Aprilia RSV4 1000 FACTORY APRC 2011 — Specifications

When Aprilia decides to transfer its Superbike competition technologies to the series, it doesn’t do it halfway. The 2011 Factory APRC represents precisely this kind of approach: taking what worked in the limited edition SE, and installing it permanently in the production range. The result costs 21,599 euros, and the price is quickly justified when you detail what the motorcycle carries.

The core of the argument is this APRC pack, for Aprilia Ride Control Performance. Behind the acronym, four electronic systems that make this Italian one of the best-equipped sportbikes of its time. Traction control first, adjustable on eight levels, with a rather rare peculiarity: you can teach it to recognize the behavior of the tire mounted. In other words, the motorcycle does not react the same way whether you are fitted with slicks or Hypersport tires. It’s fine-tuning, the kind that was then found only in competition. Anti-wheeling complements the picture by monitoring the front end, so that the 112.8 Nm of torque available at 10,000 rpm doesn’t go convertible on corner exits. Launch control allows for cannon starts on three levels of adjustment: you open it wide, you release the clutch, the motorcycle doses the acceleration itself. Finally, the quickshifter allows you to upshift without cutting the throttle or touching the clutch. Six gears to shift like that, under full load.

What is particularly honest about Aprilia’s approach is that they didn’t inflate the figures to justify the year. The 65° V4 of 998 cc still develops 180 horsepower at 12,250 rpm, without marketing exaggeration. What evolves is the lubrication, revised to better withstand intensive use conditions. The engine also retains its peculiarity of being able to be repositioned in the perimeter aluminum frame, which allows adjusting the mass distribution according to the circuit or riding style. It’s an attention to detail that is not found with Japanese competition at equivalent price.

The chassis equipment remains at the level that was expected: 43 mm Öhlins inverted fork, Öhlins monoshock linked with a Sachs steering damper, radial Brembo Monobloc calipers on two 320 mm front discs, forged aluminum rims. Tires have gained width at the rear with a 200/55-17, which slightly modifies handling but improves traction on corner exit. The exhaust, finally, already benefited from the aesthetic retouches of the SE: more slender, less unsightly than on the first versions.

Who rides this kind of machine? Clearly not for the urban commuter or the tourist loaded with saddlebags. The 845 mm seat height, the 179 kg dry weight and the maximum speed announced at 304 km/h define a specific profile: experienced rider, attracted to the track on weekends and capable of managing a fiery temperament on the open road. Faced with a Ducati 1199 Panigale or a BMW S 1000 RR of the same era, the RSV4 Factory APRC stands out for the depth of its electronic settings rather than a higher power figure. It’s an assumed choice, consistent with the brand’s DNA, and difficult to contradict when looking at the Superbike record.