Whither Aprilia?

Aprilia turned up at Intermot with little beyond this ’13 model year RSV4. Looks the same, right? It mostly is, but it adds three-mode, switchable ABS and a couple of other useful features that’ll keep it sharp.

That ABS was co-developed with Bosch and includes the fitment of Brembo’s new top-drawer M430 calipers and master cylinder. It functions in three, rider switchable modes — Track, Sport and Street — which operate independently of the three riding modes, eight traction control positions and three wheelie control settings to offer an exceptionally user-tailorable riding experience.

Track obviously brings the least amount of ABS intervention, allowing true threshold braking and doesn’t activate the system’s new anti-stoppie function at all. Sport increases that level of intervention for road use and should also intervene to stop you looping the bike if you grab too much front brake. Rain turns both intervention and anti-stoppie up to the max, eliminating the possibility for wheel lock and flipping at the expense of increased stopping distances.

The entire ABS system adds 2kg to the RSV4s weight.

Some further development’s taken place to the RSV4 chassis as well, the seat height is slightly lowered to alter the center of gravity, while the engine’s position within the adjustable chassis is also tweaked to facilitate control while sliding.

Horsepower is up 1bhp to 181 and torque is up 1lb/ft to 86 as further refinements have been made to the exhaust and ECU.

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Aprilia’s big new model for 2013 is going to be the Caponord 1200, scheduled for release at EICMA.

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