Sometimes, I wonder why brands debut their machines at the EICMA, or any trade show for that matter, but especially the one in Milan.
Asphalt & Rubber published close to 50 new bike stories from Milan, and we still have a few more minor announcements to get out the door, so imagine for a minute that you are the marketing manager for a brand which is trying to stand out in that crowd.
This EICMA marked the first year where we really saw some brands abandoning the rat race of EICMA, choosing to release their new models ahead of the show, in order to generate some buzz, and dominate the headlines for a day or two.
And, no one executed this strategy better than Aprilia.
Friday First
Aprilia’s EICMA bid started with the Aprilia RSV4 Factory for the 2019 model year. Playing the displacement game, the machine gets a bump to 1,078cc for its V4 engine size, which now shares a dimension with the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100.
This brings 214hp (159.6 kW) to the Noale’s superbike mix, which helps the four-cylinder superbike in its comparisons to that other Italian brand.
Aprilia also continues its pursuit of aerodynamic systems and winglet design, giving the Factory bike carbon fiber wings that connect midway on the front fairing, creating a modest amount of downforce in the process.
The 2019 Aprilia RSV4 Factory was not the most surprising or most important launch from the EICMA show, but the model’s pre-release dominated our traffic Friday and Saturday, giving it way more exposure than a Tuesday debut would have offered.
As such in terms of site traffic, Aprilia accounts for two of the Top 5 bike releases we reported from Milan. I’m pretty sure that means that Aprilia won EICMA.
Terrific Tuesday
Of course, the real attraction from Aprilia was the RS660 concept, which is really two concepts in one.
The engine/chassis package for the RS660 is 100% going into production, our sources tell us. This contrasts with the “Aprilia Active Aerodynamics” fairings, which are still in development, and likely to debut on the next iteration of the RSV4, which we expect in 2021.
As for the parallel-twin engine, with its ~660cc displacement, we expect this to be the basis for a slew of middleweight models. A supersport or supertwin machine is almost certainly going to debut, as would a naked version of the machine. We would also expect a sport-touring/adventure-touring version of the bike to be created.
In modern motorcycle design, no longer can a manufacturers build a single model off an engine platform. The economics of the situation make this too costly, and the more models you intend to build from a particular engine design, the cheaper you can offer them.
As such, Aprilia has several strong opportunities here with its parallel-cylinder concept, which could see its progeny finally replace the 900cc lumps found on the Dorsoduro and Shiver models. Tracing a lineage back to the RSV4, the RS660 bikes would be high-performers and lightweight, and they could offer a robust suite of electronics.
While we expect the fairing design on the concept to land on a new RSV4, what is beneath the carbon fiber pieces is surely the basis for a 2020 supersport.
Arrows Towards Aeros
While Aprilia’s intentions with the RS660 concept seem more obvious, especially when you look at the Italian brand’s current lineup, and how it compares to its competitors, what Noale is doing with its aerodynamics program is less clear.
I am not even sure any of the bodywork on the RS660 actually functioned as part of an active aerodynamic system, which would make the RS660 concept more of a signal of intent, rather than an exposition of achievement.
Still, the idea that active aeros could be just a few model years away is a tantalizing prospect.
Manufacturers are just now starting to fully understand how to integrate aerodynamic aids with their electronic packages, and active aeros take that knowledge one step further.
Active aerodynamics offer the ability to correct wheelies without cutting power and losing top-end speed. They also offer the ability to add to the force generated by traditional brake systems, while offering their own braking forces through aerodynamics.
The obvious application for active aerodynamics is for the track, where IMU-assisted electronics are bringing wheelie control and other aids to the forefront. However, there are applications for the street as well, especially when it comes to panic braking situations.
Linking an active aerodynamic system to a throttle or brake lever, with help from IMU, is going to be key in these pursuits, and perhaps it shouldn’t surprise us that Noale is leading the pack on this technology.
After all, it was Aprilia that first introduced the IMU to the production side of motorcycle industry. The Italian brand once again leads the way.
Photos: Aprilia
As always, Asphalt & Rubber will be covering all the new bikes debuting at EICMA this year. Be sure to follow our coverage for the most recent news and photos.
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