VanderHeide V4 in the test

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VanderHeide V4 in the test

Carbon monster with Aprilia V4 engine

Carbon is the material of the moment, but Ducati 1299 Superleggera and BMW HP4 Race aren’t the first. A year before they drove the super-expensive VanderHeide V4 Superbike with an Aprilia V4 engine at Goodwood.

D.he story of how this amazing motorcycle was built would be Hollywood material on its own. But the story of his first public appearance in front of 150,000 people at Britain’s Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​is even better. “That was really great cinema!” Says Sjors van der Heide (32) happily. Together with his brother Rolf (30), he is responsible for setting up the VanderHeide V4: “We didn’t have an invitation to Goodwood, but we hope that the motorcycle will be our ticket.

VanderHeide V4 in the test

Carbon monster with Aprilia V4 engine

Organizers said no

So we finished the assembly on the Monday before the festival and just did a quick test drive to see if everything worked. On Tuesday photo shoot, on Wednesday we left Rotterdam for Great Britain. On Thursday we stood at the gate and asked to be driven. But the organizers said no. We tried again and again, and finally we managed to meet the person responsible for the motorcycles. We showed him the bike in our van. Then suddenly we were allowed in! ”The two Rotterdam brothers Rolf and Sjors succeeded in building this amazing motorcycle over a period of five years completely unnoticed. Not even internet bloggers revealed the secret of the VanderHeide V4.

Light, powerful and compact

In 2011, Rolf van der Heide bought a 65-degree RSV4 engine from Aprilia: “It’s light, powerful and compact: and it also sounds nice, like a pure MotoGP racer.” The oven-cylinder‘s attachment points were the groundwork for the planning Zero. The carbon fiber monocoque was created around them in meticulous detail. It is the frame, fairing and tank of the VanderHeide V4 at the same time. And it also has a rear swing arm and the multi-adjustable trapezoidal fork. The two brothers designed the monocoque as a completely closed construction in which the engine is attached at four points on each side. The complicated shape did not allow the use of pre-impregnated carbon material, the numerous layers had to be draped wet. In order to bake the whole thing, the brave Dutch had to build their own vacuum oven, as there was no suitable oven in the whole country.

Approval failed because of the handlebar lock

The five kilogram carbon cantilever rocker is mounted on the crankcase. A fully adjustable Ohlins TTX 36 shock absorber is directly hinged. Immediately above it sits another Ohlins TTX 36, which supports the front wheel. “We have integrated a tunnel into the monocoque. The opposing forces of the front and rear suspension minimize each other, which takes the load off the monocoque. ”The Aprilia RSV4 engine with 201 hp is Euro 4 compliant, complete with wiring harness, ECU, variable intake system, exhaust, catalytic converter and APRC -Electronics. The emissions were not the problem, but initially there was no approval for the VanderHeide V4. "We didn’t have a handlebar lock … But now we have found a solution for that too and have received approval."

A copy should cost 150,000 euros

The VanderHeide V4 looks more voluminous than it is. The bike feels slim and relatively compact, comfortable footrests and spacious seating position fit perfectly. The beautifully shaped display provides plenty of information, only the leather handles are far too slippery. The handling of the VanderHeide doesn’t really feel ideal. The whole bike seems unstable, especially at low speeds of up to 60 km / h. The steering is also a bit nervous, as the overall fine-tuning of the chassis is still missing. But the two brothers are already working on all of these last problems and will solve them with their own passion and thanks to the street legal. Now the brothers are hoping for 25 customers to secure the start of small series production of the VanderHeide V4. “We cannot give a date. But as soon as we have pre-orders, we will build a machine every two to four weeks. ”An exclusive copy of 150,000 euros should cost, to be pre-ordered at www.vanderheidemotorcycles.com.

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