Aprilia RSV4
The RSV4 introduced a compact narrow-angle V4 that carried Aprilia to multiple World Superbike championships.
Made to order: your copy is researched, fact-checked, and typeset to our standard, then delivered within about two weeks. We'll email you the moment it's ready.
About the Aprilia RSV4 (2009-2024)
The RSV4 is Aprilia's 65-degree V4 superbike, built to take the company back to World Superbike and win: riders' titles with Max Biaggi in 2010 and 2012 and Sylvain Guintoli in 2014. It arrived in 2009 with a 999.6 cc engine, one of the most compact litre-class motors of its era, growing to 1,099 cc for 2021.
What sets it apart is adjustability. No other production superbike lets you move the engine in the frame, change the steering head angle, shift the swingarm pivot and alter ride height. Add the APRC electronics package (traction, wheelie and launch control, engine braking, selectable maps) and it is a road bike set up like a race bike.
Specifications at a glance
| Years | 2009 to 2024 (production continues) |
| Engine | 65-degree V4, 999.6 cc to 2020, 1,099 cc from 2021 |
| Output | 180 hp at 12,500 rpm (2009), 201 hp (2015), 217 hp (2021) |
| Torque | 115 Nm (85 lb-ft) at 10,000 rpm, 125 Nm (92 lb-ft) on the 1100 |
| Transmission | 6-speed cassette gearbox, chain final drive |
| Frame | aluminium twin-spar, adjustable engine and swingarm position |
| Weight | 180 kg (397 lb) dry at launch, 202 kg (445 lb) fuelled in 2021 |
Known issues to check before you buy
- Cam chain tensioners. Aprilia revised these repeatedly on the early V4. A cold rattle from the front cylinders is normal, but one that stays once warm means worn tensioners. Older engines accept the latest parts.
- Gearbox wear. Owners treat the gearbox as a consumable, and an aftermarket quickshifter accelerates the damage. Shift hard through third and fourth on the test ride and feel for vagueness.
- Skipped valve clearance checks. The interval is 12,000 miles, and the engine is packaged so tightly that the check runs several hundred pounds at a UK dealer, so owners defer it. Ask for a stamped record.
- Connecting rods on the launch bikes. The first 2009 machines were recalled for connecting rods that could break and destroy the engine. Check the frame number against Aprilia's recall records.
- Exhaust valve and dashboard warnings. The servo-operated exhaust valve sticks, and an aftermarket silencer fitted without an ECU remap sets fault codes. Read any warning light before you pay.
- Ex-track bikes. The fairing panels are brittle, so cracks can hide crash repair, and track use wears discs and gearboxes faster.
Owning one
The RSV4 asks for money and attention in return for a noise no inline-four can match. This volume documents the Aprilia RSV4 (2009-2024) specifically: verified specifications, the documented weak points and how to inspect each, the service data, and the parts and owner community that keep them on the road.
Inside this volume
Known issues & a buyer's guide
The documented weak points for this exact model, how to inspect each, and what a proper fix costs.
Full specifications
Every published figure, engine and frame detail, and running change, with the conflicts flagged, not guessed.
Systems & maintenance
Engine, fueling, electrical, and chassis, plus service intervals and torque and fluid data.
Parts & community
Where the parts are, what cross-references, and the clubs and forums that keep the model alive.
Make it your bike.
We fold in your year, your engine and options, your rebuilds and modifications, your VIN, and your own motorcycle's photo on the cover. The book stops describing the bike that left the factory and starts describing the one in your garage.