It’s seems that Aprilia isn’t going through a very good period lately. Beginning with the switch from the 250cc class to Moto2 where the Italian brand was leasing and supplying most of the bikes on the grid and getting good money for them, then the last minute decision on the Moto2 project, that was already in the last stages of completion, leaving several long standing clients in the lurch and finishing up with safety problems related to the connecting rods of the RSV4 Factory and RSV4-R which resulted in a recall of 335 bikes already sold in the States.

Now another problem, rumors from Italy are saying that Giampiero Sacchi, Aprilia’s director of the Piaggio Group racing operations, may be leaving the company.

Apparently Sacchi will not be present at the very high profile Aprilia-Alitalia Superbike team launch on February 9th, unthinkable considering Sacchi’s position in the company and that head honcho of both Piaggio and Alitalia Roberto Colaninno will be presenting.

Continue reading: Aprilia and Giampiero Sacchi To Split Up?

Here’s a great challenge between the Ducati 1198 S, the Aprilia RSV4 Factory and the KTM RC8R. The Ducati is still a classy, impressive bike with heaps of torque, but if you love Aprilia, or are a KTM fan, this could be a very close call for you. The KTM RC8R V-Twin is a big effort from the company, and they deserve kudos for being able to compete with the experience of the likes of Ducati and Aprilia. Check it out in the video.

Continue reading: Ducati 1198 S vs KTM RC8R vs Aprilia RSV4 Factory

There’s no official press release yet, but who needs it if Aprilia’s General Director Leo Mercanti personally says that Leon Camier is going to ride a factory Aprilia in world superbikes next season it’s got to be true, right?

“In my opinion he’s a good choice” said Mercanti who was at the Bangkok airport “he performed well in the races he did with us”.

The deal was already in the air and was to be confirmed after the RSV4 testing at the Misano race track last week that was cut short due to bad weather.

Reigning Britsh Superbike champ Leon Camier substituted injured Shinya Nakano in the final two rounds of the season and finshed 6th and 7th at Portimao, while his debut on the factory Aprilia at Magny Cours saw him retire from both races with mechanical problems. Camier will partner Max Biaggi in the team.

Source | gpone

Continue reading: Leon Camier in Aprilia, it's Official , sort of

Leon Camier who was crowned the 2009 British Superbike Champion at Silverstone on Sunday will be replacing injured Shinya Nakano on the Aprilia RSV4 Factory.

According to Italy’s Motosprint, the Brit already has a contract from Aprilia to ride the last two rounds of the World Superbike Championship at Magny-Cours and Portimao alongside Max Biaggi.

The 22-year-old from Ashford, Kent in his third season of the BSB championship and with three rounds of the championship remaining he has already taken 17 race victories out of the 23 races to take place so far, with his Airwaves Yamaha beating the record of wins in a single season, which was 14.

Aprilia fielded Marco Simoncelli as Nakano’s replacement at the Imola last Sunday. The Italian rider DNF’d in Race 1, but in Race 2 took 3rd. Simoncelli will be back to his 250cc championship at Estoril this weekend.

Continue reading: Leon Camier on the Aprilia Superbike

Aprilia’s PR department pulled a fast one yesterday. After announcing that Marco Simoncelli would be racing at the World Superbike round at Imola this weekend in their official press release, they also wrote that Simoncelli had lapped three tenths of a second faster than veteran rider Max Biaggi.

Biaggi, who was testing other material on the Aprilia RSV4, was not convinced about Simoncelli’s lap time and asked the team to check over the times and found that Simoncelli lapped one tenth of a second slower than he did.

Biaggi to say the least was slightly upset with Aprilia, stating: “They retouched the times to highlight Simoncelli’s partecipation and you can understand that isn’t very fair”.

Aprilia corrected their press release, but today in his personal website Biaggi explained the situation from his point of view:

Dear friends, the Mugello tests went well. As you’ve read there was a little problem about the times, that without any motive were purposely modified. Heaven forbid, a tenth or due doesn’t count especially while your testing, but I didn’t like it and I pointed it out to the person in charge. Naturally there wasn’t a conspiracy, just a little thoughtlessness, but those who know me understand how serious I’m about racing. Evidently someone forgot and we did our best to remind them. Racing is fun, but to have fun you have to be serious! Frankly, I don’t like sensationalism and motorcycle racing is so wonderful and exciting that it doesn’t need to be pumped up for the media.

Source | maxbiaggi.com and motoblog

Continue reading: Max Biaggi Scolds Aprilia

Surprising news is coming from Motosprint according to the Italian website 2250cc rider Marco Simoncelli seems to have accepted Aprilia Racing Team offer to race in this Sunday’s WSBK round at Imola.

Simoncelli has previously tested the Aprilia RSV4 Factory last November at Valencia, a gift from Aprilia and his Team Metis Gilera for his 2008 World title, but today he’s at the Mugello race circuit putting in some serious test time in order to prepare for Sunday’s race at Imola.

Aprilia called in Simoncelli to replace Shinya Nakano, who will not be riding in the next two races due to severe neck problems.

Source | motosprint

UPDATE:

According to Gpone, Simoncelli will be also testing tomorrow and will make a final decision tomorrow evening and Aprilia in the meantime has also called in Alex Hoffmann, their test rider.

Continue reading: Marco Simoncelli to Replace Nakano at Imola?

Tor Sagen from Raptors & Rockets has come up with this video of the Aprilia RSV4 Factory at the Misano World Circuit.

The best part is the roaring sound of this RSV4 Factory ripping around the track, so turn up the volume on your computer and maybe you can pretend to be riding behind or better yet in front of Max Biaggi and Shinya Nakano for a couple of laps.

The Roman Emperor took the Aprilia RSV4 for their first ever victory in WSBK during Race 1 at Brno and a second place in Race 2.

Continue reading: Aprilia RSV4 at Misano with Tor Sagen

Aprilia has released a new video regarding their RSV4 Factory production bike. This time Miguel Galluzzi, Vice-President of Aprilia’s Design Centre and José Gonzales, the designer shows us how and why the RSV4 project was conceived.

Aprilia’s Superbike is 4th in manufacturers standings in WSBK Championship, while Max Biaggi is 6th and Shinya Nakano is 14th in the riders standings.

Continue reading: Aprilia RSV4 Factory: from concept to Superbike

Here are some behind the scenes Aprilia RSV4 Factory testing pics, that show you what took place recently at its official presentation in Misano.

Our colleague Lorenzo B. from Motoblog also gives us a close-up look at all the engine components of the RSV4 Factory, in a video after the jump.

Continue reading: Behind the scenes Aprilia RSV4 Factory Test and engine close-up

Aprilia continues to be under close scrutiny by their opponents, after Francis Batta’s it’s a prototype the superbike team were told to change the chassis they used during the Phillip Isalnd and Qatar rounds but were unable to do so immediately due to logistic problems.

According to the technical commission, the chassis were slightly different from the ones Aprilia uses on their RSV4 Factory production bike and gave them until the Valencia round to fix the situation, which the Noale based company complied to.

Aprilia riders Max Biaggi and Shinya Nakano barely avoided further controversy when they did a couple of slow laps around the Misano race circuit for the Aprilia RSV4 Factory world launch promo film and for the journalists and photographers present for the launch.

Continue reading: Aprilia still under scrutiny

Here’s a full gallery of the Aprilia RSV4 Factory as the company releases its 20,000 euro gem to the market. The bike is really 180 hp of pure adrenalin, and here are the official RSV4 Factory pics.

Senior Vice President of Product Development and Racing, Leo Francesco Mercanti, has said that Aprilia has managed to keep to its project promises in the face of doubts about its acquisition in 2005 by Piaggio. “We wanted Aprilia to become the brand of excellence within the Piaggio Group for larger motorcycles and in three years we’ve launched Shiver, Mana, Dorsoduro and now the new RSV4. It creates a completely new road in the world of sports superbikes.”

After a project costing a huge 25 million euros, success looks certain, especially with the high quality technicians and riders Biaggio and Nakano, that Aprilia has invested in. For a video on the RSV4 engine, see our previous post, along with further videos, and a look at the RSV4 Factory accessories.

Continue reading: Aprilia RSV4 Factory gallery

After it’s full scale launch this week at the Santa Monica circuit at Misano Adriatico, Aprilia ha put out another video promo on their Aprilia RSV4 Factory.

Continue reading: Another Aprilia RSV4 Factory Video