Quik Ride

Quik Ride

APRILIA RSV MILLE HAGA Wild man, wild bike?

No, NORIYUKI HAGA didn’t win the World Superbike Championship this year, but he’s got to have the highest style-points tally of anybody on the race-track, making him one of the most popular riders in the series.

Aprilia has capitalized on the Japanese rider’s popularity by offering a special-edition Haga Replica with graphics similar to those of the factory racer. The matte-black paint features vivid-red and chalk-white accents, and, of course, wears Haga’s trademark number 41. Even sponsor stickers are included, while a few extra touches of high-tech refinement include carbon-fiber cowls and shields. Additionally, the billet-aluminum top triple-clamp is anodized blue, sports Haga’s signature and is specially numbered-only 300 Haga replicas will be produced 60 of which are bound for the U.S.

Based on the Mille R, the bike features the same 60-degree liquid-cooled V-Twin we’ve come to love, but pumped up

with the addition a new 2-into-2 Akrapovic exhaust system, the design of which is based upon findings by the race department. The stainless-steel header pipes and twin titanium silencers are, however, delivered in a box, with the stock Mille system fitted to the bike to meet DOT regs. Once installed the 7pound lighter system ups claimed horsepower to 130 bhp at 9500 rpm, an increase of 3 bhp. But the real benefit is in the midrange, where there are 10 more ponies at 6000 rpm.

The entire torque curve gets a boost, too.

At Monza, site of our test ride, the Haga Replica’s beefier, more progressive torque curve was clearly evident, with the engine pulling strongly from 5000 to 9500 rpm. The smooth-shifting gearbox’s new lower finaldrive ratio and lighter-pull clutch aid putting down that newfound power. All told the tuned-up engine feels only marginally less rewarding than that of the SP Superbike-homologation special.

The chassis, meanwhile, uses the same top-quality components as the R model: inverted Öhlins racing fork with 43mm titanium-nitrided legs, Öhlins racing shock, Brembo 320mm rotors with four-piston, four-pad calipers and Pirelli Dragon Evo Corsa radiais mounted on forged-aluminum wheels. Handling is excellent, as we’ve come to expect from the Mille, although for heavier riders, the rearward seat-pad placement causes the bike to run a bit wide when exiting low-to-mediumspeed corners. Aprilia’s tech gurus agreed seat position is critical, especially for heavier riders. I’d better get more serious about my diet!

The RSV Mille Haga Replica retails for $18,999, the $1700 premium over the R model going toward the trick exhaust and lookalike graphics kit. Matching Haga’s riding style is up to you. Bruno de Prato