Aprilia RSV4 RR 2018 — Specifications

When Noale attacks the clock, it doesn't do things halfway. The Aprilia RSV4 RR 2018 is the synthesis of a decade of World Superbike distilled into a 180 kg dry-weight aluminum twin-spar frame, a machine designed for the rider who wants to trade asphalt for circuit tarmac every weekend. At €17,549, it is not intended for the common mortal, and it doesn't seek to hide it.

The heart of the beast is this 65-degree V4 of 999.6 cc that produces 201 horsepower at 13,000 rpm for a torque of 115 Nm at 10,500 rpm. Figures that the Kawasaki ZX-10R or the BMW S1000RR also know, but Aprilia has a very particular way of serving them. The engine has been lightened in its internals: revised pistons, redesigned segments, re-studied valve springs. Variable intake ducts have been removed, eliminating superfluous 500 grams. The result is an engine that revs frankly, without a soft plateau, without compromise. The power is there, available, almost impatient. We are far from the philosophy of sport-touring trails that sprinkle their horses sparingly.

Regarding electronics, the Aprilia RSV4 RR APRC undoubtedly represents the most impressive part of the technical specifications. The Bosch inertial platform works continuously to coordinate an arsenal of assists that few road machines can claim. Traction control ATC is adjustable in eight positions, wheelie control AWC in three, launch control ALC manages standing starts with surgical precision. The quickshifter AQS allows downshifts without clutch, pit limiter APL avoids fines in the pit lane, and the cruise control ACC maintains the chosen speed on cruise. Cornering ABS, coupled with an anti-stoppie system during deceleration, closes this electronic tableau with logic that few rivals still reach at this time. Three engine maps, Sport, Track and Race, allow adapting the character of the motorcycle to the situation. The Aprilia RSV4 RR Race Pack pushes this personalization even further.

The color TFT dashboard also changes register depending on whether you are riding on the road or on the track. The optional V4-MP telemetry platform goes even further: it allows analyzing lap-by-lap data from a smartphone, a tool that was formerly reserved for professional teams just a few years ago. Those looking for an Aprilia RSV4 RR used will be wary of examples lacking this equipment if the track is their main playground.

The braking deserves a paragraph of its own. The 330 mm front discs, associated with radially mounted Brembo M50 calipers, offer stopping power that corresponds to the announced 300 km/h top speed. The 43 mm Sachs forks, fully adjustable, and the adjustable rebound, compression and preload single rear shock complete a chassis whose geometry, with a wheelbase of 1,420 mm and a ground clearance of 130 mm, borrows directly from World Superbike Championship mounts. The seat height at 845 mm and the general size of the motorcycle clearly orient towards an experienced rider. It is not a machine for beginners, even if the electronic aids allow exploiting part of its potential more serenely.

The Aprilia RSV4 RR 2018 does not invent anything revolutionary compared to previous versions, from the Aprilia RSV4 RR 2015 to the Aprilia RSV4 RR 2017, but it refines a formula that has proven its worth. In a segment where the Ducati Panigale V4 has since reshuffled the cards, it remains a solid technical reference for those seeking a no-compromise circuit hypersport, provided you accept paying the price, in both senses of the word.