2016 Aprilia Rsv4 Rf
Ignition
APRILIA TU0N0V41100 RR VICTORY MAGNUM X-1 BENELLI BN302 TIPS FOR RIDING WITH A PASSENGER
THE RIDE STRUTS HERE
2016 APRILIA RSV4 RF
CW FIRST RIDE
The little brand with a huge résumé builds its next contender
Thomas Montano
INSPIRATION: World Superbike success~ informs Aprilia RSV4 development-power up, weight down, better electronics.
BY THE NUMBERS
4 MANUFACTURER TITLES: Won in the World Superbike Championship since the RSV4’s debut in 2009.
fifty-four
WORLD TITLES: Earned by Aprilia, with 20 in 125cc Grand Prix, 18 in 250 Grand Prix, seven in Superbike, seven in supermoto, and two in trials. Add to that 294 wins in Grand Prix competition.
Since Aprilia introduced its RSV4 in 2009, the little company from Noale, Italy, has won four manufacturer and three rider titles in World Superbike competition. The RSV4 has been a great platform, and the 2016 RF top-of-the-line version represents another crucial step in ongoing development.
For 2016, the RSV4 comes in two designations—the RR and the limitededition RF that we rode, of which only 500 will be made. The new V-4-powered superbike is not that dissimilar to the previous model, but it does have some very important changes, which were made to comply (and exploit) this year’s World Superbike rules.
The official track launch for the RSV4 took place at the Misano World Circuit, near Rimini, Italy, which has a nice combination of slow, medium, and fast corners, plus there are a few difficult direction changes combined with heavy trail braking. Early in the day, I ran it in way too deep exploring the braking zones. But every time I was able to reel it back in, thanks to the RSV4’S excellent frontend feel, great Brembo brakes, and sticky Pirelli Supercorsa SP race-compound tires.
The chassis of the RS V4 has always been its strongest asset, but I had forgotten about the very smooth nature of the V-4, which has also made this Aprilia one of the easiest superbikes to ride fast. Eventually though, the euphoria was over and I was giving it enough throttle to get the back end to start squatting on corner exits.
The Aprilia mechanics added some compression and took some rebound out of the Öhlins shock.
With the chassis to my liking, it was time to investigate Aprilia’s latest version of its race-developed APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) system. APRC integrates the full ride-by-wire, multimap, electronic-engine management system, which has three new engine map settings: S (Sport), T (Track), and R (Race). The corresponding enginebraking maps are new, as well, with engine-braking reduced at 6,000 rpm and beyond.
The engine itself has been substantially updated with a new crankshaft, new Pankl connecting rods, and a new cylinder head that now features forged camshafts with titanium exhaust valves joining the Ti intake valves. A new airbox, variable-length-intalce funnels, and revised exhaust help the engine breathe.
According to Aprilia, the new engine-mapping system has been revised for smoother, less aggressive power delivery. The motor puts out a claimed 201 hp (16 more than the previous model), and, yes, the throttle response is quite good, with power delivery linear throughout the rev range. Never once did I feel a hesitation or lack of grunt. There isn’t a big hit of power anywhere; it just keeps pulling until the end of the rev range.
I headed out for my third session with the traction control set on 3, wheelie control on 1, and in the R map (the most aggressive). The revised slipper clutch and updated engine-braking mapping worked well together. I found that the RSV4 likes to wag its tail ever so slightly but stays in line just enough to let you get into the corner as late as possible. Even with the front end buried on the brakes, you can still get the bike turned and finish the corner.
For the final session, my technician decided to lower the front end by 5mm, to combat the squatting, which turned out to be the fix I was looking for. The bike felt more composed on the exits without losing any of its front-end feel. With this new bike, Aprilia’s engineers were looking for improved stability, while not sacrificing any of the agility for which the RSV4 chassis is known. I believe they met their goal.
Aprilia has done its homework and upped its game. The chassis as a whole felt excellent and the drivability of the new engine is smooth, precise, and powerful. The RSV4 remains a serious contender for top honors on the street, and, as this season’s World Superbike Series has shown, is still quite effective on the racetrack too. FTMM
One cool accessory that deserves mention is the V4-Multimedia Platform (V4-MP), which allows you to link your smartphone to the RSV4. It can display realtime telemetry and allows you to change the settings of the APRC controls from your phone, making V4-MP a great way to enhance your riding experience. On track, your phone’s GPS can tell the bike exactly where you are, which allows you to see what the bike is doing in every corner and even make ATC/AWC suggestions to improve your lap times. You can even fine-tune the ATC and AWC corner by corner by selecting from a growing list of preprogrammed race circuits around the world.
2016 APRILIA RSV4 RF
DOHC V-4
DISPLACEMENT 999.6cc
SEAT HEIGHT 33.0 in.
FUEL CAPACITY 4.9 gal.
CLAIMED DRY WEIGHT 397 lb.
PRICE $21,999
