Aprilia RSV4 RF Review
Bike Tested: Aprilia RSV4 RF; Road Test No. 893; Test Location: Mumbai, Pune
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 25,50,000/-
The dream of riding a superbike is free, the hustle to own, however, is sold seperately
All of us dream to own a litre class superbike in our lives. If not own one, every motorcycle enthusiast at least dreams to ride one. While there are a few perks of being an automobile journalist and riding a litre class superbike includes one of those. However, a stint with any of these is not that frequent but we got a chance to ride one of the fastest motorcycles in the world. The Aprilia RSV4 RF has its place in the top 10 fastest motorcycles in the world. And this is how one fine November weekend was spent with the RF.
Motor Quest: Aprilia have been developing motorcycles inspired from WSBK races. The design of the WSBK race bikes looks a lot like the production Aprilia bikes. However, the engine has its major input from MotoGP. The RF in the name stands for Race Factory which is a limited-edition and there are only 500 pieces all over the world. There is another called the RSV4 RR which is exactly the same but with a simple livery and slightly lesser hardware.
The Aprilia livery is all over, RSV4 is a proper attention seeker
Styling – The Aprilia RSV4 RF is the most attention seeking bike ever. With the Aprilia Racing livery all over, this superbike just grabs all the attention it can. Triple split headlight at the front gives it an aggressive face. The sleek fairing along with the tank and chassis has the Aprilia word written in a split. While the contrasting golden USD forks just add up to more attention. The belly pan has the Italian flag colour while the small tailpiece continues with the silver-red-black colour scheme.
The Aprilia RSV4 RR is attractive too, like our scale model here
The Aprilia RSV4 looks stunning and grabs a lot of eyeballs on Indian roads
The Aprilia RSV4 RF has one of the most beautiful tail design ever seen on a motorcycle. Integrated LEDs for the tail-light with a shark fin design towards the end. It also gets a tiny well-designed mudguard to hold the number plate and the indicators. The exhaust also gets contrasting sliver-black with a big exhaust hole at the end. Dual steel discs add more to the front and not to forget the maroon forged aluminium rims holding the massive rubber giving the RF more character. Integrated LED indicators on the rearview mirrors go very well with the overall design.
Not the console for a techie, but for one who loves to see the revs bulid
Instrument Cluster and Switchgear – The analogue-digital instrument cluster has been seen earlier on the Aprilia Tuono while here it gets a black background. The analogue tachometer has its redline marked at 14,500 RPM and the red needle looks rad. The digital console displays a few details like the engine temperature, gear position indicator, riding mode, traction level, speedometer as standard. However one would have to switch between the fuel consumption, odometer and trip meters. The switchgear feels premium yet it has very few buttons. It does not feel handy to toggle between riding modes or the trip meters. However, two separate switches for traction control make it better.
The Aprilia RSV4 RF gets the exact ergonomics of a race spec superbike
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.
Just a little throttle and the front wheel is airborne
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.
Traction control plays an important role in power delivery
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.
Hits the ton under 3 seconds and second ton within next 6 seconds
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.
I am 165 cms tall, yet I still look proportionate to the RSV4, it’s very sleek
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.
That is one committed riding position on the compact RSV4
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.
The dream to own one is sometimes fulfilled with a scale model
Verdict – The Aprilia RSV4 RF is a mad machine right from the track brought to the streets. Just the addition of electricals has made it road legal. Aprilia has already got out the MY2018 version of the RSV4 with an ugly exhaust to match the emission norms. Still, this one will be on top of my list. The aggressive nature, sleek design with the Aprilia livery and the mind-boggling exhaust note of a V4 has just won my heart. Though there are better V4s in the market now, this Aprilia has left its mark and it will stay for a while.
The perks of being an auto journo, living the dream for a few days
What’s Cool
* Faired design with Aprilia livery yet grabs a lot of attention
* Aggressive and committed riding posture with a very sleek body
* The torque curve is linear and yet it has a very strong top-end
* The V4 exhaust note is marvellous, doesn’t really need an aftermarket upgrade
What’s Not So Cool
* Highest seat height in the litre class segment
* Clutch feels very heavy and riding in city traffic is painful
* Does not really have a pillion seat but has a pair of pillion footpegs
2017 has come to an end really very well
Aprilia RSV4 RF Specifications
* Engine: 999.6cc, Liquid-Cooled, DOHC, Longitudinal V4 Motor
* Power: 201 BHP @ 13,000 RPM
* Torque: 115 Nm @ 10,500 RPM
* Transmission: 6-speed Cassette type gearbox with Aprilia Quick Shifter
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Frame: Aluminium Dual Beam Chassis with Pressed Sheet Frame
* Suspension: Ohlins NIX USD Forks 120 mm travel (Front), Ohlins Racing Monoshock 130 mm travel (Rear), Adjustable Preload, Compression and Rebound Damping
* Tyres: 120/70/17 (Front), 200/55/17 (Rear)
* Brakes: 320 mm Dual Discs (Front), 220 mm Disc (Rear), Brembo Monobloc Calipers, Switchable Bosch ABS with RLM
Aprilia RSV4 RF Dimensions
* Length x Width x Height: 2040 mm x 735 mm x 1120 mm
* Seat Height: 845 mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 18.5-litres
* Kerb weight: 180 kgs (Dry)
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