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With 33 world championship titles, 253 MotoGP wins
and 8 Superbike victories in the last sixteen years,
Aprilia is a legend in modern motorcycling. Aprilia
motorcycles have dominated circuits all over the world
thanks to unconventional technical solutions, experimentation
and innovation and, sometimes, by revolutionising
technology thought to be unchangeable.
With this unique sporting heritage behind them,
Aprilia is proud to present the RSV4, the bike with
which Aprilia will return to the Superbike World Championship
in 2009. This extraordinary machine has been conceived,
designed and developed entirely by Aprilia Racing
for competition use.
The RSV4 will make its debut in the 2009 Superbike
World Championship. With four cylinders, 999 cc and
top of the class power in the race-ready version,
this revolutionary machine is packed with innovative
design and manufacturing solutions of the sort we
have come to expect from Aprilia. A V-four engine
with total electronic management, and an exceptionally
light and compact chassis are just some of the features
that make this bike unique in the world of motorcycling.
The revolutionary design of the Aprilia RSV4 comes
directly from Europe’s biggest and most successful
racing team.
The road-going version of the RSV4 also benefits
from the extraordinary technical know-how that Aprilia
Racing has accumulated over two decades of success
in MotoGP, and is packed with advanced solutions from
GP racing. In short, the RSV4 stands alone as a exclusive,
genuine, and in many ways unique racing replica.
The Aprilia RSV4 is powered by the most revolutionary
and most powerful engine ever developed by Aprilia.
This 65° V four unit is based on an architecture
that is unique in the world of supersport motorcycles,
and features refined engineering combined with prestigious
materials and advanced electronic management solutions.
The new engine uses multi-mapping ride-by-wire technology,
a solution that opens up new horizons in engine control,
and offers virtually infinite opportunities for power
delivery and traction control (present as standard
on the racing version).
The choice of a narrow V layout has led to the development
of an incredibly narrow engine. This in turn has permitted
weight to be centralised and chassis performance dramatically
improved (thanks to a short wheelbase and long swingarm).
The narrow V-four configuration permits a longer stroke
to be used, with clear benefits in terms of improved
engine breathing. High engine speeds can therefore
be reached without having to extend the width of the
crankcase. This is fundamentally important to aerodynamics
and manoeuvrability (two characteristics for which
Aprilia motorcycles have always been universally acclaimed).
The monobloc cylinder block features integrated liners
for maximum rigidity and consistent efficiency. The
air intake trumpets are variable in length. Each bank
of cylinders has a servomotor dedicated exclusively
to the operation of their two throttle bodies. The
aperture of the four butterfly valves, and therefore
the volume of air inducted, can therefore be controlled
independently. This solution opens up new horizons
in electronic engine and power management, resulting
in truly advanced integral traction control. A cassette
type gearbox and a slipper clutch demonstrate the
racing character of this engine.
The Aprilia RSV4 has been designed and developed
with competition in mind, and naturally offers all
the adjustments normally found on racing machines.
In particular, this most powerful Aprilia ever made
stands out for its complete range of chassis adjustments.
The variable geometry frame not only allows you to
change parameters like headstock angle (thanks to
interchangeable steering bushings), but even lets
you adjust swingarm and engine position. Racing technology
has been used for all aspects of construction. The
RSV4’s aluminium frame and swingarm are constructed
from a clever mix of thick-walled parts and variable
section sheet.
All components are naturally of the highest calibre.
They include an Öhlins fork, rear monoshock and
steering damper, Brembo monobloc brake calipers and
forged aluminium wheels.
The styling of the Aprilia RSV4 has followed the
same approach as the rest of the design. The RSV4’s
racing character is clear from every component, and
from the absence of solutions chosen only for appearances.
As a result the overall design of the RSV4 and the
advanced technology of its component parts merge into
a uniquely harmonious whole that is superbly functional
on the racetrack – the natural habitat of this
latest Aprilia.
The fairing has been developed in the wind tunnel.
Minimal in size, it in no way detracts from the stunning
technology of the engine. The frame/engine system
is fully visible and bulges like muscles beyond the
fairing.
The triple headlight cluster makes the RSV4 instantly
recognisable and unique from the very first glance.
The superbly lightweight tail slopes upwards to emphasise
the dynamic nature of the Aprilia RSV4. Even when
stationary, the bike simply exudes a desire for speed
and competition.
Aprilia RSV4 Factory: Technical Specifications
- Engine - Aprilia 65° cc longitudinal V four
stroke. Liquid cooled. Double overhead camshaft;
four valves per cylinder. Three maps Ride-by-Wire
system
- Bore and stroke - 78 x 52.3 mm.
- Displacement - 998.9cc
- Compression ratio - 12.8:1
- Max. power at crank - 180 HP (132 kW) at 12,500
rpm
- Max. torque at crank - 115 Nm at 10,000 rpm
- Fuel system - Variable height intake trumpets.
Airbox with aerodynamic side intakes. 4 throttle
bodes, 8 injectors, ride-by-wire fuel management.
Multimapping
- Ignition - Electronic digital ignition integrated
in the fuel management system.
- Exhaust - 4 into 2 into 1. Lambda probe oxygen
sensor. Single lateral silencer. Integrated exhaust
valve and catalytic converter. (Euro 3.)
- Lubrication - Wet sump. Two pumps (lubrication
and cooling). Oil cooler.
- Gearbox - 6 speed cassette type.
- Clutch - Multi-plate wet clutch with slipper
device.
- Frame - Twin beam aluminium frame with mixed
cast and pressed sheet sections. Adjustments for:
headstock position and angle, engine height, swingarm
pivot height.
- Front suspension - Öhlins 43 mm upside-down
fork. Lower fork bottoms for radial calipers. Adjustment
for preload, compression and rebound.
- Rear suspension - Double arch aluminium swingarm;
mixed thin-wall casting and pressed sheet construction.
Öhlins monoshock with piggy-back cylinder.
Adjustments for compression, rebound, spring preload
and length. APS rising rate linkages.
- Front brake - Double 320 mm lightweight stainless
steel floating discs. Brembo monobloc radial calipers
with 4 opposed pistons. Sintered pads. Radial master
cylinder. Metal braided brake line.
- Rear brake - 220 mm disc. Brembo floating caliper
with 2 insulated pistons. Sintered pads. Master
cylinder with integral reservoir. Metal braided
brake line.
- Wheels - Forged aluminium alloy. Front: 3.5”x17”
- Rear: 6”x17”.
- Tyres - Radial tubeless; 120/70 ZR 17 (front)
and 190/55 ZR 17 (rear).
- Overall length: 2,050 mm
- Overall width: 715 mm (at handlebars)
- Overall height: 1,165 mm
- Wheelbase: 1,424 mm
- Dry weight: 179 Kg.
- Fuel tank: 17 litres.
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