Aprilia RSV4 1000 FACTORY APRC ABS 2013 — Specifications

When Noale decided to build a road bike from a Superbike blank sheet, the result was the RSV4. Two world titles later, in 2010 and 2012, the question was no longer whether Aprilia's 65-degree V4 could compete with the best, but how far it could go. For 2013, the answer lies in a few well-considered figures: 184 horsepower at 12,500 rpm, 116.7 Nm at 10,500 rpm, and a dry weight of 181 kilograms. All for 19,499 euros, which is the entry price into a category where the S 1000 RR from BMW and the ZX-10R from Kawasaki are jostling without complex.

This Factory APRC ABS model year is not just a simple repaint. The engine breathes better thanks to a revised exhaust system, and the electronic mapping has been reworked to gain four extra horsepower over the previous version. It's the kind of detail that counts on the track, where every RPM counts and where the Italian V4 sings in a way that Japanese inline four-cylinders can’t really imitate. The major novelty is the Bosch 9MP ABS, weighing just two kilograms, switchable, with three levels of sensitivity ranging from pure track mode to the rain setting for slippery conditions. The Factory thus joins the CBR 1000 RR, the Ducati 1199 Panigale and a few others in the club of hypersport bikes that finally accept that active safety is not reserved for tourists.

To accommodate this ABS without compromising range, Aprilia has redesigned the tank, which increases from 17 to 18.5 liters. A small ergonomic bonus along the way, with a slightly lowered seat at 845 mm, which remains sporty without being frankly hostile for average builds. These adjustments do not transform the RSV4 into a comfortable GT, let's be clear. The position is resolutely leaned forward, and the announced top speed of 305 km/h is not reached with a straight back.

What truly distinguishes this Factory from its direct competitors is the density of its electronic package. The APRC includes adjustable traction control on eight levels, an adjustable anti-wheelie control, a launch control in three settings, and a quickshifter for upshifting without touching the clutch. Each of these parameters can be freely combined with the three engine modes and the three levels of ABS, which theoretically gives a rather dizzying matrix of settings. In practice, an experienced rider will quickly find their account. A novice risks getting lost in the menus before even having warmed up the Pirelli 120/70-17 front and 200/55-17 rear tires.

The chassis, just so, deserves to be lingered on. The double perimeter aluminum frame comes directly from Aprilia's 250 Grand Prix lineage, eighteen world titles built on this architecture. The 43 mm Öhlins inverted fork, the Öhlins mono-shock, the Brembo M430 monobloc calipers on 320 mm discs, and the ability to adjust the engine position in the frame: all this forms a coherent ensemble that justifies the price and reputation. The RSV4 Factory APRC ABS is not a motorcycle for everyone. It is aimed at experienced riders who want the thrill of a Superbike on the open road, with electronics fine enough not to kill them on the first relaunch from a wet corner.