2007 Aprilia RXV Photo Gallery

2007 Aprilia Off-road

Lifting the front end takes less time than it does effort. Just twist your wrist.

That platypus rear end reminds us of a Ducati.

There’s a new player in the off-road market. These guys are going to stick around for awhile.

This small patch of soft pine needles was gobbled up and dispensed of with reckless abandon.

A Dzus fastener is the only thing holding on the seat. Talk about easy access. Our only concern was the effects it might have on our family jewels, but the latch never came out of its proper place.

Journalists eagerly await their time on the machines. Like any other press intro, Aprilia made us suffer with anticipation while the representatives gave a presentation.

Twist the throttle and the dual 38mm throttle bodies of the EFI get things moving in a hurry. The 550 is incredibly powerful and wasn't nearly as effective in the tight woods, but it'll bring out the horsepower freak in you.

I thought it was a bit strange to have the shock reservoir so close to the muffler, but technicians have yet to find any performance flaws due to excessive heat.

Lean and mean, the RXV surely looks the part of a serious racer.

Stump jumping was a blast on the nimble, powerful RXV.

This swingarm is a work or art. If you ask us, Aprilia is on the right stroke with their styling.

As a stressed member of the frame, the V-2 motor helps bear some of the stress of off-road vigors.

Aprilia has found a second niche for their bikes in the arm-lengthening market.

The only bike not available for us to test was the RXV 550 with a race kit installed. Other than that there was plenty to keep us busy.

Turning on the RXV was light, similar to KTM’s 450 EXC. Steering geometry specs weren’t available, but we’ll suffice to say that the Aprilias turn quickly.

In his quest for thoroughness, Hilde spend some time finding just the right test for the plastic skid guards.

This little tailpipe is one of two that split off in a 'Y' from the muffler. By routing them to the edges of the rear fender, Aprilia managed to bring that nasty under-sear look of modern streetbikes to the off-road world.

Tubular, steel trellis upper spars are fitted to the aluminum lowers on the two-tone Aprilia chassis. From what we could tell it was very stiff, but we'd have to slam a few high-speed obstacles to get a better feel for it.

Charging through rocks wasn’t as mindless as we would have liked. A twitchy front end kept us on our toes when negotiating hard objects.

Even though it's a V-Twin, the Aprilia powerplant still has the same features of today’s modern single-cylinder 4-stroke: tractable power, amazing torque, high-rev capabilities and plenty of ponies.

Wedging your knee under the fuel tank ridge allows for extreme pressure and control with the legs.

Like with most bikes, there was an issue or two with the suspension that was a challenge to resolve. In this case it was a jittery Marzocchi fork that we managed to improve, but not perfect.

Small, compact and very powerful, Aprilia's V-2 motor has an enormous amount of potential in off-road applications.

This guy might have more experience with the RXV machines than anyone. Stefano Passeri is the factory race team manager and helped develop the bikes.

Just by looking at the bike, words like sharp, hard, and aggressive come to mind. Riding it does little to alter your perception.

Having the bulbous muffler hanging off the back end is something we don’t miss with the Aprilia.

Supermoto guy, Darryl Atkins snuck away for a little play riding on the RXV bikes. Word has it he’s pretty quick on a motocross track.

2007 Aprilia RXV 450.

Hustling through the trails can get a rider out of sorts at times, especially with as much power as you get from the 550. You’re bound to have a leg flapping sooner or later. JC demonstrates.

Moving around on the bike is simple thanks to the slim profile, but keeping your butt planted is no problem either with a tacky gripper seat.

The stock computer could be one of the best on the market if it weren't for a few goofy display issues. The whole thing is removed when the race kit is installed.

Using a fan to draw cool air through the radiator is part of Aprilia’s unusual, but effective methods. It kicks on when the motor stops running and you’ll know it when it does. This thing pumps hot air directly onto the rider’s left leg.

We were happy to find that both brakes work exceptionally well, especially the front unit. With more and more manufacturers going to wave-style rotors, Aprilia stayed ahead of the curve by bolting on a set of Braking's bumpy binders.

There really isn’t anything on the Aprilia that takes a lot of getting used to. Even though it’s a brand-new bike, the RXV feels just like it’s supposed to.

The left handlebar has plenty of things to keep your thumb busy, including the scroll button that toggles through different displays on the computer.

The Michelin Enduro Comp III tires work better than other Euro-spec meats we’ve ridden.

You can get an idea of how the aluminum chassis slopes inward just above the footpeg. It makes it difficult to grip the bike with your boots.