New RSV4R

RSV4 video by Raptors and Rockets

Dirtrider tests MXV

Dirtrider is the first US magazine to test the new Aprilia MXV 450. Go read the test here

Sorry for not posting much lately. Expect some big changes at Aprilia News coming in the next months...

Chaz Davies gets 2nd place on the RSVR at Laguna Seca

Monterey, CA – July, 2009 – The Factory Aprilia Millennium Technologies Team scored its first podium of the year with a brilliant second place finish by Chaz Davies. The race was a hard fought, epic battle that saw Davies fight all the way to the finish line. This is the team’s first podium finish of the year and Davies’ first podium finish since Daytona 2008.

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Movie of the weekend

Aprilia plans mid-size sportsbikes by 2012

Piaggio issued its development plan for 2009-2012 on Friday and while most of the news is relatively boring, there is one extremely interesting tidbit.

As for motorcycles, the Group intends to work on the growth of different brand names, also through the development of sport bikes with mid-sized engines.

It'd only be speculation to guess a capacities and configurations, but since Aprilia is Piaggio's sportsbike brand and participates in Superbike racing as a way to market its products, it'd make sense for that mid-size sportsbike to fit into current racing classes.

Source: Hell for Leather

Aprilia wrap up Brno testing

Aprilia Racing have wrapped up two days of testing at Brno, the Italian manufacturer team's designated SBK test track. Conditions were generally good although the rain fell on the afternoon of the final day, cutting short the session by a couple of hours. The team tested numerous components on the RSV4 in view of the upcoming Brno round and the second part of the season.

Despite a hairline crack in his right foot, Max Biaggi completed a total of 122 laps in the two days, the Italian getting down to a time of 2'00"75.

"It's a pity about the rain because it meant that we missed the last two hours," declared Biaggi, "and we could have done some more work. However we did get positive feedback, especially regarding the front suspension. I'm quite confident for the race at Brno at the end of the month, we've got another twenty days to work on the bike, this for us has more or less been the first real test since the start of the championship".

Shinya Nakano did 135 laps, including 16 in the wet, and was a shade slower than Max, with a time of 2'00"78 set on the first day. The Japanese rider also had a crash from which he emerged unscathed.

"I am very satisfied," said Nakano. "We tested a lot of engine and chassis components, and found improvements. The fact that we were there on our own allowed us to do a great job and really focus on the work. It will be interesting to test the new solutions at Imola against our main competitors".

"For sure it was a positive test," declared Luigi Dall'Igna, Aprilia Racing Technical Director. "We tested a lot of electronic, suspension and chassis components on the RSV4. We'll be using them again at the Pirelli tests at Imola in a fortnight's time, and if they continue to give a good response we'll use them for the Brno race".

WSBK Donington: Podium and Crashes for Aprilia

Max Biaggi started off well and was right behind the poleman Spies at the first curve, followed by Haga in third place. The three drivers had that something extra over their adversaries and they broke away from the pack, maintaining a pace that was just under the record set at the Bayliss track in 2007. After four laps, Haga began to lose ground and about halfway through the race he was losing one second per lap with respect to the pacesetters.

Spies continued to push ahead at a maniacal pace, but Biaggi didn’t budge at all, and recovered what he had lost on the final and slowest part of the track during the second part of the race, which was much more technical and had a faster pace. The two continued that way until Biaggi’s motorcycle suddenly died out at the last chicane due to a problem with the gas pump.

Fortunately, Max was able to restart his RSV4 and thanks to a lead of more than nine seconds on Haga, he still managed to finish the race in second place. The Roman driver and Noale’s four-stroke V cylinder motorcycle returned to the podium following the two third place finishes that were secured in Qatar, and a parenthesis surrounding the much discussed penalty in Race 1 at Monza.

Shinya Nakano finished in sixth place, at 21:286 behind Spies. The Japanese driver, who started off from fourth place, lost some ground at the beginning and fell behind the lead group. After recovering some ground thanks to a good rhythm, Shinya found himself battling Haslam and Byrne for fourth position. It was only during the final two laps that he lost a bit of ground against the two English drivers who were racing on their home turf.

Race 2 didn't went so well. During the second lap Nakano ran into in a frightening high side that fortunately didn’t result in any injuries. During the fourth lap Biaggi lost his front tyre at the first curve and slipped to the ground, but quickly got back on his bike and returned to the race. Upon re-entry, Max came into contact with one of his adversaries along the outer kerb and slipped back to twentieth place. During the crash, the Roman pilot ended up with a bruise and a minor injury to the third metatarsal of his right foot, but he still managed to finish the race in twentieth place. The degree of his injuries will not prevent Max from participating in the Aprilia’s private test run on the Brno track that is scheduled for July 1st and 2nd.

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