Aprilia Performance Ride Control
For the first time in two-wheeled history, motorcycle performance is no longer being measured merely in power and weight, but also in how closely a rider can come to exploiting the bike’s full potential. New technology is enabling riders to approach or even exceed the limits of motorcycles that are faster than ever before. That’s a reflection of what’s happening on race tracks.
Max Biaggi didn’t win the SBK World Championship simply because his Aprilia RSV4 was the fastest bike on the track, but also because things like wheelie control, launch control and traction control enable him to ride it faster. Now, Aprilia Performance Ride Control is bringing those benefits to the road, for the first time increasing rider control at the very limits of adhesion. Rider notes:
- CHRIS SIGLIN: “I was blown away by how good the Aprilia’s TC was. I wasn’t expecting it to be that good. My favorite feature was how consistent and smooth it felt. I got comfortable with it right away, which gave me confidence to be aggressive on the throttle. The wheelie control was great too. I could be full throttle over hills and it would cut power just enough to keep the wheel barely hovering over the road. The Aprilia really nailed it with its set-up.”
- ADAM WAHEED: “The functionality of the Aprilia’s APRC package is first-rate. I’ve never sampled a better electronics package on a motorcycle. The thing I like most about it is how easy it is to find its limit. It’s also super smooth when it modulates engine torque and the wheelie control is literally perfect. It’s the benchmark of the class.”
APRC Aprilia Performance Ride Control, the electronic management package including:
- ATC: Aprilia Traction Control automatically adjusts to different types of tires, with 8 settings conveniently selectable while racing from a joystick on the left handlebar without turning down the throttle;
- AWC: Aprilia Wheelie Control with three settings;
- ALC: Aprilia Launch Control, for use on the track only, with 3 settings;
- AQS: Aprilia Quick Shift, for ultra-fast shifting without closing the throttle or using the clutch.
The excellent results obtained by all of the champions who have ridden it in races are not by chance. Nonetheless, the true revolution of the new Aprilia RSV4 R APRC is that, to explore its potential and have fun, you don’t have to be a world champion thanks to the exemplary balance obtained with the APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) system, the exclusive traction control which can be adjusted at eight levels and is capable of self-calibrating based on the different type of tires, wheelie control, starting assistance and the electronic gearbox. Concrete assistance for the bike’s rideability which gives the rider more confidence and control in conditions at the limit, helping to identify the most efficient trajectories and making the ride less taxing from the psycho-physical point of view. The introduction of such advanced technology in mass production is the demonstration of Aprilia’s enormous design capacity which has developed all of the RSV4 Factory SBK electronics "in house" which were ridden to the world championship by Max Biaggi and from which the dynamic controls platform applied to the new RSV4 R APRC were derived. With this new version the Aprilia staff has made it possible to build a bike which is faster on the track but at the same time more "communicative" for the widest range of riding experience and capability, fine tuning what can be considered the patriarch of a new generation of supersport bikes.