With Marco Simoncelli having obligations in Estoril, British Superbike racer, Leon Camier, will be filling in for the injured Shinya Nakano at Magny-Cours this weekend. Camier will get to ride the Aprilia RSV4 Factory alongside Max Biaggi as World Superbike wraps up it season with its second-to-last stop of the year at the French Magny-Cours race track.
If Aprilia had any idea how popular the RSV4 R launch would be, we think they would have done it sooner. Anyways, you wanted it, and now you got it. More shots of the “base” model RSV4 both in the studio and in action from its premiere at World Superbike’s stop at the Imola circuit.
We particularly like the look the Aprilia is bringing to the RSV4 R, very reserved large single-color paint schemes. There’s something to be said about the minimalist approach when it wraps up an intricate machine like the RSV4. Check out the video after the jump as well.
The Aprilia RSV4 hasn’t even reached dealers in the US yet, and there’s already speculation for what’s to come next year. With BMW finally spilling the beans on its pricing structure for the S1000RR, it should seem clear that Aprilia is going to have a lot of trouble hocking the long awaited RSV4 at the likely $6,000 price surplus that the RSV4 is going to have over the Japanese and new BMW.
To combat this, there is speculation starting to go around that Aprilia will release a “base” model (they don’t like calling it a base model, but that’s what it is) later in 2010, in order to compete with the cheaper models. Rumors peg the base model price to be about $4,000 less than the Factory model, which is due to come out later this year.
If you have any hopes of seeing Aprilia in the upcoming Moto2 series, you may have to be get over them if early reports are to be believed. While official word is expected later this August, it would appear that Aprilia will not develop a custom chassis and compete in the Moto2 series, which is scheduled to replace the 250GP next year.
Jorge “Aspar” Martinez had been linked to the team earlier as possibly being on board with the Italian company to continue his involvement in the middle-tier GP series. This rumor now seems to be denied, as there has been no movement in the Aprilia camp towards developing a chassis around the Honda CBR 600cc powerplant the new series is slated to use.
It is a well established fact that all bad things either come from German or Florida. In an effort to fix this rule of thumb, German design agency Zoom has invisioned a “hobby racer” that the firm hopes to build after securing financing. Called the Rih (arabic for wind), the concept bike will incorporate a few very interesting technologies (like lungs), while at its core, there is an Aprilia RSV4 motor.
The Aprilia RSV4 is set to go on sale soon this summer in Europe, and later in the year here in the US. As such, details about the bike are starting to emerge, as well as a plethora of promotional materials. Continue reading for the official technical specifcations of the RSV4, and pictures from its press only track debut.
Ever wonder what a World Superbike contender looks like with its clothes off? Well here you go: Max Biaggi’s Aprilia RSV4 a la mode. In the details we can see the amazing number of data acquisition points that Aprilia, and likely other manufacturers, are using. Other points of interest are the CNC markings on the casings, and the styling to the carbon fiber tail.
There’s lot’s of news surrounding the Aprilia RSV4 this week. Those wishing to reserve an RSV4 in the UK can login to and register to take first delivery of the V4 monster, but must then pay a deposit at their local Aprilia dealer. Also Piaggio Group USA President and CEO Paolo Timoni has revealed that future RSV4 owners can expect to see the bike go officially on sale in the US in the last quarter of 2009.
If that wasn’t enough to wet your appetite, spy shots have found the RSV4 on the streets in production trim around Italy’s Lake Garda.
Source: Two Wheel Blog, Visordown & Hell for Leather
Controversy has hit Aprilia after Max Biaggi took second place in the Superpole shoot out. Alstare Suzuki owner and team manager, Jean Francois Batta told Italian network La7 that: “Everyone knows that the RSV4 is a prototype and shouldn’t be racing here in SBK. After the race I’m going to the technical commission and lodge a complaint.” According to paddock gossip the Alstare techs seem to have had a tiny peek at Aprilia’s fuel system and saw something that did not convince them. Fuel systems according to Superbike regulations have to be identical to the road bike version. Since Aprilia’s return to the series, several teams have quietly expressed concern regarding Aprilia’s new superbike, deeming it not yet a true production bike.
With specs for the road-going 2009 Aprilia RSV4 already out, and details about the WSBK prepped bike still coming, all has been too quiet on the Western Front in regards to if when the Aprilia Tuono will get the same V4 treatment as its more clothed cousin.
If Aprilia follows the previous formula for the Tuono, we can expect a literally naked version of the RSV4, in which case the above “rendered” speculation is likely a pretty close estimate, with maybe only some changes to the headlight, and “chin” fairing.
With already a plethora of naked bikes in its stable (Mana, Shiver, Dorsoduro) the Tuono can only exist if it differentiates itself from these bikes in some way (which would mean it has to adopt the V4 platform to continue on). Still, it would be nice to see Aprilia think a little bit outside of the box with the styling options.
Instead of just dressing down an RSV4, maybe the Tuono would become more than just a small market bike if it had its own legs to stand on, without looking like the Emperor in new clothes.
Wow us Aprilia. Wow us.
Dellorto is known in the automotive B2B world for its products in cars and trucks. Well now they are starting to offer their products for motorcycles, and Aprilia will be one of the first companies to integrate their technology in a product. What does this mean for the consumer? Well for starters, the RSV4 will be the first bike from Italy to have variable length throttle bodies. Read more after the jump.