Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)

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Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Marco Zamponi

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)

12th pictures

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Marco Zamponi

1/12
Aprilia graciously calls the new RSV 4 Factory her Majesty. She asks for an audience on the Moto-Gp circuit in Misano.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Marco Zamponi

2/12
The new ergonomics ask for more space for lean acrobatics.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Marco Zamponi

3/12
The new LED headlights give the front a new look, and they also have a cornering light function.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Marco Zamponi

4/12
The obligatory winglets are now integrated in a double-walled fairing. This improves the stability of the construction and, at the same time, optimizes the ventilation of the engine region without overloading the driver with the waste heat.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Marco Zamponi

5/12
The fine steering feeling via the front wheel is retained. The Aprilia can be circled with millimeter precision.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Marco Zamponi

6/12
The completely redesigned fairing was trimmed in the wind tunnel for more wind slippage for more top speed and more downforce on the front wheel for more cornering stability

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Gigi Soldano

7/12
The Italians want the ergonomics of the seat to be more relaxed, but still sporty, with a newly shaped tank and a new bench seat.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Gigi Soldano

8/12
A total of six driving modes are now available, three for the racetrack (two of which can be individually adjusted) and three for the road (one can be individually adjusted). The Ohlins chassis works semi-actively.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Gigi Soldano

9/12
The factory’s solo stern is also aerodynamically designed as a kind of tail unit.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Gigi Soldano

10/12
The chassis of the RS4 Factory is upgraded with a new rear swing arm with a reinforced frame and yet less weight.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Gigi Soldano

11/12
The top performance remains unchanged at 217 hp, which, together with a new exhaust system, is delivered in compliance with the Euro 5 standard. The displacement increases from 1,077 to 1,099 cubic.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)
Gigi Soldano

12/12
The winglets integrated into the fairing should bring a good eight kilograms of downforce at 270 km / h and thus stability.

motorcycles

Super athlete

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory
Weird audience with Noale’s V4 queen

The Aprilians graciously call their superbike flagship “my Majesty”. How the 2021 model of the RSV4 1100 in the illustrious factory version fares, we were allowed to test three turns on the GP track in Misano.


Tobias Munchinger

03/26/2021

In this article:

  • 1,099 cubic with wings
  • Lighter swing
  • Engine and driving behavior
  • Sit and serve better
  • V4 fire at its finest
  • Top electronics
  • Prices, equipment and colors
  • Conclusion

It roooaaarrrt vigorously in the fresh morning air over the World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. But not desolate, but well-mannered. And familiar: this tone is produced in the combustion chambers of a 65-degree V4 engine Aprilia born, no doubt. The new RSV4 1100 Factory sounds thundering and melodious in model year 2021 and Euro 5 compliant. As with the previous generation, the Kat sits directly in front of the rear silencer, which makes a large collector superfluous. However, the new Kat has 400 instead of 200 cells. It has the same diameter as the old model, but is slightly longer at 93 mm compared to 90 mm. It is made of ceramic instead of steel, as it was before, reaches operating temperature more quickly and weighs 400 grams less. An all-round clean balance sheet, that is impressive!

1,099 cubic with wings

What else is new? A slightly revised engine with more displacement (1,099 cubic instead of 1,077 cubic), a freshly designed swing arm, more powerful electronics thanks to a faster ECU, improved aerodynamics and careful optical retouching. Connoisseurs immediately identify the new model as RSV4 despite some design changes. The beautiful aluminum frame with polished side profiles has served the machine together with the flawlessly finished high-gloss swing arm since the first RSV4 from 2009 as a trademark. The front with LED cornering lights and now double air inlets is redesigned like the lovely rear section, but not reinvented – nevertheless the 2021 RSV4 looks fresher and more modern. Possibly a credit to the winglets which are now partly integrated into the fairing. On the one hand, they should be responsible for around eight kilograms of contact pressure and more stability at around 270 km / h. On the other hand, the special shape intensifies the feedback from the front when braking, without burdening the nimble handling. MotoGP technology is a term that Aprilia technicians like to use in this context.


Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)


Gigi Soldano

The factory’s solo stern is also aerodynamically designed as a tail unit.

Lighter swing

Let’s take a look at the new swing arm: The girders distribute the mass further downwards, with a favorable center of gravity. Now made from only three main parts welded together instead of seven, it saves 600 grams in weight and is still 30 percent stiffer. Racers also benefit from the possibility of being able to mount the wheel axle further back than before, if necessary, in order to give the machine even more stability in high-speed corners, for example. In reality, hardly any hobby racer should seriously experiment with it, but the Aprilia racing department doesn’t do things by halves.


Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)


Gigi Soldano

The chassis of the RS4 Factory is upgraded with a new rear swing arm with a reinforced frame and yet less weight. 600 grams lighter and 30% stiffer.

Engine and driving behavior

What can the new high performer from Nolae do? In short: everything that he was able to do brilliantly in the past is just a tad better. For the three stints available during the press presentation, the test motorcycles are equipped with super sticky Pirelli Diablo slicks in an SC1 compound instead of the standard Supercorsa SP tires. It is probably thanks to the racing rubbers that the machine generates noticeably high mechanical grip when exiting a curve. Pulling up the gas early and hard at the exit of a corner is routine after a few laps and the most natural thing in the world.

The RSV4 1100 Factory remains true to its essence. The racing machine, which is still very compact, reacts sensitively if you grasp it wildly or even pull the handlebars. Impulses initiated by the driver are transmitted to the front and cause unrest – the RSV4 has always done that. So stay relaxed at the exit of the curve, slide far back on the seat, shrink behind the window and guide the royal easily and precisely. As usual, the handy machine drives brilliantly over the front wheel and also steers wonderfully precisely when the brakes are applied. There are no changes to the chassis itself, it tends to be tight and has large damping reserves. Misano has a good surface with only a few waves. Both the fork and the shock absorber did their job there in the A1 automatic mode.

Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)

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Sit and serve better

The RSV4 1100 Factory, vintage 2021, has not only become more user-friendly thanks to the new 5-inch dashboard with a new layout and more sensitive buttons for menu control: On the racetrack, you can use the Track 1, Track 2 or Race programs, which are track modes freely configurable. A seat nine millimeters lower and longer, and footrests ten millimeters lower, integrate the driver better into the machine, but offer more freedom of movement for gymnastics. The tank, which is 17 millimeters narrower on each side, makes the seating position a touch more humane. A rubberized surface is specially worked into the top, on which you can rest your chin behind the now higher windshield in order to avoid the air turbulence.


Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)


Gigi Soldano

A total of six driving modes are now available, three for the racetrack (two of which can be individually adjusted) and three for the road (one can be individually adjusted). The Ohlins chassis works semi-actively.

V4 fire at its finest

And how! The engine pushes and pushes overwhelmingly, in all situations. With a proclaimed 217 hp, the top performance is at the previous level despite the increase in displacement. “However, it could be that the engines tend to scatter a little upwards”, Aprilia technician Francesco Mennella is pleased with a wink. The intake system has been revised and the V4 now delivers a maximum of 125 Nm instead of 122 Nm. At 6,000 rpm it delivers five percent more torque than the previous model. What initially reads unspectacularly means a big step in practice. In Misano you fire out of many corners in second or third gear, there you can clearly feel the intensified punch. The fact that the RSV4 1100 Factory simply marches breathtakingly in the upper speed range is nothing new. Thanks to the strengthened mid-speed range, the machine is sure to gain a bit of country road performance. Nevertheless, such a motorcycle belongs on the racetrack. Only there does the run fit so that it can show its huge potential.


Driving report Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory (2021)


Gigi Soldano

The top performance remains unchanged at 217 hp, which, together with a new exhaust system, is delivered in compliance with the Euro 5 standard. The displacement increases from 1,077 to 1,099 cubic.

Top electronics

Electronically, the machine benefits from the new Marelli 11MP motor control, which is significantly more powerful than the previous 7SM unit. This means that the networking and responsiveness of all electronic applications and functions in the motorcycle work faster and more efficiently. The traction control works so well, for example, that you don’t feel any of it, you just see a light flicker in the new 5-inch dashboard. The general responsiveness of the V4 is also a poem and prime example of control. Is it better than the previous model? Clearly.

Prices, equipment and colors

Price: 25,690 euros including 350 euros ancillary costs. Colors: black / red and red / blue. The standard RSV4 model without Ohlins chassis (not tested) costs 21,690 euros including ancillary costs and is only available in silver.

opinion poll

New engine and displacement concepts would make the super sports class more attractive?

Voted 559 times

Yes, the class needs to be more open.

No, super sports cars are 600cc four-cylinder – that’s that.

Conclusion

Don’t be afraid of Euro 5: The RSV4 1100 Factory, vintage 2021, which is perfectly processed down to the last detail, benefits from the stronger mid-speed range of the revised V4, more sensitive electronics and more functional ergonomics. It is a real professional tool and, as usual, will make it difficult for the competition to overtake it.

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