The Aprilia Factory is one of the most entertaining sports bikes around, writes Conor Twomey
A few months ago I rode the Aprilia Tuono 1000 R and fell in love. It combined comfort and manoeuverability with sportbike pace and handling, and it looked wonderful to boot. It's largely based on Aprilia's RSV superbike, but with the hard edge rounded off for a more complete riding experience. Today, I have discovered what that edge feels like, sharper and pointier than I had imagined, in the shape of the Aprilia RSV 1000 Factory.
The RSV Factory is top of the Aprilia tree, the brand's most prestigious and expensive product and the meanest machine of them all. It's based on the RSV 1000 R but kitted out with just about every high-end component imaginable and is finished off with lots of carbonfibre add-ons and a gold-painted frame. Its Pirelli SuperCorsa Pro tyres give a clear indication that model is designed for the track as much as the road, but they aren't the best all-weather tyre in the world, so I made sure that the forecast was good before I even thought about throwing a leg over it. I'm not bringing another bent bike back to Motorpoint.
To be honest, the Factory specification isn't that different from the standard RSV on paper, and there's no difference in the frame, engine or gearbox. The all-aluminium, box-section twin-spar frame is largely carried over (with the exception of the steering damper) and the RSV's engine produces the same 143hp and 101Nm of torque, too.
Unlike most sportbikes, the RSV is powered by a V-twin engine which delivers its power in a very different way to high-revving Japanese fours. There's no shortage of poke, and the engine is also incredibly flexible, pulling hard from as little as 3,000 rpm and not relenting until past the 10,000 rpm mark.
It's mated to a sharp clutch and delightfully precise gearbox, which shifts cleanly and even with the standard exhaust pipes, it makes a rich and purposeful sound as you'd expect from a race-bred machine. It also rides like a race-bred machine. Acceleration is impressive, but with a fat powerband devoid of peaks or troughs, it's easy to modulate the performance and exploit it to the full. The throttle is sharp and response is instantaneous, just as it should be in such a focussed machine, while the four-piston Brembo calipers, radial mounted are no less responsive and offer unbelievable stopping power.
The fancy suspension, still on its factory settings, demonstrate where your extra cash goes - it's stiff and aggressive, no question, but the chassis is also talkative and forgiving, making it a lot easier to ride hard than I had anticipated. Over rough roads it copes well enough, but on smoother surfaces or on the track it really comes into its own, offering a degree of adjustability and precision you just don't encounter very often.
Factor in outstanding ergonomics and perfectly-located dials and controls and you end up with one of the most entertaining and exploitable sports bikes on the market today. Even if it was a little more work that I would have liked over poorly-surfaced sections, I'm sure that with a bit of suspension tweaking you could set it up to be a little more compliant when necessary.
Rarely do aggression and elegance fuse so perfectly and not even the bright orange paintwork can upset the RSV's lines. Rarely have I ridden a bike that catches the eye of so many drivers or makes other riders pull up alongside at traffic lights just to stare at is beauty.
The Aprilia RSV 1000 Factory could prove tricky in the bad weather and exhausting over an extended period of time, but it might just be worth taking the bus everywhere and saving the RSV Factory for those special occasions. It really is that sweet.
Engine: 998cc liquid-cooled, dry-sump, four-stroke V-twin.Power and Torque: 143hp at 10,000 rpm, 101Nm at 8,000rpm
Performance: 275km/h top speed
Transmission: six-speed gearbox, wet clutch
Frame: Aluminium alloy, box-section twin spar, Öhlins adjustable steering damper. Dimensions: length: 2,035 mm; width: 730 mm; seat height: 810 mm; wheelbase: 1,418 mm
Weight: 185kg (dry)
Suspension: 43mm Öhlins titanium nitride forks; aluminium double banana swingarm, fully adjustable Öhlins monoshock
Wheels: 12-spoke, 17" forged aluminium alloy wheels.Tyres: front: 120/70 zr 17, rear: 190/50 ZR 17
Brakes: 4-piston Brembo radial calipers, 320mm floating front discs; twin-piston Brembo caliper, 220mm single rear disc
Price: €16,995