Draped in Biaggi replica body...
Draped in Biaggi replica body work, the RSV4-RR certainly looks outwardly identical to the works factory racebike.
Aprilia is following its established strategy in 125/250GP racing by offering customers around the world the benefits of its development season in World Superbike via the RSV-RR, a close copy of Max Biaggi's race-winning factory bike which the Italian manufacturer is making available now for €45,000 (approximately $64,200). The Aprilia Racing workshops at Noale will build 20 examples of this bike for 2010, containing the exact same in-house electronics package as the works racer, incorporating traction control, launch control, engine braking control, datalogging, etc. But the RSV4-RR has a slightly lower engine specification, producing 190 horsepower at 13,500 rpm, which positions it halfway between the Biaggi bike's 210 horsepower at 14,500 rpm, and the 180-horsepower Superstock racer which Ayrton Badovini took to a convincing victory on a one-off ride for Aprilia at the FIM Superstock World Cup's Imola round in September. Badovini decisively beat future champion Xavi Simeon on his Ducati 1198 on their rivals' home track, only to be disqualified because the Aprilia factory team hadn't read the rules closely enough, and didn't realize they weren't allowed to use lightweight titanium fasteners and other hardware in this streetbike-derived category.
"It was very embarrassing, and I felt so sorry for Badovini after all his hard work," says a blushing Aprilia Racing technical director, Gigi Dall'Igna. "But in preparing the bike we just used all the same bolts and brackets as the Superbike, without considering the restrictions of the Superstock class that we weren't used to competing in. But after disappointing performances earlier in the season from our privateer customer teams, we wanted to demonstrate the true potential of the RSV4 in the Superstock class with a mechanically stock bike, which I believe we achieved. Now we have developed the RSV-RR for national-level Superbike race series such as the USA, Germany or Britain, or indeed as an exciting track day bike for Aprilia customers. The chassis and suspension are identical to Biaggi's bike, as are the electronics and data acquisition, and the main differences in the engine are that it uses stock steel conrods rather than titanium, and three-ring pistons rather than two-ring. This means reduced revs, with a 13,800-rpm limiter compared to 15,000 rpm on our factory machine, and a consequent reduction in horsepower. But the rest of the engine is identical to Biaggi's bike, including the high-lift camshafts and large-diameter Akrapovic exhaust system."
The RSV4-RR includes the factory...
The RSV4-RR includes the factory traction control system, manipulated with the two buttons on the left handlebar.
Differences are evident with...
Differences are evident with the production engine cases between the RSV4-RR and factory racebike.
Stock swingarm is nice enough...
Stock swingarm is nice enough to look like a works piece. Kit shift linkage includes powershifter unit.
The chance to compare and contrast the first RSV4-RR to be built with the bike it was developed from, Magic Max's works racer, came at my Mugello test, where I had three separate sessions switching back and forth from one to the other between the two near-identical looking bikes, each clothed in Biaggi bodywork. But the RSV4-RR was equipped with 17-inch wheels shod with Pirelli's Superstock tires identical to those on Badovini's RSV4 on the other side of the pit garage, reflecting the fact that in some countries like Germany and Australia, such size wheels and even the same type of rubber is mandated for Superbike racing. "But we can deliver the bike with 16.5-inch wheels for slick tires at no extra cost," stresses Dall'Igna. "It all depends on the local requirements of each customer."