Aprilia RSV4

 The Aprilia RSV4 is the Italian firm’s all-new V-Four Superbike. While a limited numbers of the Aprilia RSV4 have come out as ‘09 models in Europe to allow the bike to be homologated for World Superbike racing this year, here in the U.S. we will see it next year as a 2010 edition.

Much of the hype surrounding the Aprilia RSV4 revolves from World Superbike, where the Italian company opened its checkbook to make the RSV4 a winner right from the very start. The RSV4 has been in development at the hands of former GP racer Alex Hofmann for several years now and Aprilia hired proven GP winners Max Biaggi and Shinya Nakano to race it in the 2009 World Superbike championship, to which they have had very impressive results for an all-new team and all-new motorcycle. These include several front-row starting positions as well as a handful of top-five finishes. The V-Four machine has also created loads of attention in the racing circles due to its class-leading top-speeds at just about every track they have visited thus far.

While details for the road-going version are somewhat limited, we know it has a 65-degree, 999.6cc V-Four engine that revs to a whopping 14,100 rpm. It will be available as a base model and RSV4 Factory edition, which comes with state-of-the-art Ohlins suspension and lighter components all around. Both bikes with have adjustable frame geometry and ride-by-wire throttle control, something Aprilia has been developing since their days in MotoGP back in early 2000. A cassette-type 6-speed gearbox handles the transmission while variable engine mapping will allow the rider to select a variety of power levels on the fly via a handlebar-mounted toggle switch.

From the day it was released to its unveiling on February 22, 2008 in Milan, Italy, Aprilia has promoted the RSV4 as a purebred racebike from the ground up. And judging by their impressive performances racing it thus far this year as well as the claimed specifications of the road-going version, there’s no doubt the Japanese literbike makes Aprilia a major threat for 2010 and beyond.