Impossible not to notice by simply glancing at the Italian V-Four, the bike feels very small between one’s legs. And while not much bigger in width than today’s compact 600s, the Aprilia still fit our 6-foot-tall Road Test Editor, Adam Waheed, quite well. This is because the actual on-bike ergos are surprisingly relaxed, with lower-than-expected footpegs and ample room provided by the long solo seat. This allowed the Aprilia to be a comfortable machine for everyone who tested it, sizes ranging from my vertically-challenged 5’6” stature to the aforementioned lanky frame of Waheed.
And while the V-Four engine may be on the heavy side, the power which it produces, and the way in which it puts it to the ground, greatly impressed all who rode it. With almost the ideal mix of low-end torque from a V-Twin and the high-revving nature of an Inline-Four, it’s nearly impossible not to be drawn in by the Aprilia’s powerplant.
Exit the corner and open the throttle, even as low as 6000 rpm, and the RSV pulls with a strong yet somewhat deceiving ferocity. This push keeps building as the revs rise, and just as one thinks the mid-range will taper off as 10,000 rpm splashes across the dash, it hits what feels like overdrive, surging into the upper revs and keeping on strong all the way up to and slightly past 13,000 rpm. Due to the strong bottom end and mid range, I found myself riding it somewhat like a Twin at first, short-shifting quite often. That was until I experimented at the top of the revs and realized what I had been missing.
The power is downright impressive, especially considering the highly-modified competition we were riding alongside it. Taking a look at the cold, hard numbers, on our dyno the RSV4 pulled a solid 154.6 hp at 12,300 rpm with 75.1 lb-ft of torque at 10,000 rpm – very competitive numbers from a stock machine.
Aprilia RSV4 Factory
MSRP: $20,999
Curb Weight: 453 lbs
Horsepower: 154.6 @ 12,300 rpm
Torque: 75.1 lb-ft @ 10,000 rpm
Quarter Mile: 10.30 seconds @ 139.8 mph
Racetrack Top Speed: 153.8 mph
Best Lap Time: 1:28.21
And while the V-Four engine may be on the heavy side, the power which it produces, and the way in which it puts it to the ground, greatly impressed all who rode it. With almost the ideal mix of low-end torque from a V-Twin and the high-revving nature of an Inline-Four, it’s nearly impossible not to be drawn in by the Aprilia’s powerplant.
Exit the corner and open the throttle, even as low as 6000 rpm, and the RSV pulls with a strong yet somewhat deceiving ferocity. This push keeps building as the revs rise, and just as one thinks the mid-range will taper off as 10,000 rpm splashes across the dash, it hits what feels like overdrive, surging into the upper revs and keeping on strong all the way up to and slightly past 13,000 rpm. Due to the strong bottom end and mid range, I found myself riding it somewhat like a Twin at first, short-shifting quite often. That was until I experimented at the top of the revs and realized what I had been missing.
The power is downright impressive, especially considering the highly-modified competition we were riding alongside it. Taking a look at the cold, hard numbers, on our dyno the RSV4 pulled a solid 154.6 hp at 12,300 rpm with 75.1 lb-ft of torque at 10,000 rpm – very competitive numbers from a stock machine.
Aprilia RSV4 Factory
MSRP: $20,999
Curb Weight: 453 lbs
Horsepower: 154.6 @ 12,300 rpm
Torque: 75.1 lb-ft @ 10,000 rpm
Quarter Mile: 10.30 seconds @ 139.8 mph
Racetrack Top Speed: 153.8 mph
Best Lap Time: 1:28.21
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