APRILIA RSV4 RR AND RF

OUT OF THE SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE GAINED IN RACING, WHERE APRILIA IS SEVEN-TIME WORLD SBK CHAMPION AND NEWLY CROWNED WINNER OF THE SUPERSTOCK FIM CUP TITLE, THE RSV4 IS BORN, THE NATURAL EVOLUTION OF AN EXTRAORDINARY AND VICTORIOUS PROJECT CAPABLE OF REDEFINING SUPERSPORT BIKE FRONTIERS

THE EXCEPTIONAL QUALITIES OF A RACING CHASSIS, FURTHER FINE-TUNED, COMBINE WITH AN ENGINE THAT HAS MORE THAN 200 HP OF MAXIMUM POWER: GREATER PERFORMANCE, LIGHTER WEIGHT, MORE EFFECTIVE ON THE TRACK AND IMPROVED RIDING PLEASURE ON THE ROAD, WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDED BY THE ADVANCED APRC AND RACE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROLS

APRILIA RSV4 EVOLVES RADICALLY TO CONTINUE BEING THE BEST SUPERBIKE EVER THE RR VERSION ALREADY CONSTITUTES A DEFINITIVE SPORTS PLATFORM, WHEREAS THE EXCLUSIVE NUMBERED RF LIMITED EDITION ADDS EVEN MORE SOPHISTICATED SUSPENSION AND WHEELS WHICH ARE IN ANY CASE AVAILABLE AS OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT ON THE RR. AND WITH THE V4-MP, TELEMETRY ARRIVES AS WELL

NEW IN 2016: FOR THE RF A NEW ÖHLINS SHOCK ABSORBER AND V4-MP AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT; FOR THE RR AND THE RF NEW AND ATTRACTIVE GRAPHICS

Aprilia RSV4 is the natural evolution of a revolutionary project which managed to successfully dominate World SBK in just a few years, winning seven championship titles in six years and to win in its rookie year in the Superstock FIM Cup, the championship dedicated to bikes that are closely derived from their factory versions. Unanimously acclaimed by critics and sought after by bikers from every corner of the globe, the RSV4 has always been the undisputed segment representative, the reference point for sportiness and performance, the best example of what can be achieved by exploiting the valuable experience of a victorious Racing Department like Aprilia’s which, in its brief history has taken 54 championship titles. Skills honed on the track and transferred to the factory product to provide everyone with the same excitement that the motorbikes prepared by Aprilia Racing do.

Unmistakeable in its design lucidity and applied technology, the RSV4 is conceived around a 65° V4 engine never before seen on a factory sport bike, a frame which is the heir to a dynasty that has won 18 titles and 143 Grand Prix races in the 250 GP class, enhanced by the most modern applied electronics systems to manage the engine and the bike’s dynamic performance. This is a true vocation of Aprilia, which was the first manufacturer to adopt the Ride-By-Wire system as standard equipment (the multimap power management system), but above all the first to patent the APRC dynamic control system, with the exclusive self-calibration and wheelie control features.

The goal of the efforts made at Noale to create the RSV4 was the same one that has set the RSV4 apart from its birth in 2009: to be the absolute best uncompromising superbike, the one that comes the closest to being a real racing bike in terms of performance and effectiveness. The Aprilia RSV4 RR version comes already equipped with all the electronic and technical refinements that a rider could want, with the possibility of making a further and definitive upgrade by choosing the “Race Pack”, which includes exclusive aluminium forged rims and professional Öhlins suspension. Aprilia also offers a more exclusive limited edition version – the RSV4 RF – characterise by the Race Pack elements and – new for this model – the new “Superpole” graphic, the V4-MP multimedia platform and a new Öhlins shock absorber.

A new era

The Aprilia RSV4 represents the most important and profound advancement ever made on this extraordinary model. A development that even involved the design. The style is the result of the perfect combination of form and function. The careful design led to the creation of the most compact full size sport bike on the market, where technical elements such as the impeccable aluminium double rail frame contribute to emphasising its racing vocation.

The front end has been completely redesigned: now there is a more protective top fairing, created after a careful wind tunnel aerodynamics study, which provides better protection from the wind for riders of any height. This choice has a positive impact not only on the track when the rider is seeking protection to achieve maximum speed, but also on the road where greater comfort is provided thanks to the lower air pressure on the body and helmet. The characteristic triple headlight is new, now with a more modern shape and an LED parking light. The mirrors were also the subject of a wind tunnel study, combining excellent aerodynamic penetration with improved visibility and built in LED turn indicators.

Engine

In terms of quantity and quality of the operations, the unrivalled Aprilia V4 has every right to consider itself a radically new unit: if there were any doubts, they are quickly dispelled by the more than 16 additional HP and the 2.5 kg less than its predecessor. This is one of the Aprilia RSV4 RR and RF elements that is most closely derived from the racing world and the one on which the Aprilia Racing Department was able to work the most with the factory production.

The primary and unique characteristics of this gem of Italian technology, the ones that led to the creation of the best superbike of all times, remain unchanged. This is the world’s first full scale production motorcycle with a high performance narrow V4 engine, the most revolutionary and powerful engine ever built by Aprilia. An engine that has been made unmistakeable because of the use of “total” electronics, because of its extremely compact size and exceptional light weight.

The main goals of the V4 project were clear: increase power across the board, exceeding the threshold of 200 HP maximum peak and at the same time increase the already generous torque at all engine speeds. To achieve them work was done on decreasing internal friction, improving combustion efficiency and fluid-dynamic efficiency as well as on increasing the maximum rotation speed. The Noale engineers redesigned almost all of the internal and external elements.

Starting from the top, the 65° V4 has an air box with filtering elements perpendicular to the air flow, studied with sophisticated CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)systems in order to minimise load losses and maximum pressure in the intake ducts. The upper injectors are new, whereas the variable setting intake ducts were redesigned to the benefit of an even wider range of management in terms of their travel As with previous models, each bank has a dedicated servo unit actuating the two throttle bodies of that bank only. In order to improve the fluid dynamic performance, the heads were redesigned with intake and output ducts that have new geometries and contouring on the ends machined by a numerically controlled tool. The combustion chambers are no longer obtained through a fusion process but by a finer, numerically controlled machining process. In order to improve reliability and precision under extreme loads the height of the valve seat seals was increased and the internal cooling and oil discharge circuit were consequently modified. The heads now have a triple layer of gaskets. The timing system confirms the innovative mixed chain and gear kinematics of the Aprilia V4 (with the chain camshaft driving only the intake camshaft, which in turn drives the exhaust camshaft via a gear) which allows for extremely compact heads especially in the area beneath the frame spars, much narrower than would otherwise be possible. In order to increase the maximum rotation speed a painstaking study was conducted on lightening the parts in motion of the elements included in the heads. All four valves are now in precious and lightweight titanium (the intake valves are oversized at 33 mm); the valve springs are completely new and the relative tappets and caps were lightened. The camshafts have a brand new profile and were lightened by a whole 600 grams. Moving farther downward, the crankshaft now has connecting rod pins reduced to 36 mm in diameter with 450 grams more weight, while the Pankl connecting rods are lighter by a total of 400 grams.

As in previous models, the monobloc crankcase with integrated aluminium cylinder liners ensures maximum rigidity and consistent performance. The upper half of the engine case is now made with a new shell fusion and has been lightened (-1.3 Kg) and reinforced; it also now has an optimised ventilation system in order to reduce power loss due to air pressure inside the engine crankcase. The lubrication system has also been redesigned and optimised. A brand new oil sump ensures increased draught no matter what position the engine is in (for example in the most extreme leans or in maximum acceleration/deceleration conditions) despite the oil level being decreased in order to decrease friction. The “rose pipe” is also new (oil pump intake duct), now equipped with a new overpressure valve and a filter in an optimised position. The piston cooling oil nozzles were also replaced and the gearbox now has a valve regulated direct hydraulic lubrication circuit. The latter uses lightened drive shafts and gears (-0.35 Kg), a lightened primary drive (-0.1 Kg) and takes advantage of ratios which have been optimised to fully exploit the increased engine power. The entire exhaust system has also been completely redesigned with revamped electronic valve management, now equipped with two oxygen sensors (one per bank), while a more powerful ECU contributes to more precise management of the engine in the area of maximum rotation achievable.

Chassis architecture

Aprilia is known as one of the best chassis manufacturers in the world and the RSV4 represents the synthesis of the technical prowess Aprilia has acquired in top level world championships. A particularity which is still exclusive to the RSV4 RR and RF (and which has always been a characteristics of the previous generation RSV4 models) is the exceptional possibility of adjustments that the standard equipment chassis is able to offer. In fact, the Aprilia is the only superbike that allows the rider to adjust the engine position in the frame, the headstock angle, the swingarm pivot and the rear end height, naturally in addition to the fully adjustable suspension. Just like a real racing bike.

The highly sought after and winning structure of the Aprilia RSV4 frame has remained substantially unchanged and uses elements in pressed and cast aluminium capable of guaranteeing exceptional performance, thanks in part to the perfectly balanced torsional rigidity and flexibility values. Optimally centralised masses are just one of the RSV4 chassis strengths. To achieve this result nothing was neglected. The swingarm the same construction technology as the frame but it has been lengthened 4 mm to guarantee better traction and to decrease the tendency for wheelies during the violent acceleration that the extraordinary characteristics of the powerplant allow.The fork advancement was increased from 30 mm to 32 mm with a consequent reduction in the trail to further increase handling.Precisely because of the V4’s significant power increase the chassis and weight distribution configuration have been revamped: the engine is mounted in the lowest possible position allowed by its adjustment range within the frame, whereas the fully adjustable suspension has been fine tuned to guarantee maximum control in extreme riding.

The Aprilia RSV4 RF version reaps the benefits of a new Öhlins shock absorber with an elastic coefficient increased from 95 to 105 N/mm and consequently a different hydraulic extension calibration, more suited to sustain the work loads generated by using professional track tyres. This improves traction and riding precision, allowing the rider to take turns even more effectively.

Advanced APRC

The Aprilia RSV4 RR and RF make perfect what was already top shelf in the previous versions thanks to a significant improvement to its already exceptional dynamic controls package designed and patented by Aprilia. APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) is the well known dynamic control suite derived directly from the winning technology in world Superbike, the most complete and refined of those currently available on the market.

On the RSV4 RR and RF, APRC has been further developed to adjust even better to the engine and chassis characteristics in order to meet the specific needs of the pleasure or professional rider. The APRC system integrates even better with the full Ride-By-Wire multimap electronic management of the powerful V4 engine.

APRC, which comes as standard equipment on the Aprilia RSV4 RR and RF, includes:

–ATC: Aprilia Traction Control, adjustable on the fly (without having to release the throttle) to 8 settings thanks to a practical joystick on the left side of the semi-handlebar, with extremely fine tuned operating logic;

–AWC: Aprilia Wheelie Control,adjustable to three settings, has been recalibrated for maximum performance at level 1 (the least restrictive setting);

–ALC: Aprilia Launch Control,for use on the track only, with 3 settings;

–AQS: Aprilia Quick Shift, a system for extremely fast gear changes without shutting the throttle and using the clutch.

In addition to the second generation APRC system, RSV4 RR and RF come from the factory standard with the highly advanced “Race ABS” antilock braking system, designed and developed by Aprilia in collaboration with Bosch to guarantee not only extreme safety on the road, but also the best possible performance on the track. The ABS 9MP unit constitutes the maximum point of distinction and technology available today: the system, weighing in at just 2 kg, can be disengaged and adjusted to 3 different levels by easily accessing the sophisticated instrumentation control menu:

–Level 1: dedicated to the track (but also approved for street use), it acts on both wheels and guarantees maximum possible performance, even in the most intense braking situations at any speed. This setting takes nothing away from the pleasure and performance of “pushing the envelope”.

–Level 2: dedicated to sport riding on the street, it works on both wheels and is combined with an advanced tip over system (RLM – Rear Lift-up Mitigation) which has progressive action based on the vehicle speed.

–Level 3: dedicated to riding on surfaces with poor grip, it acts on both wheels and is combined with the advanced tip over system.

Each of the 3 setting levels for Race ABS can be combined with any one of the 3 engine maps to allow riders with varying experience and skill levels to find the best possible combination.

The powerful engine ECU now provides easier management of the three maps, each one of which corresponds to a different engine power output and now also to a dedicated engine brake management map. The two classic engine management logics Track and Sport are now joined by the new Race map, the most extreme and suited for professional use of the bike on the track with engine braking control reduced to a minimum in order to support more abrupt braking. All three maps are more manageable and less aggressive than the previous version, therefore allowing perfect correlation between throttle control and the torque sent to the wheels. This reduces rear tyre wear and makes it possible to better manage the power that the Aprilia V4 is able to develop.

Versions and colours

Aprilia RSV4 RR represents a top shelf technical platform, ready to provide the rider with a “race replica” performance and feeling. As standard equipment it also has all of those features which only the Factory version RSV4 had previously, such as magnesium external housings, oil sump and head covers, a wide range of chassis adjustments and the variable setting intake ducts. Aprilia RSV4 RR is available in two attractive new colour schemes, both matte, on a black and grey base (Bucine grey and Ascari black) with red wheels and a “Race Pack” is also available that includes lightweight forged aluminium wheel rims and more sophisticated Öhlins suspension (shock absorbers, fork and steering damper).

The Aprilia RSV4 RF is the exclusive limited edition of 500 numbered units which come standard with the Race Pack and stand out with a new dedicated graphic which maintains the evocative name of the previous “Superpole” version, but which has different graphic designs.

A comprehensive range of accessories

Aprilia has designed and developed a wide range of accessories so you can personalise your RSV4 RR and RF. High quality selected items to increase performance, make them more attractive or more comfortable.

Slip-on racing exhaust: manufactured by Akrapovic, and fitted with a carbon fibre muffler, it is approved for road use.

Complete racing exhaust: this is an exhaust system complete with headers made by Akrapovic. the muffler is in carbon.

Öhlins TTX shock absorbers: the TTX line is the most prestigious of the products offered by Öhlins (top and bottom attachments are in billet aluminium). They allow full and fine adjustment in all shock absorbing functions. They can be fitted with linear sensors to install telemetry.

Öhlins steering damper: the fine adjustment of this item’s hydraulics provides a front end that is always solid even during the most violent acceleration.

Components in carbon: fairings, tail fairings, side fairings, mudguards and heel guards. Made in matte finished carbon fibre. They guarantee a sporty look and lower overall weight.

Mirror plugs: made from billet aluminium, these are applied in place of the mirrors when using the bike on the track.

License plate bracket cover: made of laser cut steel, this is applied after removing the license plate bracket when using the bike on the track.

Frame guards: made of billet nylon, these are useful to prevent damage to the frame in the event of a sliding crash.

Racing rider footpegs: completely machined from billet aluminium and adjustable to 9 different positions, these pegs allow micrometric calibration of the gear shift and brake controls. They are installation ready to lodge the rear brake light switch and the inverted gear lever.

Racing semi-handlebar: made from billet aluminium, these handlebars provide an even sportier riding position.

Inverted racing gear lever: this is a mechanical element that inverts the gear shifting mode in order to improve performance on the track.

Forged rims: made from aluminium with a forging process, these provide maximum resistance at a light weight, essential for increasing handling.

Tank bag: available in two sizes, this bag is made of technical fabricwith carbon-look inserts. They are tested and approved to resist oil, fuel, UV rays and not to compromise stability even at high speeds.

Adjustable license plate bracket: made in laser cut steel. Includes the LED licence plate light.

Motorcycle cover: made of breathable Lycra, this cover was designed to protect your bike from dust.

V4-MP kit: this is the installation kit for the multimedia platform dedicated to the Aprilia V4 models made up of a Bluetooth control unit and all the wiring needed for installation. This comes as standard equipment on the Aprilia RSV4 RF version.

Telemetry arrives with V4-MP (standard on RSV4 RF)

In the rich accessories catalogue dedicated to the Aprilia RSV4 RR and RF you can now find a highly advanced version of the Multimedia Platform which transforms your smartphone into a semi-professional tool with exceptional information capacity. V4-MP comes as standard equipment on the Aprilia RSV4 RF version. Everyone knows that the Multimedia Platform is the innovative multimedia platform offered exclusively by the Piaggio Group which allows you to connect your vehicle to your smartphone and consequently to the web. With this exceptional application your smartphone becomes an actual sophisticated on board multifunctional computer and the link between the vehicle and the Internet. This is a window to the future which lays the foundation for a new way of looking at communication on two wheels. Thanks to further development of this fascinating system that Aprilia has fine tuned, communication between vehicle and smartphone becomes active: from his or her mobile phone the rider can change the settings on the RSV4, plus get tips in real time on how to improve track performance in complete safety.

Some of the more prominent features of V4-MP include:

–Active electronic setup: this is as close as you can get to the “corner-by-corner” electronic management used in racing. Using the GPS feature of your smartphone, the system recognises the position of the bike at any given time on the track and automatically changes the electronic adjustments (traction control and anti-wheelie) based on rider selected settings, corner by corner. This allows you to increase safety and effectiveness on the track, adjusting the control parameters at every point on the circuit and without distractions.

–Adaptive race assistant: this feature provides tips in real time to safely take the best advantage of your RSV4. The application compares rider performance to the best lap on the track in real time and assists by immediately indicating how to gradually improve performance.

–Advanced telemetry dashboard: this is a “virtual” dashboard that lets you use your smartphone’s display to see, not only all the information on the standard instrument cluster, but also numerous other parameters acquired by the bike’s telemetry such as, for example: instant power distributed to the driveshaft; instant torque distributed to the driveshaft; percentage of power available; rear wheel thrust; rear wheel slippage; longitudinal and lateral acceleration (G-G diagram); lean angle.

*Kerb weight, without battery and fluids.