It is being said that the new Aprilia RSV4 RR’s Superpole RR’s and RF are simply the best ever superbike on the planet voted 2 years on a trot and given the verdict yet again by the international media testers who gave the new Aprilia’s a 11 out of 10, is there any machines out there that can complete with this awesome all rounder
All superbike fans, already the international media already know the Aprilia RSV4’s are the best all-round Superbikes available today, winning countless comparison tests in the two wheel media worldwide. “We now make the better than our best ever,” said one on the Aprilia international presenters at the launch this month.
“The most exciting news is the prices of the 3 RSV4 models, they come in cheaper than all the competitors in this category,” said Craig Langton. “On top of this all the trick bits and electronics are included in the RSV4 package whereas with the competitors it’s an option, the RR model will be launched at R 199 900, the Superpole RR at R 229 900 and the flagship model at R 259 900, in some cases R 50 000 less than our competitors and compared to the R1 M1 its R 100 000 cheaper for our RF model.”
“Only 500 of the new RF model will be produced and we have 10 units coming to SA, we also have a launch offer on the RR the first 20 customers will get a free Multimedia Telemetric system (V4 – MP app) valued at R 20 000,” said Langton 
There is simply no area that the RSV4 is weak in; they have seemed to come up with the perfect superbike, track superstar and all-round race bike.
Comments like no need for the ABS when you have the grip by the bucket load
To quote the Fast Bike mag test rider after his test laps at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, the Aprilia’s RSV4 RF is absolutely stunning I’m passing myself off as Aprilia’s next World Superbike Champion. “I’m Leon freakin’ Haslam,” I tell myself as I relinquish my hold on the brake lever and begin tipping the bike into the Misano Circuit’s turn 16.
I tuck in behind the bike’s redesigned bubble and accelerate down the short front straight. Moments later I glance down at my lap time (displayed via an iPhone using Aprilia’s V4-MP app!), only to be brought back to reality and reminded of why after this lap I’ll be heading back home and writing a review on this bike rather than flying over to the next World Superbike round. For that lap though, Aprilia’s RSV4 RF made me feel like a superhero—as if I could do no wrong.
The RSV4 RR, Superpole RR and RF are all new, but step up to the RF and you get forged aluminum wheels, Ohlin suspension, and Aprilia's Superpole graphic.
The RR, Superpole RR and RF are an evolution of the RSV4 models that all superbike riders have had a love affair with since they launched them. The RF model comes with the added Öhlins suspension, forged aluminum wheels, and Superpole graphic to an already sublime package.
Aprilia has found a few extra horsepower for both models, tweaked the ergonomics, and refined the electronics for increased ride ability over the duration of a ride, race or track day, all using information and ideas gathered from Aprilia’s Racing Department, which has earned four of the last five World Superbike Championship manufacturer titles plus three rider world championships.
Aprilia’s Product Development Manager, Pierro Soatti, recaps each of the changes, starting at the engine: “This year the Superbike and Superstock motorcycle have to be closer to the production one, so you can change less things. One of those things is the air box, so basically we developed a production air box that is as close as possible to the former superbike one. The most important thing with an air box isn’t the dimension, but the trajectory of the wind; In order to reduce losses, the trajectory of wind needs to be straight as possible, so on this air box the air filter was moved from laying down where air had to make a corner, to straight up and down,” he reveals. If ever you were curious about how regulations and racing play a hand in the development of production motorcycles to get your answer.”
The biggest changes for the RSV4 are inside the 65-degree V-4 engine. Camshafts are lighter, as are the pistons, connecting rods, and upper crankcase. The bike is claimed to have 201 horsepower (at 13,000 rpm) at the crank, a 16-horsepower jump compared to the last model.
The fixed funnels for the RSV4's variable intake system are shorter and the moveable ones larger, so as to not sacrifice midrange torque. Further down, you'll find reshaped camshafts that are forged instead of cast for reduced weight, plus new valve springs and lighter caps. Titanium intake valves are larger (33 mm versus 32 mm), while exhaust valves 26 mm are now made from titanium rather than steel, the combustion chambers are CNC machined, which keeps the compression ratio very constant for each cylinder and allows Aprilia to control the combustion in a better way. Soatti says that this process absolutely adds to the production costs, but that it is also "one of the most important changes for the engine."
The RSV4’s pistons, Pankl connecting rods, and upper engine case are all lighter, the latter now featuring an optimized ventilation system that reduces pumping losses. A completely new oil circuit uses check valves to bring oil to different points of the engine only when it’s necessary For example, with the gears, it’s not necessary to have a very high flow of oil when you are going lower than 6000 rpm, as there is not that much. So it makes a check and saves oil flow in these parts at lower rpm,” Soatti says.
The RSV4’s 65-degree V-4 engine produces around 85 foot-pounds of torque, enough to make the motorcycle want to wheelie practically everywhere if Aprilia left the geometry as is, fortunately they haven't, ultimately lowering the engine 5 mm via the RSV4’s adjustable engine mount system, and lengthening the swingarm by 13 mm the distance between swingarm pivot to the rear axle is actually just 4 mm longer, but you can use all 13 mm of added room on the adjuster if you'd like. Not compromise agility, Aprilia changed the offset of the triple clamps from 30 mm to 32 mm, which subsequently reduced trail and bumped mid-corner steering quickness. The axle is also moved 2 mm backwards to position the front wheel in same position as before.
Aprilia lowered the center of gravity and lengthened the swingarm to counteract the effects of the added horsepower. The engine now sits in the lowest position available with Aprilia's adjustable engine mount system. Plus the RSV4 chassis provides more feedback than anything in the category when cranked over.
The electronics were recalibrated for the same reason that the chassis was tweaked to counterbalance the V-4’s increased power but also as a result of what Aprilia had found in joint tests with its Superbike team. There, it found that its racers preferred less engine braking and a smoother on-off throttle transition, changes that made the bike easier to ride during longer sessions. The ECU's Road map was jettisoned for a Race mode that’s actually the smoothest of the three, with again, less engine braking above 6000 rpm and a more seamless on-off throttle transition for rider and tyre conservation. Track and Sport riding modes remain, each now granting access to all the 201 horsepower and only slight differences in the way that power is put down.
The handlebars are taller and more flat, which takes some weight off of the rider’s wrists, plus Aprilia, has redesigned the front fairing so that it provides better wind protection. New rear mirrors are larger and house LED turn indicators.
Admittedly, I didn’t feel the effects of the new clip-on angle or reshaped fairing during my four twenty-minute sessions at the Misano Circuit. It'll be interesting to see how the fairing affects longer stints down the highway, however, as Aprilia says that the new design will also reduce the air pressure on the body and helmet when not tucked in.
The increase in power is more obvious, the RSV4 jumps out the corner with more aggression than before and not going flat as early as the previous model did. The V-four engine doesn’t feel as peaky as an inline-four, and instead has smooth delivery of power plus very tractable character that continues to promote smooth drives off the corner.
The Aprilia Traction Control (aTC) and Aprilia Wheelie Control (aWC) systems that come as part of the RSV4’s aPRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) package are quick to intervene, the dash flashing quite vigorously at nearly every corner exit. Even when the systems are in the lower settings range (1 and 1, respectively), the cut in power is fairly abrupt. The traction control on the Aprilia feels like it doesn’t want you to put the bike sideways at all. The Aprilia Quick Shift (aQS) works flawlessly, the step in performance between riding modes. To be fair, they all felt well-tuned, with especially good settings for engine braking and the off-on throttle transition, making it perfect to roll through the entrance of a corner.
Adjusting aPRC settings via the thumb button on the left clip-on can be a bit frustrating, but I did enjoy being able to adjust the aTC settings on the fly using the push buttons on the same side of the bike, which were easy to reach and always got me right into the desired setting.
The chassis is, in contrast, an absolute gem. It has more feel than anything in the category, which ultimately eggs you into leaning it over further than you would anything else and staying on the brakes a little bit longer into the corner. It is one of the best chassis in the segment, if not motorcycling as a whole.Enlarge
Öhlins suspension on the RF model (the RR comes with Sachs suspension) is as good as you’d expect a fork and shock wearing Öhlins badges to be, providing great feedback through the stroke and great control. Aprilia had installed “track settings to stiffen the bike up via the clickers and preload adjuster, the M430 brakes, which have great feel, and power that felt like it was easy to modulate as you tipped the bike into the corner. The brakes never faded at all on the test.
It also does not end there Aprilia looks to transform the riding experience even further with an advanced version of its Multimedia Platform, which allows your smartphone to communicate with the RSV4 and is available as an accessory item. Now you can make changes to the settings for wheelie control or traction control from your phone, while also getting tips in real time for how to improve your lap time, as part of this "Adaptive Race Assist" feature, the application will compare in real time the rider's best lap with his current lap and indicate if you need to brake or open the throttle to gradually achieve better lap times.
Aprilia's V4-MP app (available with iPhone or Android) allows you to program the settings for aTC and aWC so that the motorcycles adjust settings for those systems corner by corner. Notice that in the next sector, wheelie control and traction control will both be reduced.
We did, however, play with the rider aid settings, and walked away completely shocked by its capability. The V4-MP system uses the GPS feature of your phone to recognize your location on the track, and then can adjust the aTC and aWC settings, corner by corner, based on parameters you selected prior to rolling out on the track. Having a problem keeping the front end down out of the tighter corners in sector 2, want a little less traction control through sector 3, no problem, simply program those settings in the V4-MP app and the systems will adjust as you run around the track.
In addition to this, the V4-MP app has a "virtual" dashboard that lets you use your smartphone's display to see, not only all the information on the dash but also information acquired by the bike's telemetry, including longitudinal and lateral acceleration, lean angle, instant power and torque distributed to the driveshaft, percentage of power available, rear wheel slippage, and more.
If running around on a bike that's been developed using data taken straight from one of the most successful teams in recent World Superbike history and one that enables corner-by-corner adjustment to the electronic rider aid settings via your smartphone—doesn't make you feel like a superhero, then I don't know what will.
*Edited track test extracts compliments Fast Bike
“These new RSV4 RR’s Superpole RR’s and RF units have got to be the world’s best or perfect superbike, the ultimate out of the crate race bike and an ideal unmatchable track day machine,” said Craig Langton Sales Director and co-owner of Aprilia SA a division on the Cayenne Group
Caption the new Aprilia RSV4 RF, (grey, red and green with Aprilia branding across tank and fairing) RR’s (grey unit) and Superpole RR’s (red rims)
For more info call Berto at Aprilia SA / Cayenne World on 011 244 1900
