Thread: RSV4 Launch

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

I think a wait-and-see approach is wise - that article was on an Aprilia forum and the guy was unreasonably in the tank for this bike - Comparisons on a twenty-minute first-ride basis with HRC-kitted RC45's are not going to earn much credibility as far as I'm concerned. There are a number of bikes out there that make that much horsepower. So what? Get a little reliability, longevity and credibility under your belt before the unrestrained gushing.

That said, I hope it's good and I hope it helps open the market for more V4 sportbikes - like a Duc based on the D16 for the street in this price range, but with much nicer, less angular and busy lines. Or something prosaic like a Suzuki that would eat all their pasta lunches for half the cost...

Perhaps, but I do know him personally (don't hold that against him) and I don't really believe that to be the case.

He's a service manager, not a sales guy. As such, he's felt the pain of the SXV debacle from the wrench, the factory and the customer. He's actually the only service manager I've known at a dealer that works on the bikes and runs the dyno. He's a tuning god in Aprilia circles and will be brutally blunt when things aren't as they should be or if they are misrepresented. I even had him go over the Futura a few years ago and was proud to get the Micah Seal of Approval. In fact, it was the only time I have ever blindly handed the keys over to a dealership service department and felt 100% confident that I would not be bent over the barrel.

He's ridden and raced a lot of bikes in his day and he's earned credibility in my eyes.

But my kool-aid tastes really good and I'm afraid I may be looking for a sharper flavor.

Don't get me wrong, I think you should get one immediately, or at least in time for the spring hooligan trip to the twisties.

That way we'll get a good chance to see and hear it, and to listen to your evaluation.






Also most of the bikes we'll be riding have two-up capability, so you're less likely to be stranded...

Originally Posted by ND4SPD

Don't take this the wrong way, but you're wanting to sell the only reliable bike you've had in your stable recently?

The SXV might be the most fun bike ever but it just won't stay running. Ditch it, keep the Hyper and add the RSV.

now here's the voice of reason.

Originally Posted by bwhip

I was kidding about the 46% chance thing. Serious about items a, b and c.

Probably 94.7% chance I won't get an RSV.

I already have a literbike for the track and racing that I'm extremely happy with. Doubtful they'd let me race the RSV in the twins class, seeing how it's not a twin and all. And having it for a street bike? Can't see any logic for me in that.

No, although it's a fascinating machine and all, and it'd be cool to have a V4 sportbike, it's not the right fit for me currently. Currently being 20 October 2009 (hey, I've learned never to say never ).

so you're saying there's a chance. Guess we'll just have to wait till the spring for your first ride report



This is the only current bike that a really want. Sadly I don't think the bank account would appreciate me "wasting" the money that way.

Not enough power for me. I'm going to get a Vyrus instead:

Vyrus: The worlds most-powerful road motorcycle - | Motorbike reviews | Latest Bike Videos | MCN

Just a short whizz in your cheerios, Mike -



This was on the RC30 forum this morning, (where for some reason, the Aprilia doesn't seem to be getting much play.. ) Can't confirm it, but I thought it was interesting from a standpoint. I think the guy who posted is with Ducati in some role..

...You guys might appreciate this. An Aprilia Dealership in the USA, who is also a Ducati dealership (which is how I know about this), took delivery of
one of the first Aprila RSV4s. They did a couple of dyno runs with it, where it cranked out a mind blowing 151hp, and then it proceeded to shit itself
all over the dyno, with a broken clankshaft. Awwwww man!

And another dealer on the other side of the country dynoed one of these, and it made 10hp less than a new 1198 that they ran right before it. Awwwww man!

And Honda has made a 600 lb VFR1200! Awwwwww man!

And Buell shut down! Awwww man!

This week had been nothing but bad news. I have to pour another beer because this one has been watered down by all my tears.

The key to this will be, how long until they get the replacement clank-shaft? Oh the horror! THE HORROR!

I guess I shouldn't counter with the thread on the Aprilia board about the guy that just turned 100k miles on his Futura.

I'd believe that.

I'd more readily believe that it actually turned 20K and just read out 100....

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

I'd believe that.

I'd more readily believe that it actually turned 20K and just read out 100....

cross post: Futura at 100,000 miles - ApriliaForum sponsored by AF1 Racing, inc.

80,000 miles on the front brake pads and he commutes "80-110 mph through the twisties" on the way home?

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

I think the guy who posted is with Ducati in some role..

He's been with Ducati since Motoczysz flatlined, and was with Graves Yamaha before that. I was wondering if you were going to post that on here.

So he wouldn't be biased in any way, no?

Biased or not, a broken crankshaft is an issue I'd rather not have on a bike.

True, but I haven't seen it mentioned on the Aprilia forum - that would make headline news, for sure.

Not saying it hasn't happened but you never know if someone may have embellished a story on the interwebz. Not that anyone has ever done that...

You guys can discuss all you like. It doesn't have a wing on the tank so it must be shite.

Come on now, Biz. I like the bike and hope it is everything hyped and more.
But calling someone biased because he worked for Ducati, then go on to say a broken crankshaft can't be true because it's not on the Aprilia forum?

Originally Posted by bda116

Come on now, Biz. I like the bike and hope it is everything hyped and more.
But calling someone biased because he worked for Ducati, then go on to say a broken crankshaft can't be true because it's not on the Aprilia forum?

The crankshaft issue is hearsay and likely the straw that broke the camel's back. It's common form to bash Italian machinery on this forum (other than Ducati) and I've about had my fill of it.

Originally Posted by BizJetGuy

You guys can discuss all you like. It doesn't have a wing on the tank so it must be shite.

I never said [Michael Myers]"If it's not Honda, IT'S CRAP!!![/Michael Myers]. I also like other machinery, and own other brands including a European.

Hey, I pointed out the source - it's juicy gossip, thassall. The language of the post is clearly pro-Duc and not intended to be balanced to any degree.

So in this case you have Italian on Italian violence. It's inherent in the system.

In my case, I want the RSV4 to be awesome. It's a high-end V4 sportbike, which we've been waiting for years for a major manufacturer to produce. My personal experience with the SXV has me apprehensive, yet still hopeful.

And even if it happened, it's meaningless without the details. Was it a production model? Had magazine editors been abusing it without doing proper maintenance? Did they do something wrong in the test?

Believe me, if a VFR1200 expires on a dyno or proves out to be far less than the expected HP output, no one will ignore that on this board. Remember the claims of the early R6 versus the actual RPM performance? That took a while to come out. If this is a systemic problem, it will recur outside of a dealership where it can be suppressed and Aprilia will have to deal with it, if it's not, they won't.

I don't own one and, most likely, won't be able to purchase one in the near future so I'll just leave the thread alone and let it continue as others see fit.

Originally Posted by BizJetGuy

I don't own one and, most likely, won't be able to purchase one in the near future so I'll just leave the thread alone and let it continue as others see fit.

meh.

Originally Posted by seamus

meh.

post whore

Originally Posted by bwhip

In my case, I want the RSV4 to be awesome. It's a high-end V4 sportbike, which we've been waiting for years for a major manufacturer to produce.

My thoughts exactly. I own two of the "winged" bikes but I'd still love to have one of these, in fact my recent winged V4 purchase has me even more excited about this bike and FWIW I'm okay with only 150hp. In all reality I'd be okay with a 125hp version...but it has to be reliable.

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

Just a short whizz in your cheerios, Mike -



This was on the RC30 forum this morning, (where for some reason, the Aprilia doesn't seem to be getting much play.. ) Can't confirm it, but I thought it was interesting from a standpoint. I think the guy who posted is with Ducati in some role..

Cross posting in the spirit of full disclosure.

No comments from this member of the peanut gallery but, from the thread (to date), it looks like the engine shatting is still just rumor...

RSV4 Dyno Blowup? - ApriliaForum sponsored by AF1 Racing, inc.

No worries I decided to wait for the CBR800RR

Originally Posted by some guy on the Aprilia forum who is reportedly "not in the tank" for this motorcycle

Japanese bikes sell based on spec sheets alone, European bikes sell based on passion and spec sheets. You can still go out to the garage and make sweet love to your 1995 916 any night because you still find her attractive, while that 1995 GSXR that was sitting next to her at one time is now in a landfill even though the spec sheet says the GSXR was the keeper and the Ducati 916 would bore you to death after 15 years.

Magazine guys rarely are able to articulate what makes an 1198 or an RSV4 or an MV feel different from the Asian competition so they too rely on spec sheets and compiling numbers. I have ridden plenty of the 2008 and newer Japanese liter bikes, all of them actually, the RSV4 experience is definitely similar in acceleration and superior in all other areas of chassis response, stability, confidence and lastly styling not to mention an engine note that only an Italian engine designer from the House of Ferrari could have designed.

The spec sheet is for the masses, magazines are too. The RSV4 cannot be caged in small print and explained any better than a Desmosedici or 1098r can. These are tools you must use to appreciate the design and engineering behind them.

That's a pretty articulate statement of elitism!

I get what he's saying - it's a cool and meticulously engineered bike that inspires passion. But the same sentiment is exhibited on every single bike-specific forum. And it's just as false on VFRD or HOG as it is in this case.

Small wonder why the 'masses' are quick to jump all over these high end euro bikes that fail to live up to their own hype (or in some cases, fail to live very long at all..)