FEATURES
The best keeps getting better! In 2006 too, the Aprilia RSV 1000 R will be the twin cylinder supersportthe others have to beat. With a more powerful engine, homologation to Euro 3 standards, a new fairing,and an even more refined chassis, the RSV 1000 R remains the meanest and fastest twin on the world'sroads and racetracks.
The competition comes and goes, but the Aprilia RSV 1000 R remains the world's best supersport on road and track alike. This is thebike the others can only hope to match. The RSV 1000 R has clearly demonstrated its true colors in the World Endurance Championship,where it has been the only production twin to achieve amazing results among so many four cylinder machines. In legendary races likethe Suzuka 8 hours and massacring endurance trials like the Oschersleben 24 hours, the RSV 1000 R has proved to the world that it canout-perform the best and still remain totally reliable.
Top level racing has been an unforgettable experience for all involved, but has also served as a fantastic `test bench' for the new racingsolutions that are already appearing on Aprilia's production bikes. Every aspect of the MY 2006 Aprilia RSV 1000 R has been improved,from the engine to the chassis and fairing.
The updated and better than ever Aprilia RSV 1000 R remains the undisputed leader among sports twins, not only for the amazingtechnology that has gone into it but for the breathtaking performance that comes out too!What counts most, perhaps, is the fact that despite its blistering performance, the latest RSV 1000 R is still exceptionally easy to ride.Here is a motorcycle that inspires riders with instant confidence and lets everybody achieve maximum performance quickly and intuitively.Easier control means less physical and mental fatigue, faster and safer riding, and longer lasting concentration. These are determiningfactors for success on the track and just as important on the road.
The improvements introduced on the MY 2006 RSV 1000 R include:
- Euro 3 homologation
- New injection mapping
- The latest generation V60 Magnesium engine with exhaust valves increased from 31 to 33 mm in diameter
- New, bigger exhaust pipes
- New external catalytic converters, installed nearer the collector pipes for greater efficiency and cleaner emissions
- New steering head rake angle, increased to 25 for greater stability
- hlins fork with titanium nitride coated stanchions and radial caliper mountings
- New fairing with bigger air vents
- New tail
- New, narrower tank side panels
- New ram air intake with aerodynamically shaped edge
Constant technical development has enabled Aprilia's engineers to carry on improving the performance of the motorcycle that alreadyrepresented the state of the art for twin cylinder supersport machines. In this latest RSV 1000 R, the V60 Magnesium engine is not onlycleaner but even more powerful, confirming its reputation as the world's mightiest production twin. Neither have the modifications neededto achieve homologation to strict Euro 3 standards stopped Aprilia from squeezing another 4 horsepower out of this amazing engine.The latest power plant delivers 105.24 kW (143 HP) at the crank to push the bike to a top speed of over 280 km/h, aided by improvedaerodynamics and even more efficient engine breathing.
Even the chassis has been updated using the experience gained from a year of international racing that has seen the RSV defeat all rivalson the world's stock racing circuits.
This unbeatable engine and chassis go hand in hand with top-quality components, and an even higher level of prestige equipment, placingthe Aprilia RSV 1000 R in a class of its own not only in performance but in quality to price ratio too.
Design
The world-beating overall design of the previous model has been kept for Model Year 2006, but advances have been made in aerodynamicefficiency and engine aspiration. The fairing is new, and features bigger air vents for improved cooling under conditions of high stressfor the engine. And a more enveloping fairing design at footrest level has improved the already fantastic aerodynamics still further.The tail is new too, sleeker (like that of the Tuono '06) and higher, giving the RSV 1000 R an even meaner look. Even the windshield is new,with a lower double curvature, racing design. Air penetration is better, thanks to a smaller surface area, but there has been no loss ofprotection for the rider. The headlight cluster comprises four separate lights that work in pairs, eliminating the lopsided `Cyclops' look ofso many modern sports bikes.
The MY '06 RSV 1000 R is incredibly compact, but still boasts the top level ergonomics that have always characterized the RSV range.The side panels and tank sides are now sleeker than ever. This has reduced width and improved feel at the centre of the bike, and allowsthe rider to move around in the saddle with greater confidence and ease.The new 16 LED tail light with clear white lens gives an even brighter light, despite its extremely compact size and the fact that it isperfectly integrated into the tail. This sensuous tail makes the RSV 1000 R instantly recognizable even from behind.The latest design leaves nothing sticking out to spoil the RSV 1000 R's clinically clean lines. The bike therefore cuts through the air likenothing else. Extensive wind tunnel testing has shown that the RSV 1000 R has a CX of only 0.3.
V60 Magnesium Engine
The 1000cc `V 60 Magnesium' engine is an important milestone in the history of Aprilia twin-cylinder engines. The V 60 Magnesium (whichis based on the acclaimed Rotax 998cc 60 V twin) has been improved yet again for 2006 and now delivers even better performance whileconforming to rigorous Euro 3 standards.
Its previous design features already placed this engine at the very pinnacle of twin cylinder development, but constant evolution andtesting in Aprilia's own R&D department have now made it even better.
New, bigger exhaust valves (increased from 31 to 33 mm in diameter) and larger diameter collector pipes, for example, have improvedengine breathing. The latest V60 Magnesium puts out 143 HP at 10,000 rpm. Yet, as can be expected of an Aprilia, this amazing power is stillfully usable and the engine itself remains totally reliable.
The new silver finish silencers have catalytic converters installed neared to the collector pipes. This solution has reduced converteractivation time by 50% while further reducing the level of exhaust emissions, bringing the Aprilia RSV 1000 R well inside the strict parametersrequired for Euro 3 homologation. The secondary exhaust section has also been extended by 200 mm to boost torque at low revs.Optimized fluid dynamics inside the cylinder heads has been enhanced by improved mapping of the combined ignition and fuel injectionsystems to achieve higher power throughout the useful rev range.
The V60 Magnesium breathes through the `Air Runner' dynamic air scoop located in the middle of the nose fairing. This has beenredesigned to increase air flow to the engine's `lungs'. The Air Runner scoop is located precisely where dynamic pressure is highest,exactly along the bike's centreline.
From the scoop, an air duct passes through the steering head to take ram air to the generous 10.3 liter airbox.A choke valve inside the duct, controlled by the engine ECU, regulates flow to provide the engine with air at exactly the right volume andpressure. The engine therefore packs incredible punch right through its extended speed range, enabling the rev limiter to be set at11,000 rpm.
The mighty roar of the V60 Magnesium is muffled by two differential volume Helmotz resonators to reduce intake noise at the most criticalengine speeds.
The airbox also houses an idling motor. This operates an electronically controlled valve that deviates air downstream of the butterfly valveto make it easier to start the engine from cold and to stabilise engine idling.
The Air Runner also performs a structural function. It incorporates two lightweight aluminium arms to hold the cockpit fairing andheadlight so that there is no need for ugly brackets.
A new panel type air filter reduces pressure drop and improves engine efficiency.The engine's fuel injection system features 57 mm throttle bodies and one injector per cylinder.The Air Runner ram air scoop, pressure in the airbox increases as the bike accelerates, leading to a 3% gain in power at maximum speed.A new generation engine management unit, made in conjunction with Siemens VDO, controls all engine parameters. The ECU receives realtime signals from 15 parameter sensors and processes these to control the actuators in real time too. (Parameters include air and coolanttemperature; atmospheric, airbox and oil pressure; Lambda sensor oxygen level; crankshaft, camshaft, and rear wheel speed; throttle,side stand, clutch and neutral position; and battery voltage.)
The flash EPROM already contains racing mapping for unrestricted exhausts. Aprilia service engineers can easily change mapping onrequest from customers who intend to use their bikes exclusively on the racetrack.All engine data passes through a CAN (Controlled Area Network) line to the instrument panel, which also acts as a diagnostic terminal.In the event of a malfunction, it is a simple job for service engineers to identify problems. The CAN line uses only two wires to transmit alldata. This simplifies the electrical system enormously as well as reducing the total weight of the bike.The RSV 1000 R also has a close ratio gearbox, to make it easier to make full use of the amazing power of the V60 Magnesium engine.
Despite so much technical evolution, the characteristics that made the original RSV stand out are still there:
- Longitudinal 60 V twin engine with 4 valves per cylinder and double overhead camshaft, driven by a mixed chain and gear system.
- Electronic fuel injection with 57 mm throttle bodies, one injector per cylinder, and an `Air Runner' ram air scoop.
- CDI ignition with one plug per cylinder. Ignition is controlled by the same integrated engine management system that also controls fuelinjection.
- Dry sump lubrication with double trochoidal pump, separate oil tank and oil cooler.
- Mixed gear/chain valve timing drive with the two gears (one per timing chain) located in the crankcase to reduce cylinder headdimensions.The RSV 1000 R's sophisticated twin cylinder engine also incorporates the following exclusive Aprilia patents:
- AVDC (Anti Vibration Double Countershaft).
- Hydraulic action clutch with radial master cylinder assisted by the patented PPC (Pneumatic Power Clutch) system to control rearwheel bounce during fierce braking.
Frame
Years of high level racing have allowed Aprilia's R&D section to design a frame that is acknowledged as the best production bike framearound. One of Aprilia's fixed objectives when designing the new RSV 1000 R frame was to achieve perfectly centralised mass. In linewith Aprilia practice, the frame incorporates aluminium-silicon castings and Peraluman 450 pressings. The frame has been optimizedby extensive finite element analysis and boasts excellent torsional rigidity though it weighs only 9,650 grams, a figure matched only byspecialist racing frames.
Aprilia's obsessive search for perfection, plus the experience gained from production bike racing has nevertheless led to small butimportant improvements to what was already the best frame on any machine of this type. The steering head's rake angle has increasedfrom 24 45' to 25 to give a slightly longer trail. Stability is better as a result, so that the new RSV 1000 R inspires even more confidencethan before, without losing out on its acclaimed agility.
The new RSV 1000 R swingarm is made from extruded Peraluman and Al Si7 castings. Its double member design provides a clearpassage for the new twin silencer exhaust system.
Here too, cross-sections and wall thicknesses have been optimized using finite element analysis. The RSV 1000 R swingarm weighs only4,860 grams, well under the swingarm weight benchmark of 5 kg.
Suspension
The big news for 2006 is the arrival on the RSV 1000 R of the fantastic hlins fork, representing the state-of-the-art for this most importantof all components in determining how a motorcycle handles. The new fork has 43 mm stanchions with titanium nitride coating forfriction-free sliding action. Its advanced design with longer sleeves and shorter fork bottoms reduces load at two critical points, the slidebush and the stanchion to fork bottom joint). Wheel travel is 120 mm. Like all top racing forks, the hlins allows precision adjustment ofcompression and rebound damping as well as spring preload.
The Sachs rear monoshock incorporates a separate piggy back nitrogen cylinder and is adjustable in preload, compression and rebound.A characteristic unique to Aprilia is that the length of the monoshock can be adjusted directly from the unit itself so that the rear endof the bike can be raised or lowered to achieve whatever setup may be required and to match rider preferences and other suspensionadjustments.
Brakes
Top supersports demand top quality brakes. The RSV 1000 R is again at the cutting edge of technology, and is equipped with Triple Bridge,radial caliper front brakes developed by Aprilia in conjunction with Brembo. The 320 mm floating steel discs on the front wheel featurenarrower braking surfaces. This means reduced wheel weight and inertia and therefore more agile handling.The MY 2006 RSV 1000 R's radial callipers are combined with a radial master cylinder to form the most sophisticated braking system fittedto any current production bike. The front and rear braking circuits both use aeronautical metal braid hoses to eliminate the pressurevariations associated with conventional rubber brake lines, guaranteeing maximum braking precision.
Components
What places the Aprilia RSV 1000 R in a class of its own is the care taken in its design and manufacture and the attention paid to everysingle component on the bike. The result is increased performance and functionality, with reduced weight and a quality of finish that noother bike can equal.
The MY 2006 RSV 1000 R also features simplified bodywork. The fairing side panels are now made from just two pieces per side to makeaccess and maintenance easier still. Even the fairing fasteners have been improved in design and finish.
The following components deserve a special mention:
- The new hlins fork with titanium nitride (TiN) coated stanchions.
- Aluminium steering pin and bottom yoke.
- Radial front brake calipers.
- Forged caliper mounting blocks for greater rigidity and stability under braking.
- The combined digital and analog instrument panel receives data on all engine control parameters over a CAN line and incorporatesmemory to allow it to act as an integral part of the self-diagnostics system. The instrument panel provides the same readouts as theprevious model (including a self timer with a 40 lap memory), but is now extremely modern and compact in design and weighs only220 grams. All functions are controlled by three conveniently located keys. The LED backlighting may be set to three levels and is whitefor the analog instruments and red for the digital display.
- The headlight cluster incorporates four lights for perfect night riding vision. The great care taken over the design and finish of theRSV 1000 R also transpires from little but important details like bulb holders made from blue anodized aluminium.
- The white lens direction indicators are fully integrated in the bike's body. The front indicators are moulded into the rear view mirrorswhile the rear indicators are built into the tail. This means that there is no need to remove them for track use. The rear number plateholder can also be removed quickly and easily to comply with competition regulations.
- Even the ignition key is specially made for the RSV 1000 R and carries an internal identification code. The ignition block has animmobilizer fitted as standard.
- The alloy wheels share the same forked spoke design as the exclusive forged wheels of the RSV 1000 R Factory.Colors
The eye-catching new graphics are available in Aprilia Black and Fluo Red, conferring on the RSV 1000 R an even moreaggressive, Italian sports look.