Aprilia RSV Mille (1998) Specification, Wikipedia, On road Price

                               Aprilia RSV Mille

 

                   The RSV's distun rive and aerodynamic shape owed much to Aprilias grand prix race bikes, and incorporated a unique triple-lens headlamp design.

                  the left reveals the large and highly rigid aluminium swingarni which, like the twin-spar frame, was designed with the benefit of Aprilia ’s long experience in top-level racing.

                Aprilia's credentials for building a top- class superbike were impeccable. The firm from Noale in northern Italy had risen rapidly from being a small producer of lightweight bikes to become Europe’s second largest motorcycle manufacturer. Along the way, Ivano Beggio’s firm had taken on and beaten the Japanese to win a string of world titles in the ultra- competitive 250 and I25cc grand prix classes. So nobody should have been surprised by the speed and all-round ability of the RSV Mille, Aprilia’s first big four-stroke.

                    This was one very purposeful motorcycle. The Mille was intended as the basis for a World Superbike racer, plus a range of V-twin roadsters, and its conservative styling had its origins in Aprilia’s wind tunnel. Similarly, the alloy twin- beam frame and twin-sided swingarm were designed by race department engineers not for style, but to give maximum strength for minimum weight. The exhaust system ended in a large silencer on the right side, rather than twin pipes under the seat, because that was the lightest way of achieving the necessary volume.

                  There was much innovative engineering in the Mille, notably in its 998cc, dohc V-twin powerplant. After considering a Ducati-style 90- degree V-twin, Aprilia decided instead to position their engine’s liquid-cooled cylinders at 60 degrees apart, as this gave a more compact unit. A 60- degree V-twin also produces more vibration, which was cancelled by tw in balancer shafts, one in front of the crankshaft plus a smaller shaft inside the rear cylinder head.

Competitive power output

                        Other notable engine features were the dry sump - more compact than the normal wet sump - and the ‘power clutch’, designed to prevent the rear wheel lifting under hard braking. In other respects the fuel-injected, eight-valve V-twin engine was unexceptional. Its internal dimensions were almost identical to those of the 90-degree motors from Ducati, Honda and Suzuki. Peak power was a competitive 128bhp at 9250rpm.

                       The rest of the Mille was conventional but very much state-of-the-art. Suspension comprised 43mm upside-down forks from Showa of Japan, and a rear shock from Sachs. At 4161b (189kg), the Mille was slightly lighter than its Ducati rival but weighed more than the lightest of the Japanese opposition. Neat details included a high-tech instrument panel which, as well as housing a big digital speedometer, could record up to 40 lap times.

                      The motor was superb: strong at the top end, torquey in the mid-range and with plenty of V-twin character. Revved hard, it zipped towards the 10,000rpm limit through the excellent six-speed gearbox, a racer-style red light flickering on the dashboard to let its rider know when to change up. That top-end rush had not been achieved at the expense of power lower dow n the scale, either. The Mille responded crisply from low engine speed and simply got stronger as the revs rose, heading towards its 170mph (274km/h) top speed.

                       If the motor was brilliant, the RSV's chassis was just as impressive, combining high speed stability (aided by a steering damper inside the fairing nose) with light, responsive steering. Its typical super-sports geometry, rigid frame and excellent suspension resulted in a bike that could corner with the best. The only slight disappointment was a Brembo front brake that required a firm squeeze of the lever for maximum stopping power.

                      Some critics complained that the Aprilia lacked a little Italian glamour, but its high-quality engineering and all-round performance more than made up for that. The RSV Mille was a brilliant first effort that fully succeeded in establishing Aprilia as a major league superbike manufacturer. And which, before long, also led to a competitive World Superbike racer and a range of fast and stylish V-twins.

                     Aprilia surprised many people by setting its 998cc V-nvin engine’s cylinders at 60 degrees apart. The main advantage of the narrower angle was reduced length. The chief drawback, increased vibration, was addressed by twin balancer shafts.

                 As well as allowing the engine to be shorter, the Mille unit’s dry sump layout ensured that prolonged wheelies did not starve the motor of oil. Given the RSV’s tempting blend of instant throttle response and light weight, this was probably just as well.

               Specification Aprilia RSV Mille                                                  (1998)

• Engine Liquid-cooled dohc eight-valve 60-degree V-twin

• Capacity 998cc (97 x 67.5mm)

• Maximum power 128bhp @ 9250rpm

• Transmission Six-speed, chain final drive

• Frame Aluminium twin spar

• Suspension Telescopic front; single shock rear

• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear

• Weight 4161b (189kg)

• Top speed 170mph (274km/h)

Aprilia Tuono (2002) Specification, Review, HD Photos

                                Aprilia Tuono

                   The Tuono’s wide bars gave plenty of leverage, and its racy chassis meant the Aprilia handled as well as almost any sports bike.

              Its lack of a fairing gave the Tuono a rather messy appearance, but plastic crash-protector bungs added a suitably streetwise touch.

            Aprilia took a refreshingly direct approach when entering the naked sports bike division with the Tuono. The Italian firm followed the format of taking its top super­sports bike, swapping clip-ons for high handlebars, and removing the fairing. Unlike other manufacturers, Aprilia didn’t detune the RSV Mille’s motor or invest in a fancy restyle.

                  Quite simply the Tuono was a stripped-down, high-barred version of the RSV, with all the performance and attitude that suggests. Aprilia’s no-nonsense approach meant that the Tuono - Thunder in Italian - wasn’t the prettiest of bikes, but the way it performed made up for that.

                      Like many of its breed, the Tuono wasn’t strictly a naked bike because it had a nose fairing, partly because Aprilia found the 998cc V-twin was too fast to be stable near its top speed while its rider was trying to grip the bars against the wind.

                    The 60-degree, liquid-cooled unit’s maximum power output was reduced very slightly, by 4bhp from the RSV, but this was hardly noticeable, and still left a very substantial peak of I26bhp.

                The Mille’s rigid twin-spar aluminium frame was retained, wearing white plastic crash-protector mushrooms. Cycle parts were just like the RSV’s, too, which meant 43mm Showa upside-down forks, and a similarly multi-adjustable rear shock from German firm Boge. The nose fairing echoed the three-headlamp design of the original RSV Mille, giving a suitably aggressive look.

                     Straight-line performance was every bit as good as might have been expected of a bike with such a powerful engine and a total weight of just 403lb (183kg). Given a tweak of throttle the Tuono leapt forward almost regardless of revs, storming effortlessly towards a top speed of over I60mph (257km/h). There was a slight dip at about 6000rpm, but generally the V-twin unit felt very crisp and smooth, and its six-speed box was impressively slick.

                        The riding position was excellent, too. The pilot sat upright enough to be comfortable through town, or when following slow-moving traffic. But this Aprilia was not built to go slowly. With its nose fairing and fairly short screen keeping off some of the wind blast, it was almost impossible to resist the temptation to crack open the throttle and set the Tuono charging towards the horizon, its steering damper helping to prevent wobbles.

                     The suspension did a fair job of soaking up bumps while giving a firm and well-controlled ride. The slightly raised bars provided enough leverage to make changing direction easy, too, and the Tuono was very light and flickable. Brembo brakes gave plenty of stopping power.

                It added up to a superb all-round sports bike, marred only a little by its slightly unfinished look, a tall seat that gave shorter riders a few problems, and a lack of comfort compared to most naked rivals. Those quibbles apart, the Aprilia had everything required from a sit-up-and-beg roadster. It was quick, handled superbly, was easy to ride, had heaps of attitude and was competitively priced. No surprise, then, that the Tuono soon carved itself a significant slice of the market.

Louder Thunder - the Tuono R

              Aprilia followed an Italian industry trend by launching the Tuono not with the standard model - which was initially given the name Tuono Fighter - but with a limited-edition bike that became known as the Tuono R. Carbon-fibre and Kevlar bodywork combined with the gold-finished aluminium frame and swingarm to give a unique look. High-end Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes and forged wheels also helped bump up the price, and the 998cc engine produced the full 130bhp of the RSV Mille.



                 Aprilia quickly sold the limited run of 200 machines, and later introduced a hotted-up model called the Tuono Factory, with similarly outrageous performance.

                  Specification Aprilia Tuono
                                    (2002)

• Engine Liquid-cooled dohc eight-valve 60-degree V-twin

• Capacity 998cc (97 x 67.5mm)

• Maximum power 126bhp @ 9500rpm

• Transmission Six-speed, chain final drive

• Frame Aluminium twin spar

• Suspension Telescopic front; single shock rear

• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear

• Weight 403lb (183kg)

• Top speed 165mph (265km/h)

Aprilia RSV 1000R (2003) Factory Weight, Color, HD Wallpapers

                          Aprilia RSV 1000R

                    With its rigid and compact chassis benefiting from high-quality parts from Ohlins and Brembo, the RSV Factory handled and stopped brilliantly.

            The new-gene rat ion RSV was a more sleek and integrated machine than its rather ungainly predecessor, but not quite such a distinctive one.

                  Aprilia's second-generation RSVIOOOR had a lot to live up to. The original RSV Mille had been launched in 1998, catapulting the Italian firm into the superbike market after decades of building and racing smaller machines. Since then more than 25.000 Milles had been sold, and the Aprilia had also been reasonably successful on the racetrack, winning races if not the title in World Superbikes.

                    Five years after that spectacular arrival came the RSV’s first major redesign. Both engine and chassis were overhauled, as well as the Aprilia’s look. The old model was a tall bike, and despite all its engineering excellence had never been regarded as particularly stylish. In contrast the new machine, shaped by British designer Martin Longmore, was lower and sleeker.

                      Aprilia kept the familiar RSV format of twin- spar aluminium frame and 998cc, 60-degree V-twin engine. The eight-valver’s twin balancer shaft and dry sump were retained, too, but changes to induction, internals and a new twin-pipe exhaust system increased peak power output to I38bhp at 9500rpm, from the old model’s I30bhp.

                  As well as being lighter and more rigid, the new frame allowed air through its steering head area for a more direct, power-boosting run to the engine. For this reason the familiar three-headlight RSV glare was gone, replaced by aggressively angled headlights either side of a central slot in the fairing nose. Other changes include revised weight distribution, lower seat, twin-sided curved swing- arm, and comprehensively updated electronics including lights and instruments.

                      As before, the RSV range comprised two models, a standard machine and a racier version with some carbon-fibre bodywork parts, Ohlins suspension and adjustable steering damper, OZ forged wheels and Brembo radial front brake calipers. This time, however, the standard model was named the RSV1000R and the upmarket bike, previously the R, was known as the RSV1000R Factory.

                     Any rider familiar with the old model was left in no doubt that the RSV had been shrunk. Riders of average height were able to put both feet down without trouble. The V-twin engine’s power characteristics were similar, too - and slightly improved all round. There was the same well- metered and flexible power delivery, with reasonable acceleration from about 6000rpm and a thrilling charge from BOOOrpm, as the Aprilia headed towards its 11,000rpm limit and a top speed of about 170mph (274km/h).

                    Handling was fractionally lighter and more precise than the old model’s too, provided the bike was perfectly set up. The Factory version’s TiN- coated Ohlins forks and rigid frame meant it could be braked ultra-hard, flicked onto its side without a hint of head-shake, and then powered off feeling wonderfully precise. Those radial Brembo front calipers provided effortless, ultra-controllable stopping power, too.

                      The RSV had always been competitively priced by Italian superbike standards, and that remained the case because even the high-specification Factory version was slightly cheaper than Ducati’s base-model 999 in most markets. The new RSV might have been physically smaller than its predecessor, but it was slightly faster, sharper and more competitive than ever.

V-twin Relation: the Moto Guzzi MGS-01

                   Aprilia's successful move into the superbike market with the RSV seemed to have sparked even better news for the Italian motorcycle industry in 2000, when the firm bought struggling Moto Guzzi and Laverda. Guzzi's trademark transverse V-twin format was updated in stunning style with the MGS-01, a prototype sportster that combined a 1225cc, 122bhp eight-valve engine and a compact chassis with high-quality cycle parts. But before the MGS-01 could enter production came news that overstretched Aprilia was in financial trouble.

                     The group, including Guzzi and Laverda, was sold to scooter giant Piaggio, delaying the MGS-01 project and Guzzi's return as a superbike force.

        Specification Aprilia RSV Mille R Factory                                          (2003)

• Engine Liquid-cooled dohc eight-valve 60-degree V-twin

• Capacity 998cc (97 x 67.5mm)

• Maximum power 138bhp @ 9500rpm

• Transmission Six-speed, chain final drive

• Frame Aluminium twin spar

• Suspension Telescopic front, monoshock rear

• Brakes Twin discs front, disc rear

• Weight 407lb (188kg)

• Top speed 170mph (274km/h)

Aprilia RSV4 RF (2009) Weight, Color, HD Wallpapers

                               Aprilia RSV4

                       The sharp-edged RSV4, shaped by Aprilia’s design chief Miguel Angel Galluzzi, incorporated Aprilia’s trademark triple headlights and twin-spar aluminium frame layout. The Italian firm made no secret of the fact that the ultra-powerful and compact RSV4 was created from a clean sheet of paper, with the aim of being the world’s fastest superbike on both road and racetrack.

                     Aprilia’s stunning RSV4 was first seen as the works' World Superbike racer on which Max Biaggi made a storming start to the 2009 championship. Such was the Aprilia V4’s speed and exotic, infinitely adjustable chassis design that rival teams complained it was a pure competition machine, not a modified production bike as the regulations demanded.

           

               Shortly afterwards Aprilia unveiled the production RSV4 Factory, and the critics were forced to back down. The gorgeous and technically brilliant V4 had clearly been built to an exceptionally high specification. The Factory represented the birth of an important new family of bikes for Aprilia, whose parent company Piaggio had invested more than 25 million euros in its development.

                       Engineers from Aprilia’s streetbike and racing departments collaborated in the RSV4's design. They used computer programmes to analyze potential lap times of alternative engine layouts before deciding that a dohe V4. with cylinders set at 65 degrees apart, offered the optimum blend of performance and compact size.

                  

       The 999cc unit had over-square bore and stroke dimensions, and featured lightweight titanium valves plus magnesium engine covers. A sophisticated intake system combined ride-by-wire throttle control with intake ducts whose length varied according to revs. Other features included a slipper clutch and removable cassette gearbox. The I8()bhp maximum output matched that of rival Japanese fours: the motor’s light weight contributed to a competitive dry weight figure of 395lb (179kg).

              

          Aprilia’s heritage demanded a polished, twin- spar aluminium frame. This was welded from cast and pressed sections, and fine-tuned for optimum stiffness. Most of the fuel lived under the seat, for improved weight distribution. A key chassis feature was a level of adjustability unprecedented in a production bike. Steering head geometry, rear ride height and the engine’s position in the frame could all be fine-tuned.

                        The result was a stunningly aggressive and capable bike that was bursting with character and fearsomely fast. It accelerated out of bends with a guttural growl, revving smoothly through the midrange then kicking harder at 8000rpm with a stirring V4 howl. Top speed was a genuine 180mph (290km/h) plus, helped by excellent aerodynamics. In adverse conditions the rider could select from three engine modes, giving the option of softer power delivery.

                       Chassis performance was every bit as sublime as that of the engine. The frame’s carefully specified levels of rigidity combined with the high-quality Ohlins suspension and lightweight forged wheels to let the Factory slice through turns with minimal effort and maximum control, yet for such a short, light bike it was also very stable at speed. Brembo’s Monobloc calipers ensured fierce stopping power.

                        The Factory was a fast and desirable machine that confirmed Aprilia’s renewed challenge as a superbike force. Perhaps its only slight drawback, apart from an unashamedly racy nature, was the lack of electronic aids such as ABS and traction control, as featured by some rivals. That criticism was addressed by the Special Edition model that was unveiled in September 2010 - just weeks after Biaggi had won Aprilia’s first World Superbike title. The RSV4’s triumphant introduction was complete.

Almost as Fast: the RSV4 R

                       Aprilia has a tradition of producing super-sport models in alternative levels of chassis specification so few were surprised when, a year after the Factory's arrival, the

RSV4 R was launched combining an identical engine and frame with less exotic cycle parts, and paintwork in white or black. Inevitably the R-model couldn't quite match the Factory's majestic composure under maximum duress, but it combined a substantially cheaper price with similar straight-line speed, plus very impressive cornering ability of its own.

                       The RSV4’s tendency to wheelie under acceleration was curbed in 2011 by the Factory APRC Special Edition, with its electronic wheelie control.

            
                 The Aprilia's rigid aluminium swingarm had an adjustable pivot - just one of several ways in which the bike’s chassis could be fine-tuned.

     Specification Aprilia RSV4 Factory (2009)

• Engine Liquid-cooled dohc 16-valve 65-degree V4

• Capacity 999cc (78 x 52.3mm)

• Maximum power 180bhp @ 12,500rpm

• Transmission Six-speed, chain final drive

• Frame Aluminium twin spar

• Suspension Telescopic front; single shock rear

• Brakes Twin discs front; disc rear

• Weight 395lb (179kg) dry

• Top speed 185mph (298km/h)