RSV4 &
TUONO
FACTORY
WORDS: BEN WILKINS
PHOTOS: BEN GALLI PHOTOGRAPHY
217hp, semi-active
suspension, carbon-
fibre winglets… Aprilia
has it going on in 2019.
RSV4 FACTORY
t first glance the 2019 RSV4 Factory
kinda looks like the last one, if you
discount the understated black-on-
black colour scheme. Having missed the
majority of Aprilia’s technical briefing due to
a technical fault on the Qantas flight from
Auckland to Sydney, I wasn’t completely up
to speed on the new bike when I arrived at
Phillip Island. Casting a more scrutinous gaze
over the new machine revealed some natty
carbon-fibre winglets on each side of the
fairing. First appearing in MotoGP, it really
was only a matter of time before the curvy
additions made their downforce-generating
debut on superbikes so they could be
homologated for racing in WSBK.
Apparently the winglets give 8kg of
downforce at 300km/h. Ok. Good. For top-
level racers this’ll most likely be something
they’ll be excited about – helping keep the
front wheel more planted over high-speed
crests, more high-speed braking grip and
stability etc. But I’m no top-level – or even
mid-level – racer so I can’t tell you one way
or the other if the effect is noticeable. They
do look the business though. With that out
of the way we can get on with the things
that’ll have more affect for the average RSV4-
wielding track-dayer.