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Officially Official: Aprilia RSV4 superbike

After numerous spy shots and leaked details, Aprilia has finally pulled the wraps off its upcoming RSV4 superbike. This is the machine that the Italian company will use to contest the Superbike World Championship in 2009 against the Ducati 1098 and the Japanese literbikes. To properly do battle, the RSV4 will make some 210-horsepower -- fully competitive with the best the series currently has to offer. While the race-going RSV4 is an amazing piece of kit, it's the street-bred RSV4, which will come in both normal and factory guises, that's of the most interest... since you'll actually be able to purchase one sometime next year. Powered by a 999cc V-Four engine mated to a six-speed gearbox with slipper clutch, we expect the Factory to be on par power-wise with the Ducati 1098R, meaning about 180 horses or more. Coupled to a wet weight of 418 pounds the RSV4 will be one seriously fast machine. A ride-by-wire system will likely allow Aprilia to offer more than one engine map to adjust power for specific conditions. One of the more interesting bits of kit that will be standard across the line are the numerous chassis adjustments, including the ability to alter the swingarm position and the headstock angle. Styling-wise, the new RSV4 tips its hat to the RSV 1000 R that we tested earlier this year with its third eye headlight that mimics the shape of the old ram-air duct from the twin. The rest of the bike looks thoroughly new and appropriately awesome. We're not sure how much it'll cost, but we know we want one regardless.
posted : 10/2/2008 @4:09:24 PM
Aprilia RSV 1000 R

When the sportbike discussion inevitably turns to outright performance, the Aprilia RSV 1000R is usually left out of the equation. It is true that the Italian bike is down on horsepower when compared with its racier relatives from Ducati and especially against the inline four machines from the Japanese manufacturers. While the Big Four from Japan continuously improve their unique (but very similar) breed of liter-class sportbikes with completely new designs every few years, Aprilia has sat back and made very small and incremental changes to its V-Twin contestant, and though its acceleration is surely a tick or two behind the leaders, it is important to consider the fact that everything is relative in the world of liter-bikes. Remember, barring something truly special, any liter-class sportbike from the last decade is sure to be the quickest vehicle on any given road. So, what does the Aprilia offer to make up for its apparent lack of horsepower? Read on.
posted : 8/7/2008 @8:29:07 PM
Aprilia SXV550

After having it in our garage for the last few weeks, the Aprilia SXV550 can best be described by the word 'extreme'. From its extremely compact yet very powerful V-Twin engine to its extremely uncomfortable saddle, this is a bike that demands attention from its rider. Also extreme is its ability to wheelie and perform stoppies, so much so that it must be ridden with great respect on the street. The Supermoto category is basically made up of off-road bikes equipped with just the bare essentials to be street-legal. Off go the knobbies and in their places are spooned grippy sportbike tires on 17-inch wheels. This bike fits neatly into that category and was created with maximum fun in mind; but does the SXV's extreme nature take the joy out of riding it on the street? That's what we set to find out when we borrowed one for our garage. Read on to see how it fared.
posted : 6/19/2008 @11:04:01 PM

Bertone design division goes independentThe future of Bertone has taken a big step in the right direction on the road to recovery with the company's design division, Stile Bertone, spun off as a separate entity. Ownership of the newly independent design house will be split between the Bertone family (49.5%) and the Italian courts (50.5%), with former Aprilia motorcycle chief Teresio Gaudio coming in as managing director.

Gaudio's task will be to increase the company's bottom line by decreasing overhead and increasing revenue, but that's a whole lot easier said than done. Further workforce reductions will be required. Developing markets like India and China will play a big role in the atelier's future, as the company's expertise is still highly valued in such countries. However, Gaudio says it will be several years before Stile Bertone returns to the black, while the courts will maintain ownership for at least three years. Meanwhile the Italian courts are still looking for a buyer for Bertone's manufacturing division, where 1,300 employees are currently being supported by social security.

posted : 4/28/2008 @5:05:55 PM
Honda DN-01 automatic motorcycle arrives in Japan on March 7

Back in October of last year, Honda announced that the DN-01 automatic motorcycle would enter production. Starting on March 7th, it will officially be on sale in Japan. When we first heard about the concept, we wondered how it would perform with its 680 cc V-Twin and new hydraulic transmission design. Since then, we've heard that the engine will make 61 horsepower, so think of this machine as a bridge between large maxi-scooters and entry-level sportbikes like the Ninja 500 or GS500. We expect that the DN-01 will have no problem handling daily commuting chores and the often necessary highway-drones, but don't expect to challenge any sportbikes on long straights. Handling will likely be a strong point, with 17" rims sporting 130/70 front and 190/50 rear tires combined with ABS for panic-free stops. We hope to get a chance to ride this bike, but can't help but wonder if the Aprilia 850 Mana is more appropriate for the American market.
posted : 3/4/2008 @4:00:24 PM
Aprilia unveils RSV 4 with plans to go Superbike racing

Aprilia is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to small-bore 125 and 250cc road-racers, as well as in the 450cc off-road and supermoto categories. These successes have led the Italian company to branch out further, this time into the hotly-contested Superbike World Championship. The machine it will be doing battle with is the RSV 4, a brand new design using a brand new engine. That engine is very different from the normal inline four-cylinder Japanese models against which Aprilia will compete, as it uses a V4 design with the cylinders canted 65 degrees apart. The one-liter engine produces "well over 200 HP" in race trim, and a street-tuned version should for forthcoming. It probably goes without saying that we are anxiously awaiting the start of the 2009 season to see how well a small manufacturer like Aprilia can compete against the big factory teams of the Japanese manufacturers. Even more important to us, though, is how well the street version will compete against the other liter bikes already for sale.
posted : 2/23/2008 @4:11:06 PM
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