WITH 2009 came Aprilia’s stunning new RSV-4, a 1,000cc World Superbike racer with super-fast V4 engine and lithe chassis. It was the bike which finally relegated the twin-cylinder RSV1000 R, Aprilia’s first ever superbike, to the history books. The first RSV1000 broke cover in 1998. Before this Aprilia only made screaming two-stroke motorcycles, the RS125 and 250, with which it won countless world championships. A great big V-twin superbike couldn’t have been more different than those teen dream bikes. But Aprilia had proved successful in everything it had created so far, and it was determined to make a grand entrance into the competitive V-twin superbike class. And the RSV1000 did just that with its unique looks, high specification chassis and 998cc, 60° V-twin engine built by Austrian firm Rotax. At the 1998 launch, Aprilia was so confident of its new flagship that it invited the press to ride the RSV1000 back-to-back with its main rivals, the Ducati 916, Honda SP-1 and Suzuki TL1000. The RSV impressed performance-wise and felt composed and agile through turns. But it didn’t have the looks of the Ducati, the high-quality build of the Honda, nor the wild excitement of the Suzuki. Still, the RSV1000 went on to outstrip sales of the gorgeous 90° V-twin Ducati four to one. The recipe was simple: good track performance, easy road manners and quality specification, all for 20 per cent less than the equivalent Ducatis. Like Ducati, Aprilia produced two versions of its flagship sportsbike: the RSV1000 base model and the RSV1000 R higher spec version, both of which got their first model updates in 2001 to give them more power and sleeker bodywork. Another revamp came in 2003, when the RSV1000 R become the base model and an all-singing, all-dancing RSV1000 R Factory took the big guns crown. The final RSV update came in 2006, when engine and fuelling tweaks brought power up to 142bhp and smoothed out the power curve. There were changes to the chassis too to further improve stability and new fairings improved aerodynamics and produced a more slimline look. The base model also got its very own expensive Ohlins forks and lighter wheels. Meanwhile the Factory got even lighter, forged wheels and an Ohlins rear shock to match the front suspension. Add the factory’s carbon fibre-clad lightweight bodywork, high quality steering damper to control any flightiness from the lighter, quicker steering and the Factory was worth the extra money: at £10,349, it cost £1,350 more. The RSV was easy to ride fast with its lazy power delivery and stable chassis. These traits made it deceptively fast too, surprising riders with stunning laptimes. Like Honda’s SP-1 though, Aprilia’s Mille carried its weight up high, so required muscle for that initial turn into corners. This was a trait that stayed with the bike to its 2008 end. But for all the racetrack talk, Aprilia was always keen to point out that its RSV1000 was a road bike above all else. And the spacious riding position and powerful torque certainly made easy work of the daily commute, weekend ride outs and touring holidays, while those top spec parts earned you lashings of street cred. The arrival of the new V4 means used models of Aprilia’s RSV1000 incarnations are now going cheap. So you might as well go for the all-singing, all-dancing RSV1000R Factory that can be bought for as little as £5,175 for a 2003 model, and a maximum of £7,125 for a low-mileage 2008 version. Aprilia’s RSV1000 is rapidly becoming one of the all-time great classic superbikes. FAST FACTS Aprilia RSV1000 R Factory Engine: 997.6cc, liquid-cooled V-twin cylinder four-stroke Performance: 142bhp at 10,000rpm, 76lb/ft of torque at 8,000rpm Top speed: 155mph Transmission: Six-speed gearbox, chain final drive Average fuel consumption: 35mpg | 
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