We’ll find out soon, thanks to Aprilia Austria – specifically Peter Fischer – who’s decided to prepare a standard Tuareg for the Bosnia Rally using our Adventure Tower!
Goodness! Adorned like that, with a ‘real’ road book and everything in its place, even with the original windscreen, it really looks quite professional!
Based on the feedback we have received from our testers, particularly regarding the fitting to the frame, we have decided to redesign our Spider for the Rally and, until we have a new solution that is equally functional and original, we will no longer be offering it.
We’re sorry to have sparked your imagination and ‘greed’ and now to have to dampen your enthusiasm, but as always we are committed to offering the most original and efficient solutions to our needs, though these must not conflict with our guiding principles, the most important of which is the absolute reversibility of any installation, leaving no trace behind.
Following up our post of few days ago, about the differences between our frame (2022) rally models, it looks like the same differences apply to the 2025 models. That means that the reinforcement bracket for our ADV Tower, the Spider, cannot be used on newer models. Now, we haven’t seen any post about issues with the tower attachments for new models, and from the pictures we got it looks like Aprilia has reinforced a bit the welds on those attachments. Based on that, we mean that probably the reinforcement bracket is no longer necessary (nice to have, yes, but not necessary) but we have no data confirming this, it is just our opinion. Nevertheless, from now when someone asks to join out groups for the ADV Tower we will ask which model they have: if an older model the ADV Tower will include the Spider, if not the kit won’t include it. And the price will reflect that, probably a 60-70€ less (TBC). We are confident (based on years of experience) that Aprilia never changes things without a reason, and, when they do they do, normally it is a better solution, so the new frame attachments will probably withstand the loads from the tower. And anyway, our tower is still one of the lightest (the lightest, from what we know, among those comparable) so we are quite sure that it will not overload the OEM attachments. And of course we are working on an alternative, but due to time, winter, other projects, regular jobs, families and last but not least, the fact that we don’t have a 2025 model, it could take some time. When, and if, we will have an alternative, we will make it available for those who want it.
It has been so long since we have been in touch that one would think we had disappeared. Wrong! We have been working behind the scenes to organize an incredible, and complex, buying group! This, dear ones, is our ADV Tower!
We have been counting, dividing, packing, milling, soldering, riveting for days, and now we are ready to pack and ship: our wait is at an end!
Few months since our last sign of life, almost ashamed! But only “almost», as we have been working quietly:
two buy groups have been concluded with many happy owners of our unique gadgets, and our four Towers are being put to the test with seriousness and determination … and a little naughtiness!
While Giamaica moves essentially on white roads … sometimes snow … Fedro does his best to put it to the test with urban enduro sessions and runs, complete with good falls, in the woods. But the toughest tests are faced in Italy: Alessandro (btw: thanks for the fotos!!) is off-the-road again, and if that was not enough, Mirko has already taken it to the first Rally event (Rally del Garda ), he managed to do quite a few damages to the bike but not to the Tower … And he will soon try again with another event, «Sterrare è Umano»!
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clic the image for full view
clic the image for full view
So far, no structural or design weaknesses have shown up, and some modifications have been made that make it even more pleasant and functional … and lightweight! If this continues, those who have expressed interest may receive an email as early as the end of the month!
It is useless: even after three prototypes, their assembly tests, and the changes these indicated, going to install what we believed to be the final tower in addition to the successes (our “spider” lets itself be installed exactly as planned and desired) something didn’t add up! We won’t go into details, suffice it to say that the supercazzola squared did not emulsify with the quantum slammer, but it is once again a demonstration of how a few mm in the wrong place can invalidate an entire project …
Find the error
Problem identified and solved, at least our first test specimen, parts already in our possession modified, which is why we talk about prototypes and testing 😉 , and piece with the new design ordered-which is also likely to look better! – to test its functionality: all without consistent delays on our schedule! On the other hand, the assembly instructions (yes: clearly we are preparing them!) are practically complete and by March all our prototypes will have reached the testers and we will move on to phase 2!
…. Aaaand the worx continues. While waiting for the pieces of the latest buy group (and the ensuing orgy of packages) to arrive, we are spending the time by working on the tower.
Two prototypes have already undergone the “assembly test” indicating changes, even radical ones, to be made on the original design.
So, one piece at the time, every idea, every expectation, every need fits into the others: first of all the wiring harness, decidedly inflexible lets itself be comfortably arranged now, the headlight has its solid support, the GPS/phone/device has its adjustable mount, and the dashboard has found its final position, and so did the dual USB socket …
Although everything is falling into place, the challenge of building a tower of our own remains intriguing: it will be beautiful, it will be functional, it will be as no one else has made it (or could make it). It will be a GiamaicaWorX!
Now it’s time to order the real prototypes, in carbon fiber and aluminium! Stay tuned!
Here we are, ready to show off our next project, the Giamaicaworx Tower, at a more or less final design stage…
There are still a few details to be worked out, but we are going to make the first plastic prototypes to verify envelope and interfaces, and check the feasibility for what concerns the assembly.
Made as a mix of parts in carbon fiber (the main plates and some secondary plates), aluminium (the windshield plates and other plates requiring bending) and 3D printed plastic parts (covers) everything is designed to keep the assembly light and stiff, and of course… beautiful!
And, as usual with our parts, it will have some features that nobody else offers:
Weight: still in definition, but we are at around 1.1kg (from CAD); the OEM parts (the two main parts) weight alone 710g, then comes the X cover, the dashboard cover, the GPS bar and screws and washers etc etc, we are pretty sure that we are at the same level, most likely overall a few grams lighter;
Extra attachment points: we added two extra points without having to modify the frame (not shown yet, because we have to take final measurements) that help the OEM attachments, which in a few cases failed because of the extra weight added by aftermarket towers or other optionals;
Adjustments: the position of the dashboard can be adjusted in two positions, to suite different preferences or to move the dash when using pads or other large screen or roadbooks;
Quick release: the windscreen (same position as the OEM one) is attached by 4 of our Quick Release, modified to fit the new brackets;
Compatibility: of course it is compatible with our Front Rack and Device Holder; the Front Rack will only require a cut, to remove the no longer needed attachments to the OEM 12mm bars, while the Device Holder will fit without any change.
New Add-On: a new Device Holder is coming, bigger and more robust, but here we need your help: we don’t use devices as tablets or roadbooks, so we don’t have the interfaces; we will design the new part with standard AMPS hole pattern and few extra holes, but if you provide other interfaces (holes positions and diameters for you device) we will be happy to implement them.
Costs: Last, but not least: money! We don’t have the total costs yet, but we can foresee costs that will surprise you (in a positive way), as soon as we have them we will post them!
So, now it is time to order/make the plastic parts! See you soon!
Tower back-right sideTower front-left sideTower with Front Rack and Device HolderFront Rack Add-OnDevice Holder Add-On