Aprilia RSV4R

The clock ticks extremely fast in sportsbike land; it's just the nature of the uncompromising beast.

But you've got to hand it to Aprilia for sticking with its V-twin Rotax-engined RSV1000, which first appeared as the Mille in 1999, for so long.

Sure, there have been a few incarnations over the journey, bookended by the potent RSV1000R Factory, but it simply no longer had the wherewithal to land consistent point-scoring blows against the latest releases from the major Japanese and European factories anymore.

That's not an indictment on the RSV, as it's proven to be a magnificent example of Italian design and ingenuity, enough to cement itself in Aprilia lore.

But now Aprilia is back in the saddle, so to speak, with an all-new 65-degree V-four superbike to replace the RSV (although you can still buy the latter while stocks last).

Manufactured at the Aprilia base in Noale, Italy, the V-four has been released in two variants: an up-spec RSV4 Factory version, which first went on sale last year, and the lower-spec RSV4R, which will shortly make its way into Aussie showrooms.

That's the typical nomenclature for Aprilia roadbikes (like Ducati adding an 'S' to its souped-up bikes), but it's normally the other way round - the standard followed by the more exotic. But that was turned on its head by world superbike regulations, which dictate a certain number of units of a bike must be manufactured before it can be homologated for competition.

Of course, Max Biaggi and Shinya Nakano raced the RSV4 Factory in the 2009 world superbike title, with Biaggi finishing in a very impressive fourth place, which included nine podiums and a single victory.

The win was Aprilia's first in WSBK competition since 2001, when Aussie Troy Corser competed for the factory on a RSV1000R Mille.

While the credit points that Biaggi built up in 2009 will provide an excellent platform to go all the way in the 2010 championship - tickets are still available for the WSBK opener at Phillip Island from February 26-28 - Aprilia Australia is also bracing for a big year of its own as the Factory and RSV4R go on sale alongside each other for the first time.

The RSV4 R will make its public debut at Phillip Island during the AMCN-sponsored expo, but for those who want to take the jump from ogling to handing over cash, click on the following link to organise a test ride of your own.

The Bikesales Network did that just last week, as we took the RSV4R for a strop through the Royal National Park in Sydney.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
The RSV4R will retail for $23,990, compared to $32,990 for the RSV4 Factory.

That's a fair price disparity, but as far as the engine is concerned there is no inequality.

Sure, the Factory may have magnesium engine cases instead of aluminium, but the engine architecture remains the same. That is, a 65-degree liquid-cooled DOHC 16-valve V-four with ride-by-wire engine management, slipper clutch and cassette-style gearbox.

Aprilia claims the compact heads on the V-four are a result of its innovative timing system, which has a chain driving only the intake camshaft, which in turn drives the exhaust camshaft via a gear. This makes it much narrower than would otherwise be possible, especially beneath the frame spars.

The engine also has countershaft balancer, which Aprilia says makes it even smoother than a 90-degree V-twin.

The fuel-injection is by Weber-Marelli and features 48mm throttle bodies, with a choice of three maps selectable (on the fly) via a handlebar-mounted switch. The modes are T (Track), S (Sport) and R (Road).

T is the full fury mode, while S is torque limited in the first three gears before gaining parity with T. R is reduced power output (140hp) across the board.

Aprilia claims maximum power of 180hp (132.4kW) at 12,500rpm, and 115Nm of torque at 10,000rpm. The engine meets Euro 3 homologation.

The RSV4R also has the same Brembo monobloc calipers as the Factory, as well as the anodised aluminium dual beam chassis.

So what are the main differences between the two? I've already touched on the engine cases, while the RSV4R doesn't have the adjustable frame or swingarm of the Factory. For the majority of road punters that doesn't even warrant a furrowed eyebrow, although some track day punters may enjoy 'experimenting'.

The standard bike also has a fully adjustable Showa/Sachs suspension combo, rather than Ohlins at both ends on the Factory. The massive twin-sided aluminium swingarm is found on both machines.

I'm not sure about you, but I'm perfectly content to exist in the Showa and Sachs orbit, because they both have a rich motorcycle racing heritage all on their own. That's not a slight on Ohlins, but more than one can play at the top-shelf suspension game.

The steering damper is also a Sachs design.

Finally, the RSV4R has six-spoke cast aluminium-alloy wheels instead of the forged magnesium items on the Factory. The RSV4 R has sticky Metzeler Racetec rubber: 190/55 on the rear, and 120/70 on the front.

The legacy of the original RSV Mille still lives via the triple headlamp layout.

Aprilia claims a kerb weight of 184kg.

Click on the following link to view accesories for the RSV4R.

ON THE ROAD
The RSV4R really is a beautiful specimen - a tall and statuette figure just like the Factory, save for some carbon-fibre bits and a few other little niceties.

It really is something to admire from afar - that Macquarie Bank operative should have been looking at photos of the RSV4R during the live cross on Channel Seven, rather than Miranda Kerr in her GQ poses. I wonder whether he'll keep his job?

But that's one for the Bikesales Network business report to ponder, and we'll get back to the Aprilia.

The admiration only continues when the RSV4R is cranked over, as the sound of the V-four's 4-2-1 exhaust is an aural experience par excellence. The sound just drills into your ears, but in an agreeable rather than irritating way. This bike doesn't need a mighty induction roar, as the exhaust provides the real harmony.

Tracking through the suburbs of Sydney, the RSV4R didn't let me forget I was on a sportsbike. First gear is quite tall, the mirrors are next to useless, and there's the aggressive seating position - very similar to Aprilia's ballsy little RS125 two-stroke I was riding the day before.

And the engine does get very hot in heavy traffic - my hot pins were a giveaway, and the temperature gauge hitting 102 degrees only reinforcing what I already knew. Once the traffic starts flowing, or the open road beckons, the RSV4R settles down to about 85 degrees.

But on the flipside in the city, vibration is negligible and the take-up on the cable-actuated clutch (which has no span adjustment) is superb; I compare it to Triumph's new Thunderbird. The 'soft' clutch makes riding in the city just hat little less arduous, although neutral can be a bit pesky to find occasionally.

The engine is a peach. From just under 4000rpm it gives the nod that something's about to happen, and from about 6000rpm it delivers in a surge of glorious sling shotting power, all the way to the 14,000rpm red line - and beyond.

At 100km/h in top gear, the bike ticks over at 4000rpm, so there's enough punch to pass other traffic without having to play with the sweet-shifting gearbox.

The screen works quite well, and in my case most of the buffeting is around the top of my neck - as long as it stays away from my helmet, I'm content.

The reach to the bars on the RSV4R isn't a massive one, which definitely suits someone of my small stature. And there's ample room to move around, with the option of tucking your knees into the scalloped areas of the fuel tank if you really want to take it by the scruff of the neck.

But really, the RSV4 already has a good handle on this turning and change of direction caper, and I'm tipping that talent would only be enhanced with the lower unsprung weight (via the wheels and suspension) of the Factory.

With its nimble feel, the RSV4R chews and spits out most corners with ease - even bumpy ones, and there are plenty of those in the Royal National Park.

That left me to sort out the most appropriate gear selection, and I soon settled on a formula - back to first for corners signposted around 25km/h or less, and a taller gear(s) for anything more wide open.

That seemed to give me the cocktail I was craving - a nice rolling speed through the turns, and stability on the way out. And gee I had great fun trying to master it.

If anything, I found the Showa upside-down forks a little too hard initially, but I decided to remain with the status quo during a mid-ride coffee break - where talking into my voice recorder appeared to scare some of the locals off.

On the way back, I upped the pace a little, and the Showas answered back with a convincing case of their own. If you're a regular city rider, you might want to soften the shocks up a little, but that's the extent of my critique.

I'm also a big fan the Sachs piggyback shock, as it always allowed me to get maximum drive out of corners tight or open - no squirming or a feeling that I was advancing beyond its capabilities.

I tried all the mapping settings, but spent most of the time on T (Track). That's not an ego thing, but in the dry weather it just felt the most logical. It's obviously a horses for courses thing, and in inclement weather I would have opted for S (Sport) or even R (Road).

Oh, and the radial brakes. Brembo monoblocs - enough said.

The compact instrumentation cluster, while not a thing of beauty like the rest of the bike, is certainly clear and concise, with the analogue tacho the centrepiece of the whole show. To the right of the tacho is the digital inset with a smorgasbord of information, including what map the engine is currently in.

So there we have it: yet another compelling case for sportsbike supremacy from Aprilia. Is it the best of a dynamic bunch? That's a loaded question, and perhaps one that can only be answered by the small number of people who can ride these bikes to the absolute limit.

But for a feel-good factor and a companion that's got the smarts to back up the looks, this could be the one. And that sound…