Italy is a country synonymous with some of the most breath-taking tourist destinations, food, wine, and in the motor world, some of the best car and motorcycle builds in the world. Italy has its fair share of performance-tuned rides with significant brand names, like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bugatti.
This is added to by the top brand names in the motorcycle world. These include brand names like Ducati and Aprilia. Aprilia is an Italian motorcycle company that was established just after the Second World War, in Noale, Italy, by Alberto Beggio. Like most auto companies, Aprilia started small. In this case, the company began by making motorcycles. This then evolved to include motorcycles.
This has now become what Aprilia is majorly known for across the world. Aprilia bikes range from high-performance motorcycles to road-legal motorcycles that undoubtedly pack a punch.
The Aprilia RSV4 is part of the Aprilia superbike lineup. This flagship model made its debut back in 2008 and has been in production since then. The Aprilia RSV4 comes in two trims or models. This is the RSV4 Factory, the RSV4 R. In 2016, Aprilia spiced things up when they offered the RSV4 RR and the special edition RSV4 RF.
This superbike has gone one to perform alongside some of the best bikes on the track. In this piece, we are going to look at some of the best features of the Aprilia RSV4.
We are going to look mainly at what we consider to be the best feature of the Aprilia RSV4, that being its powertrain. First, let's have a look at what this ride has to offer in general.
The Aprilia RSV4 Is An Expensive But High-Quality Ride
The Aprilia RSV4 is more than just an engine on two wheels. It is an experience and an accumulation of skills and traditions. This bike has undergone some of the most impressive and advanced engineering and design processes, all under the watchful eye of the Aprilia Racing Division.
This has seen it adopt some of the latest technologies. The Aprilia RSV4 features outstanding elements that contribute to its aerodynamic efficiency and all-round performance. This, coupled with the 217 hp powertrain that is seamlessly fitted to the Aprilia RSV4’s chassis, elevates this bike from an ordinary superbike to a beast on wheels. The starting price for this base model Aprilia RSV4 is a whopping $18,999. While this may be on the expensive side of things, it is worth every penny.
Best Feature: The Powertrain
When talking or reading about any superbike, the first thing you want to know is the powertrain specs. This is because regardless of the design, aesthetics, and even technology used. If the powertrain does not hold down the fort, the bike is, for lack of a better word, useless as a superbike.
The Aprilia RSV4 is powered by a V4 engine. Yes, you read that right, a v4. Like most superbikes, the Aprilia RSV4 packs one of the most potent road-legal powertrains on the market. For the 2021 powertrain, Aprilia had to make a couple of adjustments to adhere to that pending Euro 5 regulations.
This saw the company adjust the Aprilia RSV4’s exhaust system, and while at it, they increased the stroke by 1mm. This saw the stroke increase from 32.3mm to 53.3mm, which made it a true 1099 cc engine. The bore, however, remained the exact measuring 81mm. The top speed of the Aprilia RSV4 is 190 mph.
To add to the “new-ish” engine, Aprilia fitted a lighter crankshaft to the engine allowing for quicker spins. The result of all these changes saw the Aprilia RSV4 engine have a maximum power output capacity of 217 hp. This has not increased from what its predecessor delivered.
The torque, on the other hand, has seen a small but significant increase. This has been from the previous 90 lb-ft of torque to 92 lb-ft of torque at 10,500 rpm. While this might not seem substantial, Aprilia made sure that riders could now hit 80% of the maximum torque at 6,800 rpm. The 4,000 to 8,000 rpm redlines have more torque output than the outgoing Aprilia RSV4 model.
The power from the Aprilia RSV4’s engine is managed by the updated APRC systems. This comes with the latest Marelli 11MP ECU. This system is faster than the previous 75MP ECU system. This update allows the Aprilia RSV4’s aids to be sharper and more precise. This includes everything from the traction control to the launch control, wheelie control, and the all-new engine brake control. All these systems take advantage of the IMU’s capabilities.
Among the features and systems that have been updated and upgraded is the Hall sensor in the quick shifter. This update allows for cleaner shifts in any direction without needing the clutch. To allow riders to monitor the functions of these systems, Aprilia fitted a fivonch TFT display on the bike’s console.