Best Sportbike of 2019

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

Best Sportbike Motorcycle of 2019: Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory

Talk about staying power. Ten years on and the Aprilia RSV4 platform is still the cream of the crop. With the RSV4 1100 Factory, however, the newest member of the RSV4 family is simply stunning. The way Aprilia has achieved this, though, is a little deceiving. Yes, the 1078cc V4 (sorta) shared with the Tuono 1100 sees some improvements the Tuono doesn’t get, but Aprilia found a way to integrate the increased power into the same magic chassis without upsetting its balance – a task which can’t be overstated. Riding the RSV4 1100, you can tell there’s more punch than before, but it doesn’t blow your socks off like the Ducati Panigale V4 S does. The senses have more time (although, not a lot more time) to process the incoming speed, and the chassis works its usual magic in placing you exactly where you want to be without any drama. The experience isn’t too far removed from the 1000cc RSV4, until you look down at the stopwatch and realize how much faster you were than before.

Beyond the speed and the tech, we still think the RSV4 1100 is a stunning looking motorcycle that has aged well; which shouldn’t be a surprise considering the great Miguel Galluzzi had a hand in penning the design. The MotoGP-inspired winglets don’t do much for some from an aesthetic POV, but if Aprilia insists they are functional and provide downforce (even if it is at high speeds), then we guess they can stay. It says something when other motorcycles have come and gone and yet the RSV4 1100 Factory wins our Sportbike of the Year award. It’s a damn good machine, fitting of the award. Kudos, Aprilia.

Best Sportbike of 2019 Runner-Up: Ducati Panigale V4 S

We know what you’re thinking. The Panigale V4 R is new this year and is supposed to be all the rage. Hell, you even rode one earlier this year and came away raving about it. Yep, sure did. However, four laps on the R model – a privately-owned R model, too – hardly constitutes a proper test of the machine. Had Ducati officially provided one to test properly, there’s a strong chance it could have bumped the Aprilia off the top spot. But they didn’t. Instead, last year’s winner, the Panigale V4 S, gets demoted one spot for 2019. To view this demotion as a slight to Ducati is entirely incorrect. The 1103cc V4 is a beast of an engine, and the electronics Ducati employ to harness all that power are next level. It’s just, in our minds, the Aprilia is a tiny bit better at combining big power with exceptional handling.

BMW fans are probably wondering about the S1000RR’s exclusion here. If you’ve read the First Ride Review of the BMW then the reason should be clear. The new S-Thou has the bones to make it a worthy contender, but its out-of-the-box tuning let it down severely. If and/or when those electronic niggles are addressed, this will be a different conversation.

Motorcycle.com Best of 2019 Categories

Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

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  • Steve Wyatt Steve Wyatt on Oct 03, 2019

    The P'Niggly is just too damn expensive. A leftover R1 or leftover GSXR1000R is the way to go. Change the triple clamp and easily lengthen the suspension link to make the bike as low as needed. Mine is set to 2.125", for legal ET/Street class drag racing

  • Jay Don Jay Don on Apr 04, 2020

    Right out of the box the Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory is a great bike!!! I took delivery of my Aprilia RSV4 1100-Factory about a week before Christmas. I've owned two Kawasaki ZX6 and two ZX10R, so adding an Italian Superbike to my toys is a welcomed experience. The RSV4 has a taller stance and physically feels heavier than my 2016 ZX10R, and it did take a few times riding it to get used to but Aprilia has made a beast. I owned a Ducati 1299 for a very short time, it was uncomfortable after 25 minutes of riding and got extremely hot between the legs.

    The 1100-Factory will fool you until you look down at the speedometer and realize you are going that fast. The horsepower delivery is smooth as it builds fast. On the Ducati V4 and even the 1299 you get a rush as the torque plants you back in the seat, brutal is a good term. The Aprilia has impressive torque that will have you at 12 o'clock if you grab too much throttle but delivers it less aggressively as Ducati. The anti-wheelie control comes in handy. I chose the Aprilia over purchasing another Ducati because of the Ducati's more expensive maintenance and because I rode a 2016 Aprilia RSV4 RF that felt similar to my 2016 ZX10R I owned at that time (still do).
    Aprilia has the perfect mix between chassis and power, it wins that hands down especially for the "Italian" or 1100 "segment". Ducati chassis is not as solid as the Aprilia and don't feel as planted to the ground during braking and at high speeds. Some people may not like the winglets, but they do their job for sure. The Aprilia suspension right out of the box has the perfect balance between street and track (I'm 5 foot 5 in.) The only thing I plan to change is the ride height, lower it about 1/4 - 1/2 inch. The ohlins suspension soaks up bumps and road imperfections beautifully while mastering smooth highways. Overall I'm extremely pleased I decided to get the RSV4 1100-Factory over the RSV4 RR.

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