The incredible RSV4 Factory model carries a U.S. MSRP of $20,999. Worth it? That depends. Aprilia has just announced a slightly de-contented Aprilia RSV4 R (minus the Ohlins suspension, for instance) priced at $15,999 . . . a savings of $5,000 over the Factory model!
Here is the Aprilia description of the new, more basic superbike. Note that the engine specifications, and most chassis specifications, are identical to the Factory.
Aprilia RSV4 R brings the technology and unique character of the V4 that redefined sports performance on the track within the reach of all enthusiasts.
With the advent of the R version, the Aprilia RSV4 – the bike that took the world by storm and set new standards for sports performance, both on the road and on the circuits of the SBK World Championship – is now accessible to an even broader group of enthusiasts.
RSV4 R maintains the same features that make the Aprilia RSV4 project so unique: the narrow 180 hp V4 engine, Ride-by-Wire integrated electronic management, dual injectors, race bred frame and suspension and extreme compactness.
Aprilia officially presents the new RSV4 R against the backdrop of the twelfth round of the World Superbike Championship.
Christened by Max Biaggi, the Aprilia RSV4 R is the latest product of the project that has brought Aprilia back to the pinnacle of the motorcycle world, both on the world’s circuits and on the road.
A revolutionary project – starting from a blank piece of paper and drawing from the marque’s unparalleled success on the racetrack – that led to the inception of the RSV4 SBK, the bike that Biaggi rode straight to victory in the World Superbike Championship, and a production bike which, in its Factory guise dedicated to circuit racing professionals, redefined the limits for the supersports genre.
Aprilia now presents the RSV4 R, a bike born from the same project in a new, more accessible guise, conceived to bring this fantastic machine within reach of expert riders who want to experience its technological supremacy.
To offer you the same sensations as you carve a perfect line from apex to apex that Max Biaggi experiences on the track in the World Superbike Championship, the Aprilia RSV4 R maintains all the features that make the superbike project so unique:
COMPACTNESS: Minimised dimensions and weight, a 65° V4 engine as narrow as a twin, a chassis architecture defined around the engine and an effective but essential fairing.
ENGINE PERFORMANCE: Class leading power, the torque of a twin, combined with the smooth power delivery and flexibility of a four cylinder, and dual injectors per cylinder. Technical and architectural solutions worthy of a genuine race prototype.
ELECTRONICS: Second generation Ride by Wire with multiple maps (track, sport and road).
CHASSIS ARCHITECTURE: Class beating solutions true to Aprilia traditions. The aluminium frame is built around the engine for maximum effectiveness both on the track and on the road. Suspension is completely adjustable.
ITALIAN DESIGN: The unique style of the RSV4 R is the product of a painstaking design process and was conceived and developed in Aprilia’s own design centre. The styling solutions enhance the bike’s class beating compactness, which is further emphasised by the spectacular, ultra-short tail fairing.
With 33 world championship titles (with number 34 – the 2009 World Constructor’s Championship in the 125 cc class – already a mathematical certainty), 271 MotoGP World Championship wins and 9 Superbike wins under its belt, and with an unparalleled wealth of expertise and experience, Aprilia embarked on the RSV4 project with a single goal: to build the fastest bike on the track.
The engine of the RSV4 R is the most innovative and powerful unit ever built by Aprilia and is one of the highest performance engines available today: It is a super compact, 999.6 cc 65° narrow V-four cylinder engine designed for maximum power (180 hp), where cutting edge powerplant engineering comes together with the most advanced electronic engine management solutions. The V4 employs multimap Ride by Wire technology in conjunction with a state of the art electronic injection system with dual injectors, a solution opening up new frontiers for engine management, with practically infinite possibilities for development in terms of power delivery control. The RSV4 boasts a unique engine, the only V4 available today powering a roadgoing hypersports bike, further emphasising the exclusiveness of the RSV4 project.
Aprilia RSV4 R is a pure hypersports bike created to be ridden on the track. Both the frame and swingarm are made from aluminium using the same construction technology applied in GP machines, with variable thickness cast elements mated to pressed elements. The suspension is completely adjustable, the Brembo brakes boast monobloc callipers and radial calliper mounts and the wheels are made from aluminium.
The unique design, with its ultra-compact dimensions, essential fairing (showcasing the mechanicals of the RSV4 R in all their visual glory) and triple headlight are hallmark traits identifying the RSV4 as the world’s most exclusive motorcycle.
MD Readers Respond:
- As a former Ducati 996 and a Honda Interceptor owner I am very intrigued with this bike. I can’t wait to hear more and see one in person. Aprilia has attention to detail that shows on every one of their products. I may have to put a deposit on one of these. Tom