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Aprilia RS 250

Make Model	Aprilia RS 250
Year	1997
Engine	Two stroke, 90° V twin-cylinder, with laminar suction and exhaust valve. Separate lubrication with variable automatic mixer
Capacity	249 cc / 15.2 cu in
Bore x Stroke	56 x 50.6 mm
Cooling System	Liquid cooled
Compression Ratio	12.0:1 (+/- 0.7)
Lubrication	Oil pump with separate circuit
Induction	2 x Ø34 mm Mikuni 34 SS flat side carburetors
Fuel Type	Lead-free petrol, R.O.N. minimum 95
Engine Oil Recommendation	IP MAX 2T COMPETITION, or any high-quality oil meeting the ISO-L-ETC++ or API TC++ specifications
Air Filter	With polyurethane filter element
Ignition	CDI
Battery	12V 4Ah
Starting	Kick
Max Power	52.9 kW / 72.5 hp @ 11900 rpm
Max Power Rear Tyre	47.2 kW / 64.3 hp @ 10400 rpm
Max Torque	40 Nm / 4.08 kgf-m / 29.5 lb/ft @ 10750 rpm
Clutch	Oil bath, multiple-disc, with lever control on handlebars
Transmission	6 Speed, direct drive
Gear box oil Recommendation	IP FC, SAE 75W-90, or any high-quality oil meeting the API GL-4 specification
Final Drive	Chain, sealed, jointless, DID 520 V6
Gear Change	With pedal (L), 1st low, other 5 high
Final Reduction	14:42 (1:3.0)
Gear Ratio	1st 11:27 (1:2.454) / 2nd 16:26 (1:1.625) / 3rd 17:21 (1:1.235) / 4th 22:23 (1:1.045) / 5th 24:22 (1:0.916) / 6th 25:21 (1:0.840)
Primary Reduction	23:59 (1:2.565)
Front Suspension	Ø40 mm Inverted fork with adjustable rebound and compression damping.
Front Wheel Travel	120 mm / 4.7 in
Rear Suspension	Magnesium alloy swingarm. Monoshock with resevoir, adjustable extension, compression and spring preloading.
Rear Wheel Travel	130 mm / 5.1 in
Front Brakes	2 x Ø298 mm discs, 4 piston calipers
Rear Brakes	Single Ø220 mm disc, 2 piston caliper
Front Wheel	3.00 x 17
Rear Wheel	4.50 x 17
Front Tyre	110/70-17
Rear Tyre	150/60-17
Rake	25°
Turning circle Ø	4.09 m / 13.4 ft
Dimensions	Length: 1880 mm / 74.0 in Width: 690 mm / 27.2 in Height: 1080 mm / 42.5 in
Wheelbase	1370 mm / 53.9 in
Seat Height	810 mm / 31.9 in
Ground Clearance	135 mm / 5.3 in
Dry Weight	141 kg / 309 lbs
Wet Weight	167 kg / 368 lbs
Fuel Capacity	16.5 Litres / 4.4 US gal
Reserve	3.5 Litres / 0.9 US gal
Braking 60 km/h / 37 mph - 0	12.9 m / 42.3 ft
Braking 100 km/h / 62 mph - 0	36.8 m / 120.7 ft
Standing ¼ Mile	12.50 sec / 172.5 km/h / 107.2 mph
Top Speed	209.5 km/h / 130.2 mph
Road Test	Tuttomoto Test Bimota V-DUE vs Suzuki GSX-R750WT vs Aprilia RS250

The RS250 is that increasingly rare item: a current two-stroke production roadbike. Emissions legislation worldwide has made the large-capacity two-stroke engine a thing of the past, with its poor fuel consumption and excessively dirty exhaust emissions. But Aprilia's RS250 continues to provide some of the purest motorcycling performance available. The heart of the bike is a rather outdated engine, Suzuki's RGV250 motor, first seen in 1989. It's a V-twin two-stroke, with several advanced power-boosting features, including guillotine-type power valves, electronically-controlled 34mm Mikuni flat-slide carburettors and ceramic-coated cylinders.

Aprilia modified the RGV's exhaust and intake systems to produce a power increase to 52kW (70bhp) at the crankshaft, equivalent to 280bhp/litre: the highest specific power output of any current production roadgoing motorcycle.

The rest of the bike is more than capable of handling this impressive power figure. A twin-spar aluminium frame provides super-stiff handling, and the fully-adjustable Showa upside-down front forks and rear monoshock allow a wide range of adjustment for any track or road situation. Wide sports tyres provide amazing grip, and the front twin Brembo four-piston calipers offer superlative stopping power, especially for a bike weighing just 140kg (2241b).

While the RS250's engine is based around a design that's more than a decade old, the styling is undoubtedly modern. A banana-style upswept aluminium swingarm and twin side-mounted exhausts pay tribute to the Grand Prix technology behind the RS, as well as providing a unique look. Since Suzuki discontinued its RGV250, the RS250 has been unique in its class. The closest rivals to this mini-racebike are the four-cylinder 400cc four stroke machines like Honda's VFR400 and Kawasaki's ZXR400. But these heavier machines can't provide the ultimate cornering experience of the RS250, nor the exhilaration of the 250's screaming two stroke acceleration.