Aprilia RSV4 RF Test Ride Review

Ergonomics – At 845 mm, the Aprilia RSV4 is the second tallest motorcycle I’ve been on after the Ducati Multistrada 1200. I would just tip-toe everywhere. The V4 engine makes the bike sleek and it’s very thin for a litre class motorcycle. The seating posture is very aggressive but once you get the hang of the seat height, everything gets back to normal. The footpegs are raised and completely rear-set making the RSV4 front heavy just like all superbikes. The RF here does not have a pillion seat which makes it for you to arrive alone. But our test model had pillion footrests which was quite surprising. The tank, chassis and the handlebars are very well designed. Once you sit on the motorcycle, you are one with the bike no matter what.

Performance – There’s some mystery I must say. A 999.6cc engine producing 201 BHP and 111 Nm of torque! How does it make so much power is not the concern? The way it delivers is! The motor stays normal till 7000 RPM and in the next 7000 RPM, it just loses its *hit and goes berserk. The power is so raw and exhilarating, it’s difficult to keep the front wheel to the ground. If you could, you would redline the first gear at 14,000 RPM hitting 153 km/hr in under 3 seconds. This V4 engine isn’t torquey and it takes some time to build up the revs while it can manage as low as 80 km/hr in sixth gear without knocking.

The V4 rumble is rough and eargasmic, the Aprilia RSV4 RF shoots like a rocket

The gearbox on the Aprilia RSV4 RF is very precise and shifts well with the quick-shifter. Yet the clutch feels a little heavy in traffic and managing the first gear gives a good exercise to the left palm. There are a total of 3 riding modes – Sports mode was the one with the best control, Race mode reduces traction levels while the Track mode changes the throttle response for more linear power delivery. Sports mode was the best for city and highway runs, Race and Track mode felt a little too much while riding down to Mumbai from Pune.

The top speed is limited to 299 km/hr but this Italian motorcycle is much more capable than that. The engine makes 201 BHP but there a huge loss of power resulting in only 180 HP to the rear wheel which is still quite a lot. A V4 engine is harsh and it can be felt all over the motorcycle even with the engine sound. The V4 powerhouse isn’t as refined as an inline-4 motor but makes it up with a mindblowing exhaust note. Our test bike did not have an aftermarket exhaust and it didn’t really need one.

Riding Dynamics – From the day of the pickup to the drop back, we rode almost 500 kms in 3 days. Including highways as well as in traffic. While it was a little difficult to manage in traffic, on the highways, the RSV4 was eager to be ridden above the ton. As most of the riding was on the highway, the Ohlins suspension did a really good job managing high speeds. However, city bumps and tail to tail traffic took a toll on me because it would direct all bumps to my back. Add to that, the riding posture isn’t meant for the city at all. The light-weight forged aluminium chassis along with the Ohlins steering damper made sure we can have all the fun under control.

The RSV4 is far from being a comfortable bike but it does handle splendidly well

The Aprilia RSV4 RF get special 10-spoke forged aluminium alloys to keep it light and strong. It came with the best of Pirelli rubber, the Diablo Supercorsa, it just grips. The steering is so sharp that tipping into corners or filtering through traffic is just a nudge away. The aggressive position and grippy rubber just add to the sharpness. The Aprilia RSV4 RF has had by far the best brakes ever seen on a motorcycle. Dual 320 mm stainless steel discs at the front and a single 220 mm disc at the rear coupled with Brembo callipers offer surreal feedback. The bike would stop in no time. From over 200 km/hr to under 60 it would just nose dive and bring itself to a halt.