MaxMoto News: 18.11.03
(Updated 02/12/04 - Aprilia wins S2 world title)
(Updated 16/01/05 - Production version speculation)
(Updated 27/09/05 - Production version images)

Aprilia's significant new 450 v-twin engine made its first public outing last weekend in the shape of the Aprilia SXV 4.5 Supermoto. Ridden by Alex de Angelis (Aprilia's runner-up of the 125cc GP Championship this year) at the penultimate round of the Supermotard World Championship at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium.

The development of this engine had gone so well since it's unveiling at the Milan Show a couple of months ago that the bike was entered directly by the team responsible for its testing and development, who saw the Spa Francorchamps meeting as an opportunity to gather information under competition conditions essential to success in the 2004 season.

Despite atrociously wet conditions, De Angelis came in a creditable 23rd after a fall in the last lap, even though the competition were on 600cc bikes. The engine was reliable throughout the weekend, and De Angelis was evidently content: "I'm so happy with this fantastic adventure on the new Aprilia, I had a hard time today in the off road session but my motorbike helped me a lot. I made a lot of experience and surely in the next race I can expect to improve my placement even if I don't believe that it's the most important thing!"

The Aprilia SXV 4.5 has a steel perimeter frame with alloy uprights, an underseat exhaust (with some rather complex piping) and stunning styling cues from the new '04 Mille with its black, red and orange colour scheme and triangular tail. A very attractive package.

Aprilia say that the production version is likely to be very similar to the racing prototype we see here, with the availability of this and the motocross version in late 2004 or early 2005.

MaxMoto's Message Board for the Aprilia SVX Supermoto (6 comments).

Related Links: Aprilia's new 450 v-twin engine | Aprilia MXV Motocross | SXV victory | Aprilia Pegaso Trial | Aprilia Pegaso Strada

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

Click on images to enlarge

Update 02.12.04. Aprilia wins FIM S2 Supermoto World Championship at the first attempt. At the incredible race which brought the season to a close at Finestrat (in Spain), Aprilia and the 24 year old French rider, Jerome Giraudo, won the title on this 450cc revolutionary bike. Starting the race with a seemingly insurmountable disadvantage of twenty-six points behind Massimo Verderosa riding his Honda, Aprilia's flag bearers progressively made up the difference in the space of two heats only then to conquer and win the final by surpassing all rivals, bringing themselves to the top of the classification. It is a victory with huge implications; not only did Aprilia take the lead from the debut, but they did it with such a innovative twin cylinder design.

Aprilia will surely be capitalizing on this extraordinary success, by building a full production version. Though we understand that this will involve considerable additional development as the world champion winning bike is a true racing prototype with an engine that requires rebuilding after every meeting.

Update 27.09.05. Images of the production road legal versions of Aprilia's SXV supermotard and RXV enduro have been released. Very faithful to the championship winning machines, they are already creating a stir amongst fans of these types of bikes, and once stripped of their road going paraphernalia should be ready for competition use. Power is claimed to be 60bhp, with a 13,000 rpm red line. Production is about to start, with availability in the UK in early November. Price is expected to be around £6,350 for the SXV and around £6,000 for the RXV Enduro. We'll bring you more details at the official launch at the Paris motorcycle show which starts on Saturday, but for now here's the Aprilia SXV & RSV press release and spec sheets.