Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

2001 Aprilia RSV Mille and RSV Mille R year's. The quantity of stopping power on the R is evident straight away; that and the fact that the bike feels like a racebike in that its suspension is a tad stiff, at least at warming-up speeds. Uke any racebike, the R version gets better the harder you ride it as the components that separate it from the standard MiJle start to strut their stuff. The brakes on the R model are trick, trick, trick: 320mm "Gold Series· Brembos that are as close to World Superbike racing spec as you can get on an over-the-counter motorcycle. As for the suspension, again the operative word is trick: 43mm Ohlins up front with an Ohlins racing shock in the rear. 24 FEBRUARY 14, 2001 • a U c engine placement... it all worked. The brakes on the Mille are also impressive, both in feel and in outright stopping power. The Brembos work and they work well, though the power takes a little bit to get used to. Once you're accustomed to the power, there may be nothing better. The most impressive thing about the power on the Mille is still its torque. The bike leaps off the comers (though not as impressively as the R Findi"!g gears other than the one you want was really my only complaint with the Millie. I encountered false neutrals on three separate occasions and, by the end of the day, I was concentrating hard on each and every downshift - not something you normally have to concern yourself with on a motorcycle of this status. The changes that Aprilia made to ON TRACK • _ have to change direction quickly. The bike simply responds better than it did last year. Less weight, better exhaust system, etc.) and revs quickly until reaching the rev-limiter at 10,500 - a limiter that hits hard as it cuts the fuel-injection and makes you feel as though you just found reverse. on this year's model is 8.8 pounds on the standard model and 4.4 pounds on the R. My morning session was spent on the Mille R, and it was sketchy at best, though not likely because of an incompetent motorcycle. The track was a bit on the green side, with the patches in some corners ultra slippery, and it left me wishing that I was in the rotation to start my day on the standard Mille. You can feel the difference in ergonomics straight away on the new Milles. Whereas last year's bike made you feel as though you were seated inside the somewhat bulbous bodywork, this year's model feels more refined and definitely racier. The handebars have been lowered to put the rider into a more race-like position, most likely a compromise that will make the Mille less comfortable on the street. However, it was such a comfortable streetbike last year that this slight change will still likely keep it as the class leader in terms of street-riding comfort. The difference between the R model and the standard model lies mainly in the suspension and the brakes, and those are the two things you notice first when running around the racetrack on the R model. It's also almost nine pounds lighter, a tad faster, with most of its weight loss coming in rotating mass via wheels that are 5.5 pounds lighter than last n __ • difference in weight when you toss the- bike into a corner, or when you model, even though the engine is only mildly different - the big difference coming from a less restrictive (Above) The most notlcable change to the Mille Is the new fairing, which now Includes handguards that supposedly better the _rodynamlcs of the bike. (Left! New tootpegs provide better grip. (RIght) The Mile R comes with trick "Superbike Gold" Ohlins fork and Brembo brakes. The airbox design has been changed to reduce the height of the fuel tank, thus keeping the rider lower on the bike to work in conjunction with the new aerodynamic package of the MiJle. The airbox isn't as high in the front, but it manages to retain the same volume as before because of its new humpback design. There's also a thinner air-cleaning element inside. The engine modifications are fairly minor. Fins have been added on virtually all of the engine covers, serving two purposes: they increase the stiffness of the covers, and that in turn cuts down on vibration noise, thus keeping the bike quieter. The clutch is a component that has undergone some of the biggest changes in the engine package, with engineers setting out to make the pneumatic design easier on the pull. The new clutch now requires 2 kg less force on the lever and there's also 2mm less preload on the clutch. The formula on engine lubrication is a simple one, according to Aprilia: more oil equals less power. Thus, Aprilia has reduced oil flow to the engine as much as possible. With a Mikuni carburetor idle jet feeding the system, the jet size has been reduced from a 75 down to a 60. Overall, engineers were able to get less friction, less oil temperature and more performance from the Mille's mill, or so they say. Mission accomplished? The numbers say yes as the total weight loss new model. The bike feels smaller in the hands and between the legs and you can feel the nearly nine pounds Our R models were fitted with the tires with which they come - Pirellis while the standard Mille featured Dunlops. Hardcore R model, unfamiliar Pirellis, and a slippery racetrack didn't give me much in the way of confidence during my morning sessions, though things did progress once I started to get to speed in the final session on the R. The suspension and brakes begin to feel better when you get close to speed, losing the sketchy feeling that I had early on. Still, it was my afternoon session on the standard RSV Mille that really showed me the bike's mettle. The track was much improved, the notas-trick suspension (but still quality stuff with a Showa 43mm fork and Sachs rear shock) felt better at my speed, and the Dunlops were something I was a bit more used to. Last year, one of our complaints with the Mille was the fact that it felt a bit on the tall side, making it a little less willing to be flicked side to side and making initial turn in more of a chore than it should be. That problem seems to have been addressed on the the fairing, tank, windscreen, et~. have made a world of difference in how the motorcycle looks. Bulbous is out, sleek is in, and when the old model is parked next to the new, it simply looks dated. Whether or not the bike is truly better as far as providing better wind protection for the rider or not remains to be seen - and a long street ride would be the tell-all - but even if there's no positive change at all, the improved appearance of the bike alone make the changes worthwhile. While on the subject of appearance, the RSV Mille is available in devil black/fluorescent red, hot red/black and electric blue/black while the R model comes in devil black/florescent red and in flashy yellow/black. Pricewise, the R model sells for $3400 more than the standard Mille with the R going for $17,299 compared to $13,899 for the standard. So if Aprilia is indeed hellbent on moving in on rival Ducati's home turf, they've certainly closed the gap with the breed of Milles. Nice motorcycles produced by nice guys. Sorry about the pasta, though, gentlemen. Next time, we'll try the Olive Garden. ctII

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