is not an ignorant question (Google has so far failed me!) ... can someone confirm whether Aprilia (as a current manufacturer of bikes) is the same company that made the lighting systems/switches etc) on Ducatis back in the day, or is it a different company entirely?

Happy to hear from anyone who can inform me!

Thanks

Re: Aprilia

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2015 6:06 pm
by TDF
I can't recall where I read it. (it might come to me at some point) Seems to me it was a book or magazine article about old Ducati's and their electrics, but from what I recall reading they are not related to each other. Somebody will be along with more proof than my faulty memory though I hope.

TDF

Re: Aprilia

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 12:22 am
by Craig in France
That's about as much as I know too, but I've never managed to find any supporting documentary evidence. It seems that Aprilia the electrical equipment supplier disappeared - went bust/got taken over? - around 1974 or 75. I don't even know where the company was based. This product catalogue is currently on sale in Italy:

Image

Image

Aprilia the motorcycle manufacture started as a bicycle maker after the war and it wasn't until 1968 that the company produced its first powered machines, using bought-in engines (Sachs, Morini, Hiro), mopeds first and then off-roaders.

This is the Daniela
Image

This a Colibri
Image

This is a Scarabeo
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More photos here:
http://www.dropbears.com/a/aprilia/aprilia_history.htm

Re: Aprilia

Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 8:10 am
by tobaccoblender
Hi Craig
What a shame that catalog isn't from the mid or late 70's instead of '70. None the lass I'm half temped to buy it just for the fun of browsing through it!

Re: Aprilia

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 12:36 am
by Craig in France
Go for it, Paddy! I can't believe there will be many people interested in it, so you may be able to negotiate a bit (perhaps ... :-D )