This is new Aprilia 18 years ,after leaving the 2 stroke engine and mounts on his tiny sports a modern 4-stroke 4-valve twin camshaft, electronic ignition. We tried it on track, here's how it goes.
The test in April RS4 125 4 stroke
After a while the heroic age of the 125 2T, those smoky and smelly, but with a horse worthy of a current 250 (and more ...), cycling scream, with purchase prices and maintenance costs also scream, it's time to lower the pitch, or rather, has long been that the pitch has been lowered. More or less trying to revive the feats of the "golden age of the eighth of a liter" but without exaggeration, especially at competitive prices.
He tried Yamaha YZF R125 with, lately arrived also the KTM Duke 125 and the Honda CBR125R.
Now we check out the Aprilia, which in this sector has been and still is a teacher, with his first four-stroke sports 125.
After selling more than 100,000 RS 2T, since 1993 in thirty different countries, the Noale relaunched a product line to those who are the current market needs. An eye on the wallet, without the look suffers, equipment less rich, but essentially to € 4,390 fc
The design, just to be safe, that reproduces in full the RSV4 SBK, and just to make the idea fairing and tail have the same shape and the same volumes, but as a logical view of the category, different materials.
Great aesthetic, then, and finish the task. In some detail in unpainted plastic (like the tip and the black plastic) that betray attention to costs. Your wallet is possible to fit the small of Aprilia's dedicated accessories. In addition to raised fairing, there are the tail car (which you can see in the photos taken during the dynamic presentation) Alloy screws and adjustable holder.
"The aesthetic refinement is also a special care in terms of motoring"
Instrumentation analocico / digital, which incorporates at least one of the aesthetically RSV4, fairly rich, beautiful sights and excellent readability.
Special regard for the convenience of use, thanks to a tail section where you can safely store a couple of rain and a disc lock or a chain lock, and a perfect living space for the pilots the highest.
The 4-valve direct injection engine with dual mast head
The refined aesthetics is also a special care in terms of racing. The little 125 4 stroke, comes from those mounted on Derbi cousins, but after the changes made by Aprilia, we can consider a new engine in all respects.
Leaving the carburetor, the eighth of a liter received electronic fuel injection, while the distribution of 4-valve is entrusted to a dual overhead cam head. The cooling liquid, and the transmission may rely on a six-speed gearbox. Optional very unusual for Quick Shift, the electronic exchange that allows steps running (uphill not to scale) without the need to turn off the gas and use the clutch. The power of course is that code, 11 kW, from here you can not escape, while consumption and operating costs, we are told, are very low and competitive.
The finest in cycling!
So as not to betray the good name that leads to the tank, the chassis 125 of the RS4, it's really not bad. The chassis is cast aluminum, while the asymmetrical swingarm is more beautiful than those mounted on some six hundred today. The suspensions are not a miracle, but as you will read below, do their duty. Upside-down fork with 41 mm, with no rules, and also non-adjustable rear mono (an effort to equip it with the spring preload adjustment I would have appreciated.) Well-dimensioned brakes, front 300 mm disc with 4-piston radial calipers, 220 mm rear disc with single piston caliper.
Our test
Start the adventure with a RS4 Racing White (other colors available are Black and Racing Replica SBK), with Quick Shift transmission mounted.
Power standard, pistaiola tires, Pirelli Supercorsa SC1, with the rear 130/70 temporarily left for a series of 150, while the front is confirmed 100/80, make it clear to the aspirations of eighth-liter Aprilia. The driving position is particularly racing, with the trunk forward to load the wrists. The platforms are quite high, but not particularly uncomfortable.
Get used to the type of supply, electricity and without any feeling of entry in pairs, small Noale behaves like a great between the curbs of Vairano. The structure, though not adjustable, it fits in perfectly to my driving style, which at my weight (nearly 80 kg). An exchange of impressions with the lightest tester, confirms the good qualities of versatility buoyancy standard.