APRILIA RSV4 FactoryPress Launch

Misano, 31 March-3 April 2009

Romano AlbesianoPiaggio Group Director of Motorcycle Engineering

Brief: to create the missing link between the track and the road.

GOAL: To build the fastest bike on the track

Limitations: None!

Focal points for development

Starting from a blank sheet of paper meant being able to explore every possible solution in terms of

engine and chassis technology, remaining faithful to Aprilia's commitment to the pursuit of total

performance built on experience gained on the race track and, in this case in particular, drawing from

the victorious heritage of the RSV

- Mass integration and balancing

- Performance profiles tailored specifically for results

on the track

V2Momenti polari di inerzia

65° V4: The starting point

The first task: defining the best possible solution together with the chassis and suspension engineers and the

race division

Defining the heart of the bike

Defining the engine: the most delicate decision in the project, which would determine every aspect of the bike.

The goals were established for weight, dimensions and,

most crucially of all, how the engine was to be

integrated into the frame architecture (in terms of

centres of gravity and polar moments of inertia)

V4

65° V4: The starting point The engine had to:

1. Remain faithful to Aprilia's commitment to setting new benchmarks for handling, stability and speed

The result of painstaking studies conducted together with the

vehicle engineers to define optimum solutions for centre of

gravity and moments of inertia and to determine the ideal

locations for the engine and other components2. Ensuring class beating performance in terms of power output and power delivery

Identifying the character to give the engine, to allow the rider to make full use of the potential of the

engine itself and the vehicle, offering a levels of performance never experienced before off the racetrack.

Initial proposal for engine layout

Initial proposal for engine layout

65° V4: The starting point

State-of-the-art virtual systems were used to simulate laps on a circuit with a variety of in-line and V

configuration 2, 3 and 4 cylinder engine layouts, to identify the respective advantages and disadvantages of

each engine and their effectiveness in terms of global performance.

Models were then built with

dimensions, centres of gravity, polar

moment of inertia locations, engine

characteristics and all other

parameters necessary to assess the

behaviour of the vehicle.

The engineers opted for a 65° V4 engine layout, the core around which every other aspect of the bike took

shape

- The engine sits perfectly in the frame, optimising mass distribution and significantly

improving dynamic balance

The perfect engineering solution to achieve a chassis architecture that allows the engine to express its full potential

In light of these significant advantages, the higher development and manufacturing costs were deemed worthwhile

- Less vibration that an in-line 4

65° V4: The starting point

Why a 65° V4?

- Narrower than any other 4 cylinder layout

Claudio LombardiRSV4 Engine project manager

Luigi Dall’IgnaEngineering Director for the Aprilia Racing Division

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V= SUPREME COMPACTNESS

V4: 225 mm

L4: 400 mm

65°65°

The angle of the V has been opened up

relative to the old twin cylinder unit to

65°, to optimise the intake ducts and

maximise the fluid dynamic

efficiency of the engine.

The angle of the V was also determined

by the chassis architecture: once the

overall dimensions were calculated, the

maximum swing arm length was

defined.

A 65° V offers ample scope for further

development, allowing bigger bores

that would be impracticable for space

reasons in an in-line engine

65° V4 - Engine architecture

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Minimised external dimensions and balancer countershaft to attenuate

vibration.

The result is an engine that vibrates less than an in-line 4.

65° V4 - Engine architecture

“Reed valves”, installed for the first

time ever near the exhaust ducts, to

allow air into the exhaust gas and enable

combustion of harmful HC and CO

emissions.

- Non-structural components in magnesium alloy

- Aluminium monobloc crankcase

To keep the weight of the engine down, the following solutions were used:

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65° V4 – Cylinder Head & Camshafts

The gear pair at the centre of the cylinder bank transmits drive to the exhaust

camshaft. This innovative solution reduces the external dimensions of the

cylinder head on the exhaust side.

Timing system with lateral chain and central gears to minimise head size

in the area underneath the frame spars. Together with the 65° V layout, this has

made it possible to achieve overall dimensions comparable to a twin cylinder

unit of equal capacity.The lateral timing chain drives the intake camshaft only, resulting in a

compact layout while ensuring the high timing precision necessary and chain

durability.

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65° V4 - Performance

The fluid dynamic efficiency of the engine has been optimised by fine tuning the shape and size of the intake and

exhaust ducts with mono and three dimensional modelling software used by the Racing Division.

Every single component has been rationalised, resulting in a maximum power of 180 bhp and 115 Nm of torque.

This, together with the adoption of 32 mm intake valves in titanium, has made higher engine speeds possible

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Monodimensional simulation software allowed the engineers to evaluate a number of

different configurations for the exhaust system to strike an acceptable compromise

between performance, emissions reduction and noise.

The improvements in mechanical efficiency (reduced friction losses) have been

made possible by:

- Minimising the amount of oil used for lubrication and for feeding the

crankshaft and connecting rod bearings

-Motorsports-derived crankshaft oil gallery design for

minimising oil pressure.

- Minimised weight for all rotating and reciprocating components

- Reduced power losses due to internal pumping effects into the engine

65° V4 - Performance

Two injectors per cylinder: one located down stream of the

throttle valve for excellent responsiveness at lower engine

speeds, due to its vicinity to the intake valve and another in

the airbox, which starts to work at higher loads and engine

speeds, for more effective fuel atomisation and

vaporisation and increased power output.

A butterfly valve in the exhaust controlled by the engine control unit enables the

use of a lower back pressure silencer while complying with noise emissions legislation.

Aprilia's racing experience was put to use to define a particularly

caompact combustion chamber with sufficiently large squish

values to enable the use of very high compression ratios

65° V4 - Performance

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65° V4 - Race prototype solutions

The cassette gearbox is a solution used in race prototypes to allow rapid gear ratio

replacement and shorten gearbox maintenance times.

The desire to create a race-ready V4 superbike led Aprilia to adopt uniquely advanced solutions.

The technological excellence of the V4 engine is complemented by

electronically controlled variable length intake ducts.

At low revs and loads, the long duct favours torque and smooth power

delivery. When the rider requests maximum performance, the upper section

of the intake duct rises and separates from the lower part: the duct is

therefore shortened and optimised for maximum power delivery.

The multiplate wet clutch features a mechanical slipper clutch system for maximum

engine braking torque control and motorcycle stability under hard braking for

greater precision in setting the bike up for corners and maintaining trajectories.

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65° V4 - Electronic engine and vehicle management

Triple engine mapping selectable by the rider from the handlebar, to

change the power delivery mode of the engine and the character of the bike on

the fly.

• TRACK: no compromise on the circuit. Unleashes the full 180 bhp of fury at the

slightest twist of the grip. Recommended for expert riders in ideal grip conditions

• SPORT: for first timers on the track, for limited grip conditions or for pure fun on

the road. Smooth power delivery. Torque limited in the first 3 gears for greater

bike control. For an exciting but less challenging ride

• ROAD: for enjoyable ride: power limited to approximately 140 bhp in all gears.

Greater rideability in all conditions.

FULL RIDE BY WIRE

Full Ride by Wire: no direct connection between the throttle grip and the throttle valves, which are controlled by a

dedicated latest generation dual processor Marelli control unit which manages the torque produced by the engine by

controlling air, fuel and ignition.

Each cylinder bank has its own dedicated servo motor which exclusively operates the respective two throttle bodies only

for independent management of the two cylinder banks and of the quantity of fuel injected into each pair of cylinders.

While this solution has been tried and tested by Aprilia, it has never been applied before on such a powerful production engine,

thus opening up practically infinite possibilities for power delivery control.

RSV4 RbW system

Hi S

peed

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i S

peed

C

AN

lin

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AN

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MAPMAP

1

Sens A/B

V Supply

7sm ECU7sm ECU

MAPMAP

2

Sens 3/4

DC Motor 2

V Supply

RbW2RbW2

Intake ductsIntake ducts

Sens 1/2

DC Motor 1

V SupplySens C/D

Sen

s

Air cutAir cutV

Su

pp

ly

DC

Moto

r

ValveValve

ExhaustExhaust

DemandDemand

Instrument panelInstrument panel

RbW1RbW1

Romano AlbesianoPiaggio Group Director of Motorcycle Engineering

Luigi Dall’IgnaEngineering Director for the Aprilia Racing Division

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Chassis architecture: The perfect balanceYears of world class racing and victories are encapsulated in a racing chassis

developed by the Aprilia research and development division in close collaboration

with the racing division, with construction solutions and a degree of adjustability that

only racing prototypes can boast.

RSV4 FACTORY embodies the essence of its race sibling, setting the benchmark

for compactness and agility in its class.

Centralising the masses perfectly was a fundamental prerequisite in the

definition of the chassis and the layout of the bike's components.

Everything was built around the engine to bring the centre of gravity of the

engine itself as close as possible to the centre of gravity of the vehicle.

The result: unparalleled handling, stability and speed through the

curves.

As in MotoGP prototypes, the tank is located so that the majority of the fuel sits under the saddle, optimising bike

balance and cancelling out handling differences between full and empty tank conditions.

The weight distribution is on a par with that of a genuine race machine, for a bike that is perfectly balanced and easily tailored to

suit the preferences of each individual rider

Chassis: explored solutions

Prima ipotesi layout

Prima ipotesi layout

Ipotesi Telaio componibile

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The unique construction technology allows both the frame and the swing arm to

proudly flaunt the naturally gleaming colour of aluminium, meaning that the bike

even looks like a race prototype.

Cast and pressed aluminium elements are welded together to create a frame that

beats even the benchmark twin cylinder RSV 1000 in terms of stiffness.

Torsional and flexional rigidity have been optimised for perfect feeling and control

and to allow the rider to handle Superbike levels of power with confidence.

Made from aluminium using unique construction technology, the frame of the RSV4

Factory weighs just 10.1 Kg - a lightness only matched by racing bike frames.

Chassis architecture: Frame

Comparative frame rigidity V4 - V2

With engine

Weight (Kg) +4 %

Torsional rigidity (Kgm/deg) +39 %

Yaw rigidity (Kg/mm) -16 %

Longit. flexional rigidity +16 %

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Millimetre-precise adjustability

Adjustable CHASSIS parameters are:

headstock position and steering rake

rear end height and swing arm pin height

engine position in frame

To exploit the full potential of the chassis and allow the bike to be tailored to the style and preferences of the rider or the

characteristics of the track, the RSV4 FACTORY offers practically infinite scope for adjustment

Introducing capabilities never seen before

on a production bike.

RSV4 FACTORY is a true track-ready bike.

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Lightness

The forged aluminium wheels, featuring an all-new design, contribute

to a further weight reduction of approximately 1 Kg compared with the

twin cylinder RSV 1000 Factory, for improved agility through the curves.

Together with the new brake disc, they contribute to minimising unsprung

mass and rotational inertia, improving responsiveness and precision in setting

the bike up for curves.

Advanced modelling systems have been used to optimise chassis element

cross sections and thicknesses. The swing arm weighs just 5.1 Kg,

for improved shock absorber function and allowing the rider to read the

road surface more precisely.

Comparative swing arm rigidity V4 - V2

Weight (Kg) +12 %

Torsional rig. (Kgm/deg) +23 %

Yaw rig. (Kg/mm) +64 %

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The new upside down Öhlins Racing front fork has 43 mm stanchions and a

titanium nitride coating. Wheel travel is 120 mm.

The fork features micrometrically adjustable hydraulic compression and

rebound damping and spring preload.

The progressive rear

suspension includes a new

Öhlins Racing piggy back

design shock absorber with

adjustable spring preload,

compression travel and

length. This allows adjustment to

the height of the rear end to

tailor the setup to different

riding styles and circuits.

Wheel travel is 130 mm.

Adjustable Öhlins Racing steering damper for

impeccable high speed stability and millimetre

precision in setting the bike up for curves.

Millimetre-precise adjustability

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Awesome stopping power

Radial monobloc Brembo callipers: powerful, modulable and fade

resistant

The 320 mm dual floating discs were developed specifically for this

bike.

A low profile steel rotor and asymmetric cross-drilling offer improved

modulability while lightening the front wheel by approximately 500

g.

The floating retainer is fastened to the flange with 6 pins only in order to

minimise inertia and weight.

A radial brake pump is used to improve precision and lever feel.

The Brembo “Serie Oro” rear braking system features a new 220 mm

stainless steel disc and a two piston calliper.

A racing pump is used with a lightweight reservoir.

Miguel GalluzziDirector of the Piaggio Group Style Centre

Just a few, simple and bold styling elements emphasising the unique engineering qualities of the

chassis and engine and merging them as aesthetic features in their own right.

Extreme compactness: smaller, narrower and sleeker than any bike of this

class has ever been.

An almost obsessive research of perfect ergonomics, a trademark of all Aprilia

motorcycles.

Extensive aerodynamic studies to minimize surfaces without compromising

aerodynamic efficiency.

Performance becomes design

No concession to purely aesthetic choices: the design and engineering of

each component fuse in an unparalleled symphony of function for the

track.

Performance becomes design: every detail is conceived for functionality and performance. Nothing has

been added for the sake of beauty alone, with each aspect giving shape to the technology within.

Brief: Style serving technology

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The tapering lines of the ultra-compact tail fairing seems to

melt away into space, while the LED taillight, embedded under

the tail, offers outstanding lighting power.

Unique personality

The needs to optimise dynamic intake system feeding the V4 dictated the extra-large

air intakes, which not only develop considerable overpressure in the airbox (approx. 35

mb at 280 km/h), but also completely separate the headlamps from the bottom of the top

fairing. The result is a look that is unique, technological and unquestionably aggressive.

The triple headlamp design is inspired by the original Aprilia maxi-sportsbike, the 1998

RSV.

The parabolic headlight mirror was developed using state of the art calculation systems to

ensure maximum light efficiency at night-time conditions together with minimised

weight and dimensions.