Aprilia RSV4 R APRC 2014 — Specifications

When Noale decides to slam the table, it makes a lot of noise. The RSV4 R APRC was born from a simple observation: Aprilia engineers had in their hands a competition V4 engine, a chassis designed for WorldSBK, and nothing was stopping them from putting all that into the hands of the general public. Result: 180 horsepower at 12,500 rpm, 115 Nm at 10,000 rpm, all packed into an engine block of less than one liter and housed in an aluminum frame weighing 184 kg dry. The recipe is enough to make more than one direct competitor pale, BMW S1000RR in the lead.

What distinguishes this R version in its APRC configuration is precisely what the acronym announces: Aprilia Performance Ride Control. In other words, a suite of four electronic modules from the race paddocks. ATC, traction control, is adjustable in eight levels and can even adapt to the type of tire fitted, which is a rare refinement for a production model. AWC manages involuntary wheelies under hard acceleration, without surgically amputating the pleasure. ALC takes over launches from standstill with three levels of progressiveness: you position the throttle, you release the clutch, the bike does the rest. AQS, finally, is a quickshifter that eliminates the need to use the clutch when upshifting. Not revolutionary on paper, but the whole system works with a coherence that is not found in all sports bikes of the time.

To justify the €14,999 requested, Aprilia did not simply plug in a few extra sensors. The Aprilia RSV4 R APRC receives lightweight rims, a Sachs steering damper, a 43 mm Showa inverted fork adjustable for preload, compression and rebound, and an external-reservoir Sachs monoshock with progressive linkage. The exhaust has been reworked to lose weight without losing voice, and the three first gears have been shortened to even more closely match the behavior of a track machine. The final balance: two kilograms less than a previous version and a slight reduction in fuel consumption. On a bike that targets 300 km/h top speed, it is more symbolic than practical, but it counts in the overall equation.

The rider this machine seeks is not a novice discovering lean angles. The 845 mm seat height and the 184 kg dry weight are not figures for the hesitant. The RSV4 R APRC is aimed at a rider who already knows their limits and wants to push them, preferably on the track, where the aluminum dual beam chassis reveals all its precision and where the 17 liters of tank are amply sufficient for complete relays. Faced with a contemporary Ducati 1199 Panigale, more powerful on paper but more capricious in practice, the RSV4 scores points for its versatility and the readability of its electronic aids.

The downside? This bike is not gentle. The on-road comfort, with this V4 that revs high and demands that you solicit it to express its character, can be fatiguing on long distances. The Aprilia RSV4 R APRC ABS 2014 that will succeed it will finally integrate ABS, an element that this 2012 version still lacks. It is a choice consistent with the machine's track philosophy, but on the road, the absence is felt in wet conditions. Aprilia has built a tool of formidable efficiency, nothing more, nothing less.