Aprilia Motorcycle History: History of Aprilia

by Motorcycle.com Staff

Published: January 1st, 2010

1968The first Aprilia ‘motobike’ is completed, a gold and blue 50cc model.
1970The first Scarabeo is introduced and is produced until the middle of the decade in 50cc and 125cc variations.
1974Aprilia introduces the RC 125.
1975The first racing Aprilias are produced.
1981Aprilia introduces the TS320 Trials bike.
1983ST 125 road bike is released.
1985Aprilia begins outsourcing engines to Rotax. The 125 SX and 350 STX were released that same year.
1986The AF1, a smaller sports model, is released. That same year, the Tuareg is introduced as a large-tanked bike for African rallies.
1987Loris Reggiani scores Aprilia’s first Grand Prix roadracing victory.
1988Aprilias are imported to the United States for the first time, beginning with the TRX312M trials bike
1989The Climber is introduced, the first mass-produced liquid-cooled trials bike.
1990Aprilia releases the Pegaso 600, a street-legal road bike with off-road roots.
1992Alessandro Gramigni earns Aprilia its first roadracing World Championship, in the 125cc class. Tommy Ahvala wins the Trials world title.
1993The 2-stroke RS125 is released.
1994The RS250, also a 2-stroke, is released. Although it’s brought to the U.S. in limited quantities, in a track-only configuration, the rest of the world falls in love with this 250 Grand Prix bike for the street.
World Champions: Biaggi (250cc) Sakata (125cc)
1995World Champion: Biaggi (250cc)
1996World Champion: Biaggi (250cc)
1997World Champion: Biaggi (250cc) During Biaggi’s run of championships, the Aprilia 250 frequently proved almost as fast in qualifying as the fastest bikes in the 500 class. Aprilia’s race director Jan Witteveen supervised the development of a “bored-out” 250 that displaced around 400cc. It was raced in the 500cc class without much success by Doriano Romboni.
1998Aprilia launches its flagship RSV Mile, a 1000cc V-Twin Superbike. Also introduced that year is the Falco, a 1000cc sports bike with minimal bodywork.
World Champions: Capirossi (250cc) Sakata (125cc)
1999World Champion: Rossi (250cc)
2000Aprilia acquires Moto Guzzi and Laverda.
World Champion: Locatelli (125cc)
2001The RST1000 Futura sport-tourer and ETV1000 Caponord adventure-tourer are released.
2002World Champions: Melandri (250cc) Vincent (125cc)
With the beginning of the MotoGP era, Aprilia creates the RS3 Cube. The three-cylinder racer is ridden without much success by the likes of Colin Edwards and Nori Haga. It is the most powerful and in many ways the most advanced of the first-generation MotoGP machines, developed by Cosworth and based on F-1 car technology with pneumatic valves and fly-by-wire throttle. Aprilia learned (as did Kenny Roberts) that those F-1 guys can’t seem to understand motorcycle rideability. The Cube wheelied all the time, even in top gear. Edwards said, “It was just born bad.”
2003The much-loved Tuono is released, which is basically an RSV Mille with motocross-style high handlebars and a small headlight fairing.
World Champion: Poggiali (125cc). At the end of the season, Aprilia abandons the expensive and unproductive MotoGP project to re-focus on the smaller classes.
2004Aprilia is acquired by Piaggio.
2006World Champions: Lorenzo (250cc) Bautista (125cc)
2007The RXV/SXV line of 450cc and 550cc enduro and supermoto bikes raise the standard of performance in those categories. Twist the throttle at your peril – especially in the low gears!
World Champions: Lorenzo (250cc) Talmacsi (125cc)
2008The 750cc Shiver naked roadster and 850cc clutchless Mana are introduced.
2009The RSV4 superbike hits the road with a 1000cc V-Four engine.
2010In a fairytale story, Max Biaggi wins his first world superbike championship with Aprilia and the factory-backed RSV4. The championship comes for the same manufacturer Biaggi won three 250cc world championships with in 1994, 1995, and 1996.