Aprilia Comes To America
APRILIA COMES TO AMERICA
WITH THE EXOTIC RSV Mille leading the way, Aprilia will make its U.S. debut with a seven-bike 1999 lineup. The fuel-injected V-Twin was previewed in the November, 1998, issue, and boasts a built-in laptimer, race-ready ergonomics and fully adjustable suspension.
On the dual-purpose front, there's the entry-level Pegaso 650, close kin to BMW's highly successful (in Europe)
F650. Featuring an inverted fork and upright ergonomics, it's powered by a dohc, 652cc, liquidcooled, five-valve Rotax Single.
Fans of Italian teenage roadrace sensation Valentino Rossi will go bonkers over the RS 50. Stoked by a liquid-cooled, twostroke Single, the fully faired RS sports an onboard computer, a 320mm front disc brake, polished-aluminum frame and sixspeed transmission. It's just the
thing for after-school parkinglot shenanigans.
In Europe, scooters are mo bile fashion statements. State side, however, they don't sell well. Aprilia hopes to change all that with its retro big-wheeled Scarabeo 50, liquid-cooled SR 50 and four-stroke Leonardo 150. All three are equipped with cen
trifugal clutches, front disc brakes and telescopic forks. Destined for spec roadracing (see Racewatch, December, 1998), the two-stroke RS 250 repli-racer will be import ,` ed strictly for racetrack use with no headlights, mir rors or turnsignals. Streetriders take heart: Aprilia in tends to introduce two-stroke mod els utilizing the Orbital Engine Com pany's direct fuel-injection system.
Orbital came to some fame in the last decade demonstrating torquey, clean-burning two-cycle engines for automotive applica tions. The innovative and patented fuelinjection system blasts fuel di rectly into the cylinders with jets of air. In jection takes place only after
the exhaust port has closed, thus preventing short-circuiting of the air-fuel mixture directly out the exhaust, one of the principal causes of two-strokes' high hy drocarbon emissions.
Reportedly, Aprilia has been testing the Orbital system for the last three years, demonstrat ing that machines so equipped will meet European emissions standards without catalytic con verters. It intends to introduce the system in Europe on scoot ers and motorcycles displacing 50 to 250cc.
At presstime, Aprilia's suggest ed retail prices had not been set. -Matthew Miles
