Aprilia RSV4 review

I had occasion to go to Fraser's Motorcycles today (details in another
thread somewhere), and while there I casually asked if I could have a
ride on their Aprilia RSV4 demonstrator. Sure, said Neil Fraser, and
passed me the keys.

As the magazine tests have said, the first impression is the tiny size
of the thing. We've got used to litre bikes feeling like 600s, but
this one is the size of a 400. It's tiny, and rocking from side to
side it feels very light too. It started on the button, and I settled
into a beautiful V4 tickover. I clicked it into first (bizarrely, the
exhaust note gets louder when you put it into gear), and headed into
the Gloucester traffic.

It was perfectly well behaved in traffic, and comfortable enough
despite its race-orientated ergonomics. And then we got to a set of
traffic lights leading onto a dual carriageway, and it was time to see
what the loud handle did.

Well, it's quite loud, for one thing. If these exhausts pass Euro
noise tests then I'm the Archbishop of Canterbury. It's also properly
fast, showing 150mph as I changed into 5th and still pulling hard.
But there was a roundabout approaching, so I squeezed the brakes...and
damn near stopped. The brakes are amazingly powerful, no doubt helped
by the light weight. And then I turned into the roundabout and the
bike just fell on its ear. Not only is it the size of a 400, it
steers like one too. In fact, I never did really get the hang of the
steering (in a 20 mile test ride), thrupenny-bit-ing my way round half
the corners. The tyres are fairly standard sizes, so it must be
something in the geometry. I'm sure I would dial myself into without
too much trouble, tho.

The quality of the cycle parts is obvious from the saddle. It gives
feedback like a race bike, and I found myself thinking "hmm, perhaps a
bit more compression damping on the front, and little less preload on
the back". These are not the sort of things I normally think on a
road bike.

But the overwhelming impact of the bike is the noise. It's like
riding a 21st century RC30, and you feel like Joey Dunlop in V4
Victory and you belt along between the trees. That alone might make
it worth the £15k asking price. Might.

 

Champ wrote:

I was quite impressed with the one that followed us through the Dartford
Tunnel, which made its presence known even through Mercedes sound-proofing.

Now... how much do kidneys go for again? I only need one, right?

 

For 15 grand it bloody well should be!

Are you plagiaring the review in Bike or are you going to claim you
haven't read it yet?

I could well be tempted to trade the thou in for the standard one when
it's released at the end of the year with a lower price tag. But Bike
reckon the fuel economy is abysmal (29mpg) so it'll have an almost
Ducatiesque tank range. Not sure where I'd put a tailpack either.

Might have to ask Wheelpower for a go on their demonstrator though.

 

First time I saw one was in the Brands Hatch paddock, which came to an
almost standstill when the guy wheeled it out of the garage and fired
it up. I need one.

 

I really haven't!

It's definitely worth a ride.

However, after giving my 10R a proper caning this evening, I know I
definitely prefer it.

 

"The RSV4 is a 21st century RC30. Grit your teeth, thrash its tatters
off and the mighty Aprilia sounds like a pure HRC factory one-off. The
noise from the inlet trumpets and the bark from the (ugly) exhaust is
something you'd hear on one of those scratchy 'Sounds of the TT'
records."

etc.

"It's a cliche but the RSV4 is a modern RC45"

"Its sound at idle is exaggerated by the fact the cheating sods have put
a flap in the exhaust that's only activated in neutral to fool the
circuit noise-meter man."

 

hey - perhaps I could write this stuff for a living?

 

Now now. If you start rattling off hackneyed clichés for money, TOG'll
have to call in his union rep.

 

Naah, the money's shit.

 

It is now. £140/1000 from Bike's new owners, which is why I don't do it
any more.

 

It sounds like the 10R's a lardy-arsed sports tourer now, compared to
the RSV4.

 

I wonder at what point they'll get so small that people stop buying
them?

Oh, and my FZR400RSP was bigger than all of my GSXRs.

 

Asia is a huge, expanding market

 

You just need to retro-fit the lardy-arse, in that case.

 

Heh, reminds me of the first time I rode the MV. Started to lean into
the little bend round the back of my garage at all of about 10mph &
nearly fell flat on me ear. It all comes together when you ride it
fast, but at slower speeds you have to countersteer the wrong way (i.e.
push on the outer bar) to stop it flopping over. Very strange until you
get used to it.

 

I'm not sure. I could probably find someone who knows about aftermarket
lardy-bellies, which you might be able to modify to fit in reverse.

 

Wouldn't that just be "steer"

 

No. It probably needs a whole new term all for itself really. What's a
good word for 'steering into a bend to stop yourself from steering into
a bend'?

 

Going straight.

 

Difficult for an MV owner.