Aprilia RS Cube

// DATE: JUNE 8, 2003 // LOCATION: MUGELLO

The Aprilia RS3 or ‘RS Cube’ was a problem child, at best. Launched at the Bologna Show at the end of 2001, ready for the new four-stroke Motogp season the following year, it was to be ridden by former 500cc race winner Regis Laconi. He would take a best result of 8th (twice) with the team taking 33 points in the manufacturer’s championship.

Designed by Cosworth Racing, it was thought that the three-cylinder motor was a sliver of a Formula 1 engine, complete with ride-by-wire throttle and pneumatically actuated valves. At times in its debut season, it would record the highest top speeds and was considered equal with the Honda RC211V’S power output of around 230bhp…

For 2003 the bike was ridden by the reigning World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards and fellow WSB refugee Noriyuki Haga seen here – complete with a factory Michelin tyre contract after a year on Dunlops.

Edwards had a baptism of fire (literally) on the Cube. As a rider, he’d never had a high-side since 1996… but during Jerez tests in early 2003 he was exiting Curva Sito Pons when the rear began to slide. “I shut the throttle but the rear continued to slide – I told her to back down but she told me to f*ck off! I was in the air and came down with a thump.that’s what comes of a rideby-wire throttle, I guess…”

His later incident was when – at the Sachsenring – a loose fuel cap popped out spraying him with fuel which ignited when he was doing 120mph. He decided to bail out of the fireball that was his Aprilia triple… Edwards’ best finish that year was a 6th and Haga’s a 7th.

For 2004 the bikes were ridden by Jeremy Mcwilliams and Shane Byrne who finished the year in 19th and 20th places in the Motogp championship respectively. It was to be the last year for the RS3. Aprilia would not return to Motogp until 2015.