Faults:

Replaced starter solenoid.

Eats rear tires, does not like weak batteries. This is not really things that go wrong, they just eat tires, and the big pistons need some juice to spin and start.

General Comments:

Awesome, brilliant, pick your superlative. This thing will put as grin on your face, first time every time. The motor had a lumpy, torquey power delivery that I love. Zero to eeh hah! in an instant. Plus it thunders right on up to the rev limiter if you let it, and just rips. It is light on its feet, and the dirt dike type handlebar makes for a comfortable sit up and beg riding position. It wells well under 500 pounds wet and ready to rock. Throw on soft saddle bags and a tank bag, and tour the world.

Wind protection is lacking; at about 135 MPH it had more, but I felt the wind was getting too strong. Even though I was on a race track, I decided that was fast enough. I don't see this as a big issue. You can get arrested doing that on the street.

The back brake is a well known issue. There is a special bleeding procedure. Even when it is right it feels "wooden", but who cares, the front brake does the real work. The back is good enough for use in a parking lot, or small adjustments to speed in a turn. Some people have used a different master cylinder and relocated to a cooler spot. I just live with it.

It is also somewhat difficult to find neutral, which is best done from second as you roll to a stop. I have read of a cure with a different oil jet for the clutch. It seems to be not difficult or expensive. I would rather ride than wrench and just deal with it so far (9 years, yikes).

This 2003 is a first gen Tuono. I loved this bike so much that when a friend had a 2007 second gen model for sale, I snapped it up. It has the same issues with back brake and neutral, and the same fixes. But, the styling is different, the power delivery is less lumpy, but still kicks ass, and I love it too. These Rotax V twins are pretty "bulletproof". I love my Italian Supermodels. Meant to sell the older one when I got the newer one, but I just can't bring myself to do it.