2010 Aprilia RSV4R Engine Failure Delays Press Launch [video]

Wed, 28 Oct 2009

Aprilia cut short its launch event for the new RSV4R at Italy’s Mugello circuit as not one, not two, not three, not even four but FIVE pre-production models suffered engine failure.

Motorcycle.com contributor Tor Sagen was at Mugello in Tuscany and was scheduled to do a few laps on the world-class circuit on the RSV4R, a lower-spec version of the Aprilia RSV4 Factory. Tor reports the engine problems were being attributed to the conrods from the first batch of 50 pre-production engines.

The faulty engines broke down five times as they were being ridden by international motojournalists. Thankfully, none of them crashed or were injured during the incidents. Tor interviewed a motojournalist from the Netherlands who was on the fifth bike that blew.

Here’s his take:

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Tor also reports that the problem was isolated to a single, newly produced batch of conrods. The RSV4R uses the same engine configuration as the RSV4 Factory, but the conrods from the faulty batch are not being used in any production models. Aprilia’s quality control team will be extra diligent on any new batches and the final production bikes should be damn near bullet proof.

Thanks for the report, Tor. And we hope you don’t have swine flu.

Official Aprilia RSV4R video:

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