Aprilia goes wild

Aprilia decided to push the styling boundaries at the recent Milan show, with this prototype (also shown in the flesh), called the FV2.

Based on the company's new 1200 V-twin - which could have  real potential in the upcoming world superbike champs - the machine is typical of the company's recent releases, in that it shows some original thinking, while keeping the size and weight of the bike to a minimum.

Though it looks radical, the underlying technology is a little less so - even the parallelogram front end has been tried before, albeit on the company's race machinery.

Here is what the designers had to say about it:
The minimalist bodywork of the FV2 1200 creates a stunning preponderance of volume towards the front of the bike. The result is a revolutionary, courageous and futuristic look that is destined to form the solid basis for the evolution of Aprilia motorcycle styling.

The engine also fulfils a structural role, and acts as the starting point for the backbone of the motorcycle, a carbon fibre, load bearing frame with integrated filter box. The seat is supported by an aluminium beam and by two carbon fibre struts that extend into the tail and around the rear light cluster. The parallelogram front suspension is based on the system already tried and tested on Aprilia's 250 cc GP racers.

These futuristic solutions have led to an amazing weight reduction (the FV2 1200 weighs under 160 kg) and an extremely compact size. The extraordinary agility that has always typified Aprilia motorcycles therefore finds its utmost expression in the FV2 1200.