Aprilia MotoGP 2004 Launch

MaxMoto, Unit 1B
The Barton Road Trading Estate
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk IP32 7BE. UK
01284 701170
Hours: Tues-Sat 9am-6pm,
Closed Sun & Mon
Bank Holidays as above

Aprilia launch 2004 MotoGP campaign

Home

Where we are

Join our newsletter and win

What Our Customers Say

MaxMoto Racing

Motorcycle Track Days

Links & Local Biker Info

MaxMoto Shopping

Aprilia Motorcycles

Moto Guzzi Motorcycles

Aprilia/Gilera Scooters

Aprilia Kids Bikes/Quads

Used Motorcycles

Servicing & Tuning

Aprilia Spares

Aprilia Accessories New

Clothing & Accessories

Motorcycle Helmets New

Motorcycle Training

Motorcycle Insurance

Site Search

Web maxmoto.co.uk

Interactive Polls

Aprilia's new mini v-twin - Which model should they put into production first?

ETV 450 Dual Purpose

RXV 450 Enduro

MXV 450 Motocross

RSV 450 Sports

RSV 450 Tuono(naked)

RSV 550 Sports

RSV 550 Tuono(naked)

SXV 450 Supermoto

SXV 550 Supermoto

MaxMoto Poll

MaxMoto News. 22/03/04

Aprilia have today in Genoa revealed the spectacular new white and gold 2004 livery for their MotoGP bikes, to go with their two new British riders, Jeremy McWilliams and Shane Byrne. Tobacco sponsor MS have extended their involvement with Aprilia from the highly successful smaller 2-stroke categories to their high tech 4-stroke in the top Grand Prix class, and the MotoGP bikes look very similar to the RSW250 bikes launched a couple of weeks ago.

Aprilia President Ivano Beggio was in a candid mood "In past seasons we have become accustomed to building bikes which win races straight away, and we thought the same thing would happen when we originally presented our MotoGP project, but perhaps we forgot that we are specialists in two-stroke motorcycles and, even though we had competed with discreet results in Superbikes, four-stroke engines are extremely complicated."

Prospects for this season?

Well, Aprilia are claiming 254 new parts for these bikes, but a new engine is expected for the Italian GP. Technically highly advanced, the bikes have yet to show their true potential, but should have a great deal more development capability than some of its competitors. Shane Byrne, the clear British SuperBike champion last year (together with both race wins as a wildcard entry at the British round of the World SuperBikes) has a new class and a load of new tracks to learn. Jeremy McWilliams is an old hand at MotoGP and used to ride for Aprilia in the smaller GP classes, so he knows their way of working and should be invaluable in the development and setup of the bikes. At the launch he too was being realistic: "Our target is to be in the top ten".

The first race is at Welkom in South Africa on April 18 and will be shown on BBC2.

We like the new livery and at least the bike will be easy to spot on the track. Aprilia will be releasing a "Shakey" (or perhaps it'll be a "Jezza" if he does better) RSVR Factory later this year. There is however a RS125 Poggiali Replica due in May (see photo).

Have you got something that you'd like to share on this topic? If so, visit MaxMoto's Message Board on the Aprilia 2004 GP season (3 comments).

Would you like to receive regular news items like this? And be entered into our regular prize draws? Then, Join our Newsletter.

2004 MotoGP launch