Aprilia is one of the biggest names in the motorcycle industry. What started as a bicycle manufacturing business in 1945 is one of the most prominent names in today's automobile industry. Based in Noale, Italy, Aprilia is renowned for manufacturing scooters and small-capacity motorcycles. However, the Italian brand's popularity is not just restricted to on-road two-wheelers.

Aprilia's lineup of adrenaline-packed two-wheelers appeals to riders of all types, including MotoGP riders. Yes, that's right. Aprilia has a long-standing history with racetracks. To be precise, it has been 30 years since Aprilia began its Grand Prix motorcycle racing journey. And to celebrate this, the Italian automaker has unveiled their wildest creation ever - the Aprilia RSV4 XTrenta that gets winglets literally everywhere!

What are the highlights of this special journey so far? What was Aprilia's first big win in the Motorcycle World Championship? Let's have a look at 30 years of Aprilia lighting up the racetracks.

Aprilia Won Its First Grand Prix In 1987

Biaggi riding an Aprilia bike.
Via: Aprilia

After deciding to be a part of the racing world, Aprilia made its Motocross debut in 1975. The Italian brand's debut garnered plenty of attention. The media expected constantly pitted it against the seemingly invincible Japanese in the 250 class. 10 years later, on 23 March 1985, Loris Reggiani, finished 12th at Kyalami, South Africa.

That 12th-place finish was a sign of things to come. A few months after finishing 12th, Reggiani was on the winners' podium at Rijeka; this time for finishing 3rd. The next couple of years saw further advancement and improvement of the Aprilia engine, and there was a widespread belief that a first Grand Prix win was imminent.

On 30 August 1987 Reggiani and his AF1 250 stood tall, notching up Aprilia's first ever Grand Prix win. The year 1991 saw the introduction of a new MotoGP icon: Max Biaggi. The same year also coincided with multiple changes for the Aprilia 250 in the form of the RS250V.

The brand-new RS250V demonstrated enhanced performance and was handed over to the new kid on the scene, Biaggi. As cliché as it sounds, Max went on to win the European 250. In the same year, Aprilia went on to win its first-ever win in the 125 class with Alessandro Gramigni. A year later, in 1992, Gramigni led Aprilia to its first Grand Prix title, becoming a World Champion.

The following years were all about Max Biaggi enticing everyone with his magic on racetracks around the globe. He was crowned as the 250 World Champion on his Aprilia, in Australia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Barcelona. The year 1994 was also a great year for Aprilia, thanks to Kazuto Sakata, who finished top in the 125 World Championships in Australia, Spain, and the Czech Republic. 1994 also marked Aprilia's debut in the 500 class, thanks to the twin-cylinder technology.

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Valentina Rossi Becomes The Face Of Aprilia In 1997

Rossi riding an Aprilia bike.
Via: Aprilia

After Biaggi and Sakata led Aprilia to glory, it was Valentina Rossi who took the Italian company to new heights. As the new torchbearer of Aprilia, Rossi dominated the 125 class, stacking up 11 wins in 15 races. Rossi ensured his performances in 1997 were not an anomaly.

He followed it up with utter domination in the next couple of years that followed. In 1998, Rossi and Aprilia won 13 out of 14 Grand Prix in the 250 class. Aprilia's domination was such that on four occasions, all three podium positions were all Aprilia riders. Rossi and Aprilia continued their domination in 1999 as well, with multiple wins under the Italian company's belt.

The following years saw some interesting developments, with multiple events leading to the year 2006 - Aprilia's best-ever year. Aprilia became a part of the Piaggio Group, and the benefits of the reorganization were reflected in the Italian company's success on the racetracks.

Aprilia ended the year 2006 with six world titles. The following year - 2007 - the Italian company won five world titles. Two years later, Aprilia introduced its finest work up till that point - the RSV4, a superbike with an incredible 1000-cc four-cylinder 60-degree V engine.

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2022 Promises To Be More Thrilling Than Ever For Aprilia

Aleix Espargaró, Maverick Viñales and Lorenzo Savadori will represt Aprilia in 2022.
Via: Aprilia

Since its merger with the Piaggio Group, Aprilia has continued to overcome the competition and exceed expectations. In 2010, Max Biaggi teamed up with the fiery RSV4. The result? Biaggi conquered racetracks around the world. In Imola, Max Biaggi became the first Italian Superbike World Champion.

The partnership with Aprilia also benefited the Piaggio Group. Soon, the Piaggio Group, with 101 World Championship titles - Aprilia 51, Moto Guzzi 15, Derbi 21, and Gilera 14 - became the European motorcycle manufacturer with the most wins of all time.

2022 is set to be an exciting year for Aprilia. Not just because it marks thirty years since the Italian company began its exciting journey in the world of racing. Representing Aprilia will be the monstrous RS-GP bike. Compared to previous Aprilia racing bikes, the 2022 RS-GP will feature improved engine performance, braking, and acceleration.

The talented trio of Aleix Espargaró, Maverick Viñales, and Lorenzo Savadori are the trio of riders bearing the responsibility and privilege of representing Aprilia. The upcoming season will be a celebration of Aprilia's journey over the last 30 years, as well as a reflection of the Italian company's ever-present racing DNA.

Source: Aprilia