SuperBike Magazine

October 28, 2009 - Kenny Pryde

The Aprilia RSV4 R, Aprilia's 'basic' V4 supersports bike, was launched at the Italian circuit of Mugello. Perfect? ... Scroll down for the full story

The Aprilia RSV4 R, the rather lower-spec version of the Italian manufacturer's RSV4 Factory machine, has been launched at Mugello circuit. The 'R' is basically the same as the £15,000 'Factory' model stripped of its more glittering components. Which means you can throw a leg over the R for £12,449.

Which is to say that the RSV4 R has cast wheels, there's no Ohlins suspension, no magnesium engine casings and the variable-height air-intake trumpets are absent. True, there's no chsssis adjustment possible on the 'R', but we rather suspect that most owners of the Factory bike have left their engine mount and steering geometry adjusters untouched.

What is fundamentally the same is the ultra-compact bike propelled by the most exciting and innovative new engine we've seen in...ooooh....ages. The 65-degree, V-configured four cylinder 999.6cc engine is narrow and compact which has a massive impact on the handling, not to mention packing a hefty punch. The ride-by-wire and slipper clutch both function just as well as they do on the base model and the excellent Brembo monobloc brakes are the same as those on the Factory bike. When you shoehorn those features into a nimble and responsive chassis, all running on excellent Metzeler Racetec Interact K2 tyres on a glorious day at Mugello, what could possibly be better?

The rave reviews garnered by the Factory model around the world, combined with the impressive WSB race debut of the Aprilia RSV4 team (Max Biaggi won a race, the bike claimed 10 podiums, Biaggi finished fourth overall and Aprilia finished fourth in the constructors championship) and the base model 'R' already had a lot going for it.

The key questions that will be asked are – does the loss of the better-spec suspension really affect the ride quality and does the loss of the variable inlet trumpets impact significantly on the engine? To be honest, I can answer neither definitively. I strongly suspect that for the vast majority of owners, the fully adjustable Showa forks and Sachs shock will satisfy their suspension tweaking urges. As for the variable inlet trumpets, well, if you could ride the Factory and the 'R' back-to-back on track and not know which bike you were sat on, well, I suspect you might notice 'something'. However, this Factory versus R 'test' will have to wait.

All I can say for now is that if you lusted after the Factory but really couldn't afford it, well, take heart and revise your finances, because the 'R' is as thrilling and exotic a ride, albeit one with its heart and soul located on track rather than road. In a world dominated by inline four cylinder sportsbikes, the RSV4 bikes, however they are dressed up, shine like beacons.

• There was one cloud on the horizon when five of the bikes on the launch broke conrods, causing Aprilia a major headache and no small embarrassment. Although the Factory spec engines are built using conrods from the same supplier, the 1000 unit Factory build was completed (and sold out) months ago without problem or recall. This new batch of conrods in these pre-production bikes appears to have been incorrectly machined at the big end, weakening the part and causing a failure. Would it put me off buying an 'R' model? Nope.