The new queens of Superbike
Traditionally dominated by the Japanese, the Superbike segment saw its fundamentals shaken up by the rise of European production, mainly the Aprilia RSV4 R and the BMW S1000RR … Comparative test on the road and on the circuit !
Some aesthetic considerations
A more affordable variation of the Factory model, the RSV4 R trades its Ohlins suspensions for a Showa fork and a Sachs shock absorber, its forged rims against cast elements and abandons the intake manifolds at variable heights as well as the possibilities of adjusting the positions of the fork steerer and motor and steering tube tilt.
However, what the "R" logically loses in competitiveness compared to its luxurious elder, it gains in accessibility: this modest concession to sacrosanct performances should thus attract the sympathy of your banker, since no less than 5,000 € separate the RSV4 R from the Factory model !
A real good deal, especially since the Italian retains all its enthusiasm (180 hp and 115 Nm of torque) and the same aesthetic attractions: finely chiseled and sexy as hell with its devastating rear end, the RSV4 R provokes the excitement wherever she goes, including with Cindy, the cute little brunette who runs the cash register at your usual gas station…
And that’s rather good since with its gargantuan consumption (9.3 l / 100 km on average against 8 l / 100 km for the BMW during our test!), The Aprilia requires frequent refueling, so many opportunities to try to convince said Cindy to agree to lay her delicious foundation on the minimalist and high-pitched passenger seat…
At this stage, however, it is foreseeable that the nascent idyll will take the lead in the wing: firmly suspended and rather spartan in terms of comfort, the RSV4 R is a real ordeal in the city or on a ride: its heat releases to the shutdown, its illegible mirrors exposed to shocks and the roughness of its V4 at low speeds will quickly undermine the patience of your future-ex-conquest !
Chat is not everything !
And from here to what she gives you for a biker in a BMW S1000RR, there is only one step … Less flashy, the German reveals incisive and modern lines, although largely inspired by the production of the Land of the Rising Sun … from which it also uses the engine architecture and the perimeter aluminum frame! However, it differs from it by the asymmetry of its optics and its fairing cutouts, as well as its fretless brake discs..
In addition, its finish superior to that of its Italian rival pleads in its favor: with its screws and brake discs already rusted and its fragile varnishes, our RSV4 R of less than 1000 km tackled stigmas incompatible with its price … Better off in the matter, the S1000RR admits a weld or a plastic adjustment questionable here and there, but its general quality of realization is more neat … and more reassuring !
Compact and lower in the saddle (820 mm against 845 mm), the German Hypersport is also more comfortable thanks to a position less carried forward, a wider handlebar and less rear footrests. Admittedly, it vibrates frankly at 90 km / h in 6th and at 50 km / h in 3rd, the stand is devoid of lugs and its clutch is firm, but its correct turning radius, its perfectly calibrated injection and the smoothness of her "4-legged" make her a less demanding companion.
Finally, the BMW is the only one to have warnings and two daily trips. Its on-board console is more readable, the protection of its screen better and the space under the saddle even allows to slip some effects or a disc lock, where the trunk of the RSV4 R struggles to accommodate a tissue, even when folded….
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