Today I test rode an Aprilia RSV1000R. Was supposed to be riding a GSX-R1000 too, but they’d run out of fuel on site and the Suzuki had nothing in it. As it was, the Aprilia only had about 15 minutes worth, but better than nothing.
I’ve liked the Aprilia for a long time. Their attention to detail is impeccible and they design aspects of the bike rather than just building them. The Suzuki thou is the obviously progression for me, as I’ve owned two GSX-R400s, one 600 and one 750, and got on well with all of them. The plan was to ride them back to back and sort one dilema in my head once and for all; which was best. The other dilema was “do I really need a litre sports bike?”. Well, to be honest, I already know the answer to that - to be brutally honest I don’t need a 750 for the road and a 600cc sports bike is more than adequate for road use. Doesn’t mean I don’t want the best though! 
Anyway, so I didn’t get too long on the bike due to lack of fuel. This is only the second twin I’ve ever ridden (the first being a Ducati 748). The roads were also damp/wet as well as being very cold so conditions were far from ideal. Last thing I wanted to do was stack a test ride bike, especially after having agreed to the £1000 excess. Didn’t stop me giving it some stick, but I was just cautious.
The first thing I noticed about twins is that they pull harder from lower revs. The GSX-Rs are very revvy bikes anyway (in a kind of two strokesque way) so this was very removed from what I’m used to. Comparing the difference in power delivery is almost like comparing similar 2T and 4T bikes; the Gixxer likes you bouncing the needle off the redline and the closer you get towards it, the more you’re rewarded with a surge of power. In contrast the RSV’s power delivery felt very linear and predictable. Although the RSV has a 250cc advantage over my GSX-R it only creates marginally more power, although torque is up from around 63 to 74lb/ft (which is evident).
On the road the RSV felt very narrow and compact. The only minor annoyance was that it seemed a long way down to look at the clocks. This was the RSV-R version and so is somewhat more trick than the standard RSV. Ohlins front, rear suspension and steering damper (tragically hidden below the yoke), radial Brembo brakes, some carbon bits, and lightweight wheels. I didn’t get much of a chance to test handling because as well as being wet and limited by fuel this dealer is situated on the longest, straightest road in history! From what I didn’t manage (throwing it past cars, hard acceleration/decceleration, a few bends) it seemed very sorted. It’s all I would expect from a bike shod with Ohlins as my R6 works extremely well with them too.
Is it better than my GSX-R? Tricky. I wasn’t on it long enough to answer that question, but I can tell you that it’s a good bike. I’m not sure I like the incessant drone of a twin over an inline four. They never sound like they’re doing any work. Go to the shops round the corner, or blast down a track at three figure speeds and it sounds the same! I like the bike to scream when it’s being worked hard. We’re going fast, I want to hear it as well as see it. The other thing I like about the GSX-R is that hit of power as the needle climbs. Sometimes it can catch you out when you’ve been riding around town at 4,000rpm and then open it up onto an A road. The Aprilia seems to provide the linear delivery that would be the same at 2,000rpm as it would at 10,000. Combined with the uninvolving sound, it might lead me to become bored.
Still, it’s too early to say. I’m going back in a couple of weeks (when they’ve learned where the nearest petrol station is) and I’ll ride it again, and back to back with the GSX-R1000. Hopefully it’ll be dry and I’ll get 25 minutes on each so I’ll be in a better position to judge.
The RSV is pictured below.
A couple of other things to point out, that I noticed today:
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It was fecking cold today. After ten miles it felt like someone was driving nails into the tips of my fingers. As a side note, don’t leave your jacket and gloves in a cold garage during the week and then hope they’ll keep you warm when you put them on!
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Cabriolets. What’s the point? I came up behind a Merc something or other on my way there. I was shivering on the bike… and he had the roof down!
I’m sure people get these cabriolets and then think they have to drive them with the roof down, just to justify the purchase, regardless of the weather. -
Golf R32s aren’t that quick!
