The Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory edition falls just shy of the 200mph mark, making it the fastest bike Aprilia has to offer to the public.
It has to be said the RSV4 FW-GP needs an honorable mention here. Although it makes over 30 horsepower more than the 1100 Factory, it really is a track-tuned machine that isn’t designed with top-end in mind at all, topping out at around the 186mph mark. The added advantage of owning the 1100 Factory is the fact that you can actually ride it on the road, unlike the FW-GP.
There are only a handful of bikes at this level of the market, plainly taking on Ducati at their own game and in some respects, beating them.
The Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory Certainly Has Italian Looks
The Italians sure do know how to design a motorcycle, and the RSV4 is no exception to that rule. The 1100 Factory just takes it up a notch.
The beautiful lines get accentuated by small details like the titanium Akrapovic exhaust system, carbon fiber bodywork, and a matte black livery. There is also the one thing that cannot be explained; the sound. That exhaust note truly needs to be experienced, no speaker known to man can really capture the V4 sound.
Improved Performance
200 horsepower is already a lot for a bike, but that is what the standard RSV4 produces. For the 1100 Factory, that figure goes up to 217 horsepower.
It isn’t the crazy 250 horses you will get with the track only FW-GP, but it is still way more than you will ever need. It is also important to remember, if you want that machine you will need to shell out close to $90,000, so you pay for each and every one of those horses.
This, on the other hand, is a road bike for the track and will deliver in both very different worlds, unlike so many other bikes that have to settle for one or the other.
Surprising Value
When you look at the asking price of close to $27,000 value may not be the first thing that comes to mind, also, when you think of Italian made bikes long term value usually doesn’t exist.
However, when you start looking at its direct rivals, the price-tag starts making sense. The Yamaha R1M is desperately close in terms of price and performance. It also has less power and comes in marginally heavier. Then the more direct Italian competitor, the Ducati Panigale V4 R is a whopping $13,000 more expensive, and for that, you only get 4 extra horses (unless you spend even more to get the performance exhaust).
All in all, the Aprilia is a fantastic value when you consider what it really is and what you will need to pay to get anything like it. Getting the Ducati will leave you with less money in the bank and getting the Yamaha will leave you with less feeling on the road.