Aprilia reveals new RSV

Aprilia has unveiled its new 142bhp RSV-R at the Milan Bike Show.

The exotic twin-cylinder superbike has a huge following in the UK.

Here’s the first picture. We’ll add more details as we get them.

It is also showing a RSV-R Factory with upgraded suspension, more carbon-fibre and black bodywork with gold frame and lighter gold wheels.

On the following pages you’ll find Aprilia’s own official statements, laden with info about the new RSV-R and RSV-R Factory.

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The following is Aprilia’s own official release on the new RSV 1000 R Factory.

‘FACTORY’ IS A MAGIC WORD THAT IMMEDIATELY CONJURES UP THE WORLD OF RACING AND SPECIAL BIKES FOR SPECIAL RIDERS WHO FULLY APPRECIATE THE THRILL OF SPORTS RIDING. ONCE AGAIN IN 2006, THE RSV 1000 R FACTORY IS THE TOP OF THE RSV 1000 R RANGE, AND A REFINED SUPERSPORT THAT IS AWESOMELY SUCCESSFUL ON THE TRACK.

APRILIA RSV 1000 R FACTORY MY ’06

The RSV 1000 R Factory is an enhanced version of the RSV 1000 R MY ’06, the world’s top twin-cylinder supersport. The V60 Magnesium engine and the new RSV 1000 R chassis combine with special ultra-light materials and the world’s best production components to bring the RSV 1000 R Factory up to a previously unknown level of excellence on the track.

The Aprilia RSV 1000 R Factory is the utmost expression of Aprilia’s technological and sporting heritage.

Here is a bike designed for those who demand maximum performance on the track. Yet, like all previous RSV 1000 R models, the new Factory still sells at a surprisingly low price. Just like its predecessors, the new Factory brings you the best motorcycle technology in the world at a rock bottom price. Nowhere else will you find this level of equipment for such a low outlay.

The Factory is an RSV 1000 R that has been pushed beyond the excellence barrier, cleverly modified and equipped with only superlative components.
The important details that distinguish the Factory from the standard RSV 1000 R are:

· Fully adjustable Öhlins rear monoshock
· Adjustable Öhlins steering damper fitted as standard
· Gold painted, forged aluminium wheels
· Carbon parts kit fitted as standard
· Rider’s seat with non-slip racing upholstery
· Frame finished in gold
· Pirelli SuperCorsa Pro 120/70 — 190/55 ZR 17 tyres

The Aprilia RSV 1000 R Factory is equipped with a large number of world-beating components for maximum prestige. Many components and solutions have been taken directly from the world of racing.

The result is truly impressive in terms of design and manufacturing quality. The RSV 1000 R Factory stands apart not only from other twin-cylinder machines, but from all other supersports. The Factory is the perfect balance between quality, technology, high-tech components and finish. In short, the Factory is the best you can get and comes at the lowest price possible.

All the technical improvements introduced on the 2006 RSV 1000 R have naturally also been implemented on the Factory, but the Factory boasts state-of-the-art components too.

ENGINE
Even the V60 Magnesium engine that powers the Factory has benefited from many improvements introduced to boost performance and achieve Euro 3 homologation at the same time. The new engine puts out 105.24 kW (143 HP) at 10000 rpm and develops a maximum torque of 103 Nm at 8,000 rpm. The exhaust system now has external catalytic converters that are installed nearer the collector pipes to cut activation time. The Factory is homologated to Euro 3 standards as a result, meaning lower emissions than ever before.
FRAME
The Factory has the same super-light frame as the RSV 1000 R. Only the gold finish is different, giving the bike a more aggressive look. The swingarm is the same too, but is polished instead of painted for greater wear resistance.

SUSPENSION
The 43 mm upside-down Öhlins Racing fork is titanium nitride (TiN) coated for maximum smoothness. Its advanced design with longer sleeves and shorter fork bottoms reduces load at two critical points, the slide bush and the stanchion to fork bottom joint). Wheel travel is 120 mm.
Like all top racing forks, the Öhlins allows precision adjustment of compression and rebound damping as well as spring preload.

The fork has new, forged aluminium mounting blocks to enable radial calipers to be fitted.

The Öhlins Racing rear monoshock comes directly from Aprilia’s competition experience. It incorporates a separate piggy back nitrogen cylinder and provides adjustments for spring preload, compression and rebound. A characteristic unique to Aprilia is that the length of the monoshock can be adjusted directly from the unit itself to vary the height of the bike’s rear end. Perfect suspension setup can therefore be achieved for all riding styles and all track characteristics

BRAKES
Top supersports demand top quality brakes. The RSV 1000 R Factory is at the cutting edge of technology, and is equipped with Triple Bridge, radial caliper front brakes developed by Aprilia in conjunction with Brembo.

The rear brakes are Brembo too, and have a 220 mm stainless steel disc and a caliper with two 32 mm pistons.

The front and rear braking circuits both use aeronautical metal braid hoses to eliminate the pressure variations associated with conventional rubber brake lines, guaranteeing maximum braking precision.

COMPONENTS
What places the Aprilia RSV 1000 R Factory in a class of its own is the care taken in its design and manufacture and the attention paid to every single component on the bike. The result is increased performance, better feel and greater ridability, with reduced weight and a quality and finish that no other bike can equal.

An exclusive two chamber steering damper from Öhlins Racing’s competition range is fitted as standard. The damper is adjustable to adapt steering response to all possible riding conditions.

Extensive use of carbon components makes the bike far lighter as well as more refined. The mudguards and various fairing parts are made of extremely light woven carbon composite.
The RSV 1000 R Factory also features a steering pin in aluminium instead of steel to help reduce weight.

The Factory’s exclusive forged wheels deserve special mention. These are one of the most distinctive features of the bike, not just in appearance, but in technical specifications too.

They are forged in Anticorodal 6061 aluminium using an 8,000 ton hydraulic press.

This manufacturing technique produces wheels that are totally free from the defects and porosity that can always occur in conventional casting processes, and gives exceptional mechanical characteristics.

Finite element analysis was used to identify the best possible wheel design. The result is a six spoke front wheel and a five spoke back wheel with ‘Y’ profile spokes forking at the rim to provide two anchor points each.

This spoke design is not just a question of looks. It gives excellent lateral and torsional rigidity and thus helps maintain perfect wheel to suspension alignment. On the RSV 1000 R Factory everything has been designed for performance and beauty.

The saving in weight is also exceptional. Each wheel weighs about 25% less than the lightest available wheels made using conventional aluminium casting techniques.

Inertia is therefore also 25% lower than with cast aluminium alloy wheels.

Almost maniacal care has been taken over the RSV 1000 R Factory with attention lavished on even the smallest details. For example, the wheels are anodised instead of painted. This has further reduced weight and ensures that these essential components keep their characteristic finish for the entire life of the bike. Even the wheels’ manufacturing data has been engraved instead of embossed to remove material rather than add it, another tiny saving in weight.

Added together, all these tiny reductions mean that the RSV 1000 R Factory achieves an amazing dry weight of only 185 kg.

Exclusive components on the RSV 1000 R Factory

– “Öhlins Racing” rear monoshock, set up and optimised for solo riding, adjustable in length (as well as spring preload, compression and rebound)
– Öhlins Racing two chamber steering damper
– carbon fibre front mudguard
– carbon fibre rear mudguard
– carbon fibre fairing air vents
– carbon fibre cockpit fairing spoilers
– carbon fibre fairing cover
– forged aluminium front wheel
– forged aluminium rear wheel
– Pirelli SuperCorsa Pro 120/70 — 190/55 tyres

COLOURS
The RSV 1000 R Factory comes in stunningly aggressive Gold Black.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

· Akrapovic complete homologated exhaust system
· Akrapovic homologated slip-ons
· Ergal reverse shifter
· Adjustable aluminium footrests
· Tank bag
· Electronic anti-theft system
· Comfort passenger seat (with deeper padding and grab handles, as on the Tuono R)
· Paddock stand
· Akrapovic Aprilia Racing EVO6 complete racing exhaust system for racetrack use only
· Z15 pinion for racetrack use only

The following is Aprilia’s own press statement on the new RSV-R:

THE BEST KEEPS GETTING BETTER! IN 2006 TOO, THE APRILIA RSV 1000 R WILL BE THE TWIN CYLINDER SUPERSPORT THE OTHERS HAVE TO BEAT. WITH A MORE POWERFUL ENGINE, HOMOLOGATION TO EURO 3 STANDARDS, A NEW FAIRING, AND AN EVEN MORE REFINED CHASSIS, THE RSV 1000 R REMAINS THE MEANEST AND FASTEST TWIN ON THE WORLD’S ROADS AND RACETRACKS.

APRILIA RSV 1000 R, MY ’06

The competition comes and goes, but the Aprilia RSV 1000 R remains the world’s best supersport on road and track alike. This is the bike the others can only hope to match. The RSV 1000 R has clearly demonstrated its true colours in the World Endurance Championship, where it has been the only production twin to achieve amazing results among so many four cylinder machines. In legendary races like the Suzuka 8 hours and massacring endurance trials like the Oschersleben 24 hours, the RSV 1000 R has proved to the world that it can out-perform the best and still remain totally reliable.
Top level racing has been an unforgettable experience for all involved, but has also served as a fantastic ‘test bench’ for the new racing solutions that are already appearing on Aprilia’s production bikes. Every aspect of the MY 2006 Aprilia RSV 1000 R has been improved, from the engine to the chassis and fairing.

The updated and better than ever Aprilia RSV 1000 R remains the undisputed leader among sports twins, not only for the amazing technology that has gone into it but for the breathtaking performance that comes out too!
What counts most, perhaps, is the fact that despite its blistering performance, the latest RSV 1000 R is still exceptionally easy to ride. Here is a motorcycle that inspires riders with instant confidence and lets everybody achieve maximum performance quickly and intuitively.
Easier control means less physical and mental fatigue, faster and safer riding, and longer lasting concentration. These are determining factors for success on the track and just as important on the road.

The improvements introduced on the MY 2006 RSV 1000 R include:
· Euro 3 homologation
· New injection mapping
· The latest generation V60 Magnesium engine with exhaust valves increased from 31 to 33 mm in diameter
· New, bigger exhaust pipes
· New external catalytic converters, installed nearer the collector pipes for greater efficiency and cleaner emissions
· New steering head rake angle, increased to 25° for greater stability
· Öhlins fork with titanium nitride coated stanchions and radial caliper mountings
· New fairing with bigger air vents
· New tail
· New, narrower tank side panels
· New ram air intake with aerodynamically shaped edge

Constant technical development has enabled Aprilia’s engineers to carry on improving the performance of the motorcycle that already represented the state of the art for twin cylinder supersport machines. In this latest RSV 1000 R, the V60 Magnesium engine is not only cleaner but even more powerful, confirming its reputation as the world’s mightiest production twin. Neither have the modifications needed to achieve homologation to strict Euro 3 standards stopped Aprilia from squeezing another 4 horsepower out of this amazing engine. The latest powerplant delivers 105.24 kW (143 HP) at the crank to push the bike to a top speed of over 280 km/h, aided by improved aerodynamics and even more efficient engine breathing.

Even the chassis has been updated using the experience gained from a year of international racing that has seen the RSV defeat all rivals on the world’s stock racing circuits.

This unbeatable engine and chassis go hand in hand with top-quality components, and an even higher level of prestige equipment, placing the Aprilia RSV 1000 R in a class of its own not only in performance but in quality to price ratio too.

DESIGN
The world-beating overall design of the previous model has been kept for Model Year 2006, but advances have been made in aerodynamic efficiency and engine aspiration. The fairing is new, and features bigger air vents for improved cooling under conditions of high stress for the engine. And a more enveloping fairing design at footrest level has improved the already fantastic aerodynamics still further.

The tail is new too, sleeker (like that of the Tuono ’06) and higher, giving the RSV 1000 R an even meaner look.

Even the windshield is new, with a lower double curvature, racing design. Air penetration is better, thanks to a smaller surface area, but there has been no loss of protection for the rider.

The headlight cluster comprises four separate lights that work in pairs, eliminating the lopsided ‘Cyclops’ look of so many modern sports bikes.

The MY ’06 RSV 1000 R is incredibly compact, but still boasts the top level ergonomics that have always characterised the RSV range. The side panels and tank sides are now sleeker than ever. This has reduced width and improved feel at the centre of the bike, and allows the rider to move around in the saddle with greater confidence and ease.

The new 16 LED tail light with clear white lens gives an even brighter light, despite its extremely compact size and the fact that it is perfectly integrated into the tail. This sensuous tail makes the RSV 1000 R instantly recognisable even from behind.

The latest design leaves nothing sticking out to spoil the RSV 1000 R’s clinically clean lines. The bike therefore cuts through the air like nothing else. Extensive wind tunnel testing has shown that the RSV 1000 R has a CX of only 0.3.
V60 MAGNESIUM ENGINE
The 1000 cc ‘V 60 Magnesium’ engine is an important milestone in the history of Aprilia twin-cylinder engines. The V 60 Magnesium (which is based on the acclaimed Rotax 998 cc 60° V twin) has been improved yet again for 2006 and now delivers even better performance while conforming to rigorous Euro 3 standards.

Its previous design features already placed this engine at the very pinnacle of twin cylinder development, but constant evolution and testing in Aprilia’s own R&D department have now made it even better.
New, bigger exhaust valves (increased from 31 to 33 mm in diameter) and larger diameter collector pipes, for example, have improved engine breathing. The latest V60 Magnesium puts out 143 HP at 10,000 rpm. Yet, as can be expected of an Aprilia, this amazing power is still fully usable and the engine itself remains totally reliable.

The new silver finish silencers have catalytic converters installed neared to the collector pipes. This solution has reduced converter activation time by 50% while further reducing the level of exhaust emissions, bringing the Aprilia RSV 1000 R well inside the strict parameters required for Euro 3 homologation. The secondary exhaust section has also been extended by 200 mm to boost torque at low revs.

Optimised fluid dynamics inside the cylinder heads has been enhanced by improved mapping of the combined ignition and fuel injection systems to achieve higher power throughout the useful rev range.

The V60 Magnesium breathes through the ‘Air Runner’ dynamic air scoop located in the middle of the nose fairing. This has been redesigned to increase air flow to the engine’s ‘lungs’. The Air Runner scoop is located precisely where dynamic pressure is highest, exactly along the bike’s centreline.
From the scoop, an air duct passes through the steering head to take ram air to the generous 10.3 litre airbox.

A choke valve inside the duct, controlled by the engine ECU, regulates flow to provide the engine with air at exactly the right volume and pressure. The engine therefore packs incredible punch right through its extended speed range, enabling the rev limiter to be set at 11,000 rpm.

The mighty roar of the V60 Magnesium is muffled by two differential volume Helmotz resonators to reduce intake noise at the most critical engine speeds.
The airbox also houses an idling motor. This operates an electronically controlled valve that deviates air downstream of the butterfly valve to make it easier to start the engine from cold and to stabilise engine idling.
The Air Runner also performs a structural function. It incorporates two lightweight aluminium arms to hold the cockpit fairing and headlight so that there is no need for ugly brackets.
A new panel type air filter reduces pressure drop and improves engine efficiency.
The engine’s fuel injection system features 57 mm throttle bodies and one injector per cylinder.
Thank to the Air Runner ram air scoop, pressure in the airbox increases as the bike accelerates, leading to a 3% gain in power at maximum speed.

A new generation engine management unit, made in conjunction with Siemens VDO, controls all engine parameters. The ECU receives real time signals from 15 parameter sensors and processes these to control the actuators in real time too. (Parameters include air and coolant temperature; atmospheric, airbox and oil pressure; Lambda sensor oxygen level; crankshaft, camshaft, and rear wheel speed; throttle, side stand, clutch and neutral position; and battery voltage.)

The flash EPROM already contains racing mapping for unrestricted exhausts. Aprilia service engineers can easily change mapping on request from customers who intend to use their bikes exclusively on the racetrack.

All engine data passes through a CAN (Controlled Area Network) line to the instrument panel, which also acts as a diagnostic terminal. In the event of a malfunction, it is a simple job for service engineers to identify problems. The CAN line uses only two wires to transmit all data. This simplifies the electrical system enormously as well as reducing the total weight of the bike.

The RSV 1000 R also has a close ratio gearbox, to make it easier to make full use of the amazing power of the V60 Magnesium engine.

Despite so much technical evolution, the characteristics that made the original RSV stand out are still there.

– Longitudinal 60° V twin engine with 4 valves per cylinder and double overhead camshaft, driven by a mixed chain and gear system.
– Electronic fuel injection with 57 mm throttle bodies, one injector per cylinder, and an ‘Air Runner’ ram air scoop.
– CDI ignition with one plug per cylinder. Ignition is controlled by the same integrated engine management system that also controls fuel injection.
– Dry sump lubrication with double trochoidal pump, separate oil tank and oil cooler.

– Mixed gear/chain valve timing drive with the two gears (one per timing chain) located in the crankcase to reduce cylinder head dimensions.

The RSV 1000 R’s sophisticated twin cylinder engine also incorporates the following exclusive Aprilia patents:
– AVDC (Anti Vibration Double Countershaft).
– Hydraulic action clutch with radial master cylinder assisted by the patented PPC (Pneumatic Power Clutch) system to control rear wheel bounce during fierce braking.
FRAME
Years of high level racing have allowed Aprilia’s R&D section to design a frame that is acknowledged as the best production bike frame around.

One of Aprilia’s fixed objectives when designing the new RSV 1000 R frame was to achieve perfectly centralised mass. In line with Aprilia practice, the frame incorporates aluminium-silicon castings and Peraluman 450 pressings. The frame has been optimised by extensive finite element analysis and boasts excellent torsional rigidity though it weighs only 9,650 grams, a figure matched only by specialist racing frames.

Aprilia’s obsessive search for perfection, plus the experience gained from production bike racing has nevertheless led to small but important improvements to what was already the best frame on any machine of this type. The steering head’s rake angle has increased from 24° 45’ to 25° to give a slightly longer trail. Stability is better as a result, so that the new RSV 1000 R inspires even more confidence than before, without losing out on its acclaimed agility.

The new RSV 1000 R swingarm is made from extruded Peraluman and Al Si7 castings. Its double member design provides a clear passage for the new twin silencer exhaust system.

Here too, cross-sections and wall thicknesses have been optimised using finite element analysis. The RSV 1000 R swingarm weighs only 4,860 grams, well under the swingarm weight benchmark of 5 kg.

SUSPENSION
The big news for 2006 is the arrival on the RSV 1000 R of the fantastic Öhlins fork, representing the state-of-the-art for this most important of all components in determining how a motorcycle handles. The new fork has 43 mm stanchions with titanium nitride coating for friction-free sliding action. Its advanced design with longer sleeves and shorter fork bottoms reduces load at two critical points, the slide bush and the stanchion to fork bottom joint). Wheel travel is 120 mm.
Like all top racing forks, the Öhlins allows precision adjustment of compression and rebound damping as well as spring preload.

The Sachs rear monoshock incorporates a separate piggy back nitrogen cylinder and is adjustable in preload, compression and rebound. A characteristic unique to Aprilia is that the length of the monoshock can be adjusted directly from the unit itself so that the rear end of the bike can be raised or lowered to achieve whatever setup may be required and to match rider preferences and other suspension adjustments.

BRAKES
Top supersports demand top quality brakes. The RSV 1000 R is again at the cutting edge of technology, and is equipped with Triple Bridge, radial caliper front brakes developed by Aprilia in conjunction with Brembo. The 320 mm floating steel discs on the front wheel feature narrower braking surfaces. This means reduced wheel weight and inertia and therefore more agile handling.
The MY 2006 RSV 1000 R’s radial callipers are combined with a radial master cylinder to form the most sophisticated braking system fitted to any current production bike.

The front and rear braking circuits both use aeronautical metal braid hoses to eliminate the pressure variations associated with conventional rubber brake lines, guaranteeing maximum braking precision.

COMPONENTS
What places the Aprilia RSV 1000 R in a class of its own is the care taken in its design and manufacture and the attention paid to every single component on the bike. The result is increased performance and functionality, with reduced weight and a quality of finish that no other bike can equal.

The MY 2006 RSV 1000 R also features simplified bodywork. The fairing side panels are now made from just two pieces per side to make access and maintenance easier still. Even the fairing fasteners have been improved in design and finish.

The following components deserve a special mention:
– The new Öhlins fork with titanium nitride (TiN) coated stanchions.
– Aluminium steering pin and bottom yoke.
– Radial front brake calipers.
– Forged caliper mounting blocks for greater rigidity and stability under braking.
– The combined digital and analog instrument panel receives data on all engine control parameters over a CAN line and incorporates memory to allow it to act as an integral part of the self-diagnostics system. The instrument panel provides the same readouts as the previous model (including a self timer with a 40 lap memory), but is now extremely modern and compact in design and weighs only 220 grams. All functions are controlled by three conveniently located keys. The LED backlighting may be set to three levels and is white for the analog instruments and red for the digital display.
– The headlight cluster incorporates four lights for perfect night riding vision. The great care taken over the design and finish of the RSV 1000 R also transpires from little but important details like bulb holders made from blue anodised aluminium.
– The white lens direction indicators are fully integrated in the bike’s body. The front indicators are moulded into the rear view mirrors while the rear indicators are built into the tail. This means that there is no need to remove them for track use. The rear number plate holder can also be removed quickly and easily to comply with competition regulations.
– Even the ignition key is specially made for the RSV 1000 R and carries an internal identification code. The ignition block has an immobiliser fitted as standard.
– The alloy wheels share the same forked spoke design as the exclusive forged wheels of the RSV 1000 R Factory

COLOURS
The eye-catching new graphics are available in Aprilia Black, Fluo Red and Aprilia White, conferring on the RSV 1000 R an even more aggressive, Italian sports look.

ACCESSORIES
· Akrapovic complete homologated exhaust system
· Akrapovic homologated slip-ons
· Forged aluminium wheels
· Öhlins steering damper
· Öhlins rear monoshock
· Carbon parts
· Ergal reverse shifter
· Adjustable aluminium footrests
· Tank bag
· Electronic anti-theft system
· Comfort passenger seat (with deeper padding and integrated grab handles)
· Paddock stand
· Z15 pinion for racetrack use only
· Akrapovic Aprilia Racing EVO6 complete racing exhaust system for racetrack use only