New colors for the Tuono

Aprilia has updated their website and to my surprise the tuono has 2 colors never seen before! They are silver and orange. The white was already seen at the EICMA. Aprilia is going the right way I think, no more busy checkerboard graphics and big lions. This looks much more sophisticated.

Podium for the new Aprilia MXV 450

Aprilia released the new 2009 model of the Aprilia MXV450 at 5th race of the Italian Motocross championship.

The new MXV is very different from the old one. Here are some of the changes:

- New design plastics
- New exhaust system (2kg's lighter)
- 4kg's less weight overall (excluding the exhaust)
- More rigid and lighter frame
- Better weight centralization
- Tank under the seat more to the center of the bike
- Smaller radiators

At the 5th race of the Italian championship the Aprilia riders did very well. Chico Chiodi has moved to TM and is no longer in the Aprilia Off-Road team. Cedric Melotte is still in the team next to Fabien Iziord.

Melotte did very well in the first heat finishing 2nd behind world champion Cairoli! Melotte failed to finish the 2nd heat because of a crash and damage to his front brake. Iziord finished 11th in both of the heats.

Aprilia of the week

(click pics to enlarge)

It has been a couple of weeks again. But there just are not enough submissions! Send in your own Aprilia and become world famous! Send in your bike here. This weeks Aprilia of the Week is from Vlado from Bulgaria.

• Please introduce yourself first. Who are you and where are you from?

My name is Vlado Nikolov. I live in Bulgaria, in the city of Varna.

• Which Aprilia model do you own?

I own an RSVR Factory 2005

• Did you add any mods to your bike?

I have had a lot of mods done but sorry there secret.

• Why did you buy an Aprilia and what do you like so much about it?

Yes. I did. Some of them: Fully repainted to this state, Leo Vince Gen2 High mounts, EVO Air box mod + filter, Map2, Rizoma grips and bar ends, CRG levers, Zero Gravity Light smoke windscreen, Flapper disabled, Clear taillight and more.. and I will be putting more and more on this beauty!

• Why did you buy an Aprilia and what do you like so much about it?
  

My previous bike was an aprilia RSV Mille 2002, and I just fell in love and I had to buy the next model. I like the vibrations, the brutalism of the sound, the way it take the curves...

• And what don’t you like about your bike?

It could be lighter.

• If you could ask Aprilia to design a new model what would it be?
  

The new V4, they are making it already.. I can't wait to see it.

• And finally do you have any motorcycling tips for the readers of Aprilia News?
  

Yes. Just ride carefully. Thats it.

Want your featured as Aprilia of the week? Find out how

results Grand Prix of Qatar

250cc


The 2008 season officially started also for the 250cc class with the GP of Qatar. Despite the first three riders of the previous season having left this class, the 250 bikes proved to be extremely fast, with riders performing amazing overtakings. Mattia Pasini wins on his RSA of the Polaris World team, over Hector Barbera, on his RSA of the Toth team and Mika Kallio, on his KTM.

Alex Debon is fourth. He performed a good race and fought for the podium till the last corner. Bautista is sixth, followed by Abraham on his LE of the AB Cardion team, who proved to be steadily improving since last year. Espargaro is ninth followed by his country yellow man Faubel, while Luthi finishes in the fifteenth position, after having faced a ride-through penalty. To mention Baldolini’s and Toth’s withdrawals and Laverty’s, Hernandez’s and Pesek’s falls.

125cc

The 125cc race proved to be exciting as ever, always uncertain till the last lap. Sergio Gadea wins on his RSA of the Bancaja Aspar, beating Olive, on his Derbi and Stefan Bradl, also on a RSA of the Grizzly Gas team.

The race was extremely fast and hard-fought. Smith started well from the pole, followed by Talmasci and Di Meglio. Eight riders managed to gain some lead over the others in the second lap. But Smith lost ground at the end of the lap, because of a technical problem, and ended up in the sixteenth position. Talmacsi started to impose his pace, with Gadea, Olive, De Rosa, Di Meglio, Webb and Redding following his slipstreaming. This led to a series of duels between riders overtaking one another and alternatively taking the lead. Talmacsi was forced to slow down three laps to the finishing line, because of an engine problem, and ended up in the twelfth position. Gadea managed to take the lead and gain ground over his pursuers. His task was made easier by De Rosa who, in his attempt to get the second place, hit Olive and caused him a fall. The group was then dissolved and the Valencian rider got first to the finishing line for the second time in his career. He gained this victory despite suffering from a luxation to his shoulder, after falling during the winter tests. Olive conquered the second step of the podium 0”932 behind him, while Bradl got the third position, after having overtaken Di Meglio and Redding in the final stretch.

Aprilia Experience 2008 at Spa Franchorchamps

On the 19th of may Aprilia is organising the Aprilia Experience for the 2nd time. Last years Aprilia Experience at the Spa franchorchamps circuit was a great success. This year you will be able to ride your own Aprilia on Spa franchorchamps circuit, do a demo ride on one of the new Aprilia models, watch spectacular demos and enjoy all the bikes your fellow Aprilia riders will bring to the circuit.

Circuit riding

Driving on the Spa track is the central goal of the Aprilia Experience at the 19th of may. But track riding is for Aprilia's only. Offcourse riders have several different kinds of experience in track riding so the riders will be divided in 3 groups. No experience, experienced and expert. Last year hundreds of Aprilia riders drove their bikes on the track and it was a huge success. The great popularity of this experience means that everybody that wants to drive their Aprilia at the track needs to sign in fast at www.bikersdays.com. The costs of a whole day of free riding on the track is €160.

Bikers School

The special Bikers school developed for Aprilia is also present again. This exclusive driving training offers Aprilia-riders to develop their riding - and cornering techniques on the world famous track of Spa Franchorchamps. The costs for this limited file training of Aprilia are €255 for the whole day including a lunch. If you are interested sign in fast because places are limited and they will sell out fast.

Special demo's

At an event like the Aprilia Experience the real Aprilia 'addicts' need to see something new. And there will be! Aprilia Importer Moto Tricolore B.V. will do everything to present spectacular new releases on this special day. Next to a number of new Aprilia models they will present the new 2008 Aprilia clothing line. Also the WK 125 cc De Graaf/Exact Aprilia Racing Team and the new Supermoto-driver Peter van der Berk, member of the Aprilia Benelux Team will provide some spectacular demos with his ‘Thierry van den Bosch SXV 4.5’ limited edition.

Demo riding

Like last year a lot of Aprilia riders from the Benelux will go the the Spa Franchorchamps track at the 19th of may. For a couple of laps around the track or to check out the new models and spectacular demo's. But also riders who don't own an Aprilia are more than welcome! Those riders will be able to drive all the new bikes like the Aprilia’s RXV en SXV enduro- en supermotard bikes to the agile Shiver 750, de supersporty Aprilia RSV 1000 R Factory and the just released Aprilia 850 Mana.

For those riders that want to ride those demo bikes the Aprilia Experience has a free entrance and no signing in up front is necessary.

Official Lotus Aprilia revealed

No more red fortuna colors for the official Aprilia 250cc team. The 2008 RSA 250 is black and sponsored by Lotus Watches. Alex Debon (former factory test driver) will be riding the 2008 machine which was developed by himself in the last 2 years. He knows the bike inside out and I think he will be a big new contender in the 250cc class.

Alex Hoffman on the RSV4

I found this small movie of Alex Hoffman doing a braketest on the RSV4 in RSVR disquise.

Check it out here

Succesful 250cc test at night in Qatar

Mattia Pasini (1st)

Hector Barbera (4th)

Today was the second day of nocturnal tests on the circuit of Losail. The track was in better conditions than yesterday, because of the higher temperature and the nearly total wind absence all the pilots improved their times from yesterday. In the 250cc class Mattia Pasini, on the official 250 RSA of the Polaris World team , set an impressive time of 1' 59"761, in front the other official RSA's of Alex Debon and Alvaro Bautista. Behind them we find Hector Barbera and the two KTM's of Kallio and Aoyama. Seventh position for Thomas Luthi, thirteenth Faubel, while Alex Baldolini closes in nineteenth place.

Times 250cc

TEMPI 250 CC
1. Mattia Pasini (Aprilia) 1.59.761
2. Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia) 2.00.516
3. Alex Debon (Aprilia) 2.00.550
4. Hector Barbera (Aprilia) 2.00.719
5. Mika Kallio (KTM) 2.00.878