For
the first time in two-wheeled history, motorcycle performance is no longer being
measured merely in power and weight, but also in how closely a rider can come to
exploiting the bike’s full potential. New technology is enabling riders to
approach or even exceed the limits of motorcycles that are faster than ever
before. That’s a reflection of what’s happening on race tracks.
Max
Biaggi didn’t win the SBK World Championship simply because his Aprilia RSV4 was
the fastest bike on the track, but also because things like wheelie control,
launch control and traction control enable him to ride it faster. Now, Aprilia
Performance Ride Control is bringing those benefits to the road, for the first
time increasing rider control at the very limits of adhesion.
Rider notes
CHRIS SIGLIN: “I was blown away by how good the Aprilia’s TC was. I wasn’t
expecting it to be that good. My favorite feature was how consistent and smooth
it felt. I got comfortable with it right away, which gave me confidence to be
aggressive on the throttle. The wheelie control was great too. I could be full
throttle over hills and it would cut power just enough to keep the wheel barely
hovering over the road. The Aprilia really nailed it with its set-up.”
ADAM WAHEED: “The functionality of the Aprilia’s APRC package is first-rate.
I’ve never sampled a better electronics package on a motorcycle. The thing I
like most about it is how easy it is to find its limit. It’s also super smooth
when it modulates engine torque and the wheelie control is literally perfect.
It’s the benchmark of the class.”
APRC Aprilia Performance Ride Control, the electronic
management package including:
ATC: Aprilia Traction Control automatically adjusts to different types of
tyres, with 8 settings conveniently selectable while racing from a joystick
on the left handlebar without turning down the throttle;
AWC: Aprilia Wheelie Control with three settings;
ALC: Aprilia Launch Control, for use on the track only, with 3 settings;
AQS: Aprilia Quick Shift, for ultra-fast shifting without closing the
throttle or using the clutch.
The
excellent results obtained by all of the champions who have ridden it in races
are not by chance. Nonetheless, the true revolution of the new Aprilia RSV4 R
APRC is that, to explore its potential and have fun, you don’t have to be a
world champion thanks to the exemplary balance obtained with the APRC (Aprilia
Performance Ride Control) system, the exclusive traction control which can be
adjusted at eight levels and is capable of self-calibrating based on the
different type of tyres, wheelie control, starting assistance and the electronic
gearbox.
Concrete assistance for the bike’s rideability which gives the rider more
confidence and control in conditions at the limit, helping to identify the most
efficient trajectories and making the ride less taxing from the psycho-physical
point of view.
The introduction of such advanced technology in mass production is the
demonstration of Aprilia’s enormous design capacity which has developed all of
the RSV4 Factory SBK electronics "in house" which were ridden to the world
championship by Max Biaggi and from which the dynamic controls platform applied
to the new RSV4 R APRC were derived.
With this new version the Aprilia staff has made it possible to build a bike
which is faster on the track but at the same time more "communicative" for the
widest range of riding experience and capability, fine tuning what can be
considered the patriarch of a new generation of supersport bikes.