Cycle News

Cycle News 2016 Issue 33 August 23

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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2016 APRILIA RSV4 RR TRACK TEST P92 brilliance and the electronics are excellent, but compared to something like a current gen- eration CBR1000RR or GSX- R1000, the Aprilia's svelte di- mensions make it feel like a 600 with almost twice the power. With spring rates on the softer side compared to the RF and certainly the RFW, the RR is much more pliable when it comes to some of the harsh bumps found around Laguna Seca, which is a trade-off in ultra-fast lap times for a more street focused suspension setup. But to be honest, that didn't mean a hell of a lot to me on track because the RR handles itself with brilliant poise in everything from turn one to the uphill left of turn six, where Chaz Davies threw his Panigale at the wall this year. At my pace, the RR felt so smooth and forgiv- ing that I started to get greedy, asking a bit too much of the front tire and suffering a couple of brown moments for myself and the boys at Aprilia. on if you're as inflexible as me. I say initially because once you're warmed up and in the groove, the RR's dimensions feel spot on if all you're interested in is going really, really quick. Something the bike is far better at than me. For a machine dominated by such a beast of an engine, the primary quality that makes the RR such a great bike is the chassis. Yes, the V4 engine is a glorious feat of mechanical Un-adjustable rearsets are standard fitment, as is the Aprilia Quick Shift system pictured here. Sharp as a butcher's knife. That's got to be one of the best looking bums in the game. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=mBEbMC0lsQA

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