CLIVE APRILIA RSV4 RF
THIS MONTH I HAVE MOSTLY BEEN… “Getting protected...”
Ilove a good wheelie (who doesn’t?), but the Aprilia was making me look silly every time I tried to pull a 12 o’clocker in front of friends and family. I was scratching my head wondering what the hell was going on. It was as if there was a delay in the fuelling, which meant the initial hoisting of the front wheel was as if it was on strike, and then there’d be an overly harsh rush of power that proved a right pig to control. I did a bit of research online and it turned out I wasn’t the only one with this trait. The advice was to alter the mapping mode selected.
If you follow my column then you’ll remember that I switched it from sport to race mode, because it made for a smoother ride in town – there seemed to be much less backlash when you let off the throttle and the pick-up wasn’t so aggressive. Anyway, by doing so it also made the bike an arse to wheelie, as it turns out. So having learned what my problem was, I soon tweaked things back and went out for a day long stint of getting it up. It’s funny how touching a few buttons can make such a difference on a bike, but that’s the nature of today’s technology.
Not every motorcycle’s as high-tech as the RSV4, but it’s getting that way. I’m not one for reading instruction manuals and all that malarkey; I just want to go and ride my bike. But its pays nowadays to learn the potential of what you’ve got. When I bought this Aprilia I was drawn to it because of its looks, its motor, and its awesome exhaust note. But I inherited all the tech that came with, and there’s some pretty cool stuff in the arsenal. I just haven’t had the time or inclination to study it in-depth… that’s a job for the winter months when the roads are all crappy. That’s not quite the case just yet, as the weather’s been pretty reasonable these past few weeks, with the temperature up in the high teens.
I’ve been making the most of that, blasting around here and there at every chance. I love this bike, and the more miles I ride it, the more I fall for it. It’s awesome. Especially now it’s been kitted with bits like my Giamoto rearsets and Austin Racing exhaust. The latest load of bolt-ons come in the form of R&G Racing protection. Those guys make some cool protection for the RSV4, and I’m fond of the engine case covers, that come with their official BSB approved stamp which makes the bike look that bit more trick. I’ve also fitted bar ends and both the front and rear axles are now guarded by the brand’s spindle bobbins. I’m not one for riding half-heartedly, but getting this lot on-board has made me feel happier to give it the berries next time I’m on track. I hope I can squeeze one more day in before the snow arrives.