motorcycle modification | motorsport news update | racing motor | moto GP | 2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SE Review

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Aprilia, by offering the APRC technology to a mainstream audience, has the recipe to shatter everything that stands in its way in 2011. You’ve got to love Aprilia’s attitude of daring to fail to succeed.

It takes guts to bring along a bike such as the RS3 Cube MotoGP bike using ride-by-wire as the first manufacturer to do so in MotoGP. It failed; Aprilia packed up its GP ambitions, rebooted its computers and came back stronger than ever in World Superbike with the RSV4 Factory and Max Biaggi.





2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SEWe took to the Circuito De Jerez to test out Aprilia’s exciting RSV4 Factory APRC SE.

Aprilia developed a three-cylinder Cube from scratch then binned it. Then it went about building a new V-Twin, binned it, and finally chose a V-4. It built the V-4 from scratch in-house and launched it as quickly as it could with complications, but at the same time with race wins. Finally in 2010 Aprilia won the world superbike championship with Biaggi.



2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SE 


Here’s a look at mission control. There’s an awful lot to take in.



Having followed this bike from the pre-concept stage to reality, I’m delighted to be able to give unconditional praise.

The RSV4 Factory APRC can be called a motorcycling virtuoso in the technical area. A combined (but competitive) effort from Aprilia, BMW and Ducati has bloodied the Japanese noses seriously in the last couple of years. Aprilia and Ducati have done it on the World Superbike circuits and BMW on the sales charts.

Now, let me tell you how good this bike is. On my very first lap the Aprilia technicians force-fed us level eight on the traction control. I thought; “how dull they are ruining my fun like this!” However they were right and I was wrong as this was the perfect way for me to ride the tightest Jerez corners using first gear, full throttle and just let the traction control automate me through the corners.

Without traction control such behaviour on your warm-up lap would end in tears guaranteed. After that I simply used the Mana (absolutely no reference whatsoever to anything else on that bike I promise) switch gear using the minus button to reach lower levels on the traction control or the plus button to go back up. A rider’s left index finger toggles the minus button, and a left thumb for the plus button which is intuitive, all while on the move.

2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SE


There’s no sound or chugging or anything when the traction control kicks in. I could feel when the rear tire slipped but trusted the ATC instantly. The amount of rear wheelspin allowed is pre-determined depending on which TC level you choose. I worked my way all the way down to level one but I did a whole session using level four which suited me just fine.

Each of us had five sessions on the bike of which the first was to test traction control alone, second session to test wheelie control with traction control, third session to test launch control and the two last sessions to freely explore. That’s nearly two full hours of hardcore undiluted adrenaline pumping action.

Aprilia’s wheelie control is highly sophisticated and not only stops wheelies from happening between low-gear corners but it knows how much it should allow and how to land them soft to avoid upsetting the handling. Don’t you tell me that’s not very clever! The physicality of trying to curb a wheelie while racing is immense. Riders have to use their upper bodies like athletes forcing weight forward while accelerating and withstanding G-forces and wind resistance. Aprilia have with the AWC taken that physicality away, allowing the rider to concentrate on pinning the throttle.

The AWC has three levels to choose from, where I suspect level one is the only race one. Some front wheel lift is always allowed because as long as the wheelie isn’t too high you can still be at maximum acceleration levels. What’s really good about this from a racer’s perspective is to keep that front down between really quick directional changes in low gears while keeping the throttle wide open. A small wheelie is then accepted while you pin it and turn the bike over from side to side, landing it just in time to steer out of the next corner. And landing it smoothly to avoid upsetting the front more than the steering damper can handle. There’s gyrometer wizardry involved here, and not only sensors between the two wheels.





2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SEYou can bet there’s a big smile hidden behind that tinted visor as he whips this high-tech rocket around Jerez.

How does it work? Two gyrometers and two accelerometers are at the ECU’s disposal for any data it may need for the various systems. Anything a motorcycle can do whether it is vertically or horizontally the ECU is aware. So when we stupid people do something wrong with the throttle in the wrong place the system saves us from ourselves. Through the ride-by-wire system the ECU also knows the throttle position and based on pre-calculated algorithms based on a variety of conditions (you choose the levels, computer performs to that level).

Torque is the joy and the misery of motorcycling. Too little is dull and slow, while too much in the wrong place can be dangerous. Aprilia has nearly 100% control of torque with the APRC system. The instrumentation is bi-polar with one race mode and one road mode. In race mode there’s no speed indication and the space is used to show a variety of information related to the APRC instead.

2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SE


Launch control was another first for me (along with the wheelie control) and the one that’s quite difficult to get right the first time. It’s not for no reason racers practise launch control despite the fact they have done it a thousand times before. True, all you have to do is to keep the throttle fully open and release the clutch. But you still have to modulate the clutch release and, Aprilia allows three levels of how aggressively you can launch. Level one can put you in a lot of wheelie trouble if the clutch is released too quickly.

Training makes perfect, but my three goes at it were a disappointment as I was a little bit too careful with the clutch. Aprilia made sure to advise that the clutch needed some serious cooling after each launch attempt, so we did a full lap between each launch. Imagine yourself being slowly tortured as 180 wild horses are released at once. This feature is not for road use, as you have to pass 100 mph and third gear before the system cancels itself out. And while in launch mode the traction control doesn’t work.

The Aprilia Quick Shifter allows you to shift up clutch-less while keeping a wide-open throttle. I think you’ll start to see the pattern here now. Every operation apart from braking and shifting down can basically be done with full throttle!



2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SEWith its closer-spaced gearbox and quick shifter, acceleration is impressive.



For the Factory APRC Aprilia has added a closer-spaced six-speed gearbox for improved acceleration, plus the quick shifter which makes it into a formidable straight-line dragster.

The Pirelli Supercorsa Diablo SP tires in dimensions 120/70-ZR17 and 200/55-ZR17 were developed in the 2010 FIM Superstock championship. The main advantage with the ultra wide 200-section rear tire is its superb grip on corner exit. The contact patch is wider than ever and provides superb levels of grip when 180 horsepower wants to rip it apart. The tires are approved for speeds up to 198 mph.

More rubber that copes with more heat allows for some very long black lines up turn 4 at Jerez. The only thing that would give you more grip is a full on set of slicks. Wait for it, the RSV4 Factory APRC SE features traction control that self adjusts to new and different tire sizes, also adjusting to different final-drive gearing. There are professional high-end racing teams in the world with less sophisticated electronics than the RSV4 Factory APRC SE road bike.

The suspension consists of fully adjustable top-spec Ohlins items including the steering-damper. The RSV4 Factory has got that subtle but plentiful feel that speaks of high-quality suspension. The Ohlins fork and shock is soft enough for feel in slow corners and hard enough for ultra-fast corners.





2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SESuspension is all top-notch Ohlins goodies, which is what you should expect in a bike in this price range.

The brakes are the well-known Brembo monoblock radial type which stops the 395-lb (claimed dry-weight) with great authority. The only way to improve these items further is to fork out around 15,000 Euro or so for the items Max Biaggi uses on his superbike. The chassis is fully adjustable as you’d expect and nimble as a 250GP racer.

The 999.6cc V-4 engine feature state of the art technology such as independently controlled throttle bodies. Max power is still 180 horsepower at 12,250rpm and 115Nm at 10,000rpm but with improved torque delivery and acceleration in the three lower gears. The new exhaust also helps to improve power delivery.

These changes shoot the RSV4 Factory like a missile out of corners. Only the Ducati 1198 can rival in the corner exit war. The engine feels and sounds great, and for such a powerhouse there’s hardly any vibration. The mechanical slipper clutch helps stopping the bike quickly, and only on two occasions during my day in the saddle could I feel any chatter while hard on the brakes.





2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SEOur tester says this bike exits corners faster than any other liter-sized sportbike.

The RSV4 Factory APRC SE can be visually distinguished by its special decals and the tricolore on the lower fairing. Those in the know will notice the new exhaust and that fat 200mm rear tire, too.

If the APRC Special Edition (only 350 to be manufactured) turns out a success (inevitable!) the technology will be fed down to both the RSV4 R and the next RSV4 Factory. Also expect an APRC system drip down to other Aprilia road products where the Dorsoduro 1200 was the first one out.

Conclusion

There are only two things the Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SE can’t do, and those are flying and automatically tweet your laptimes. It’s difficult to make sense of this motorcycle on paper, but actually riding it and using the myriad of features on the circuit just immediately tells you that it’s a mechanical and technical genius.



2011 Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SE
Most of Aprilia’s in-house solutions are patented and can’t easily be copied. For that reason, whoever wants to go after this gem of a superbike will need to work very hard to catch up. Don’t look at spectacular horsepower figures in 2011 because this Aprilia RSV4 Factory APRC SE will beat them all, hands down. Yes, it’s that good.

motorsports |motorcycle modification |new motor bikes |2011 KTM 350 SX-F Long Term Test

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Waheed gets into a rut aboard the 350 SX-F at Glen Helen Raceway during an REM Motocross race.
KTM shook up the motocross world this year with the introduction of its 350 SX-F. Like its nomenclature implies, the new SX-F dirt bike utilizes a liquid-cooled, 350cc four-stroke, single-cylinder engine. It’s designed for motocross riders looking for a machine between the current 250cc and 450cc configurations produced by other major motorcycle manufacturers.



If you’ve reviewed out our 2011 KTM 350 SX-F First Ride and 2011 KTM 350 SX-F Glen Helen Impressions review then you’d know how much we love riding it. Over the last two months we’ve put over eight riding hours on it (yes, we know that’s not a lot of time but keyboard duties have impeded our throttle pinning time). We’ve ridden it at a variety of Southern California tracks including: LACR (now closed… read about it in the LACR Motocross Track Shuts Down), Milestone, Pala, Perris, Glen Helen and Starwest.



Everywhere we go it impresses us with its many attributes including intuitive and functional ergonomics, strong brakes, sharp-yet-stable handing and high-rpm engine performance. In fact, the only thing that each one of our test riders agreed upon is that it needs stiffer spring rates in the fork and shock, as well as a seat cover with more grip. Otherwise, it’s almost perfect.







Blowing up a berms at the controls of the KTM 350 SX-F.
So far we’ve haven’t had any problems with the 350. The engine fires up immediately each time the starter button is pressed and all the mechanical parts still function like new. Despite constantly screaming near redline, the engine still feels strong. The clutch, transmission and brakes are also holding up to our abuse without any problems. Even the stock chain, sprockets and hand grips are still in good shape. Though, we have noticed that the wheel spokes become loose every couple of rides. But it’s nothing some time and a 7mm wrench can’t fix.



Maintenance costs have been minimal. We’ve changed the engine oil and filter once (after five hours of ride time) and replaced the OEM Bridgestone soft-to-intermediate tires with the Bridgestone M403 Intermediate Front Tire and Bridgestone M404 Intermediate Rear Tire (available at Motorcycle-Superstore.com) in original sizes (80/100-21 front, 110/90-19 rear). We chose to run full intermediate tires as they are more versatile for the multitude of terrain encountered at Southern California racetracks. We’ve also swapped the air filter a couple of times which is a breeze thanks to the tool-less side panel.



Right before we had to turn return it in preparation for this year’s 450 Motocross Shootout our sportbike and motocross test rider, Frankie Garcia, raced it at Glen Helen Raceway’s main track during a REM Motocross race. Take it away, Frankie:



I can’t believe what a great motorcycle the 2011 KTM 350 SX-F motocross bike is. And that’s saying a lot as I’ve never been a big KTM fan. But after spending a day racing it with REM at Glen Helen Raceway, the all-new machine is one of my favorite bikes to race. I think it could be great for other avid motocross riders as well. So let me now tell you how it all went down Saturday at Glen Helen…



After a nice rain early Saturday morning, we arrived at the Glen Helen just in time for practice. REM usually runs its races on Glen Helen’s smaller track but this time we were getting to ride the main track! After sign up, Adam Waheed and I unloaded our steeds and prepped them with fuel, air (for the tires), chain lube, bled the fork and checked the oil level. After that I geared up and got ready for practice.



As soon as I threw my leg over the KTM I immediately noticed one really cool feature - electric start! With the push of a button the engine is fired and ready to go. Another thing I noticed right away was the well-proportioned ergonomics. The initial feel and comfort of sitting on top of the KTM is spot-on. From its bar and levers, to the bike’s seat profile, it was almost perfect for my 5’ 10” frame.







(Above) The stock suspension spring rates are too soft for most riders above 150 pounds. (Center) Frankie Garcia wrecks during his first moto at Glen Helen aboard the KTM 350 SX-F (upper left). (Below) Just like us, test rider Frankie Garcia immediately fell in love with the KTM 350 SX-F during his motos at Glen Helen Raceway.


When practice got underway I headed out and used my first lap to analyze the well-groomed track and new machine. Once I was comfortable with the bike and saw where the muddy spots were, I put the hammer down. One of the first things I noticed about the KTM was that its engine power was much closer to that of a 450. Plus the handling and overall feel of the bike was more 250-ish. It’s like a dream come true. After practice I really could not find anything about the motorcycle that I disliked. I was having a great time and simply enjoyed riding it. As my first 450 Novice moto approached I began to get a little nervous. I thought to myself, “What kind of start will I get against the 450s? What about the uphills?” I guess I would soon find out.



After arriving to the gate late, I was forced to line up on the far outside. I walked over to my teammate Waheed who was lined up on the inside gates to have a few competitive words with him before the start. I believe the last thing I said to him was, “You watch, I am going to holeshot from the outside.”



Well, I got the jump and thought the start was mine but after clicking into fourth gear the power of the stock 350 wasn’t quite enough compared to the bigger 450s and Waheed just barely edged me out from the inside. I was fourth as we exited Turn 1 and made some quick passes to stay with Adam on his hot rod Yoshimura Yamaha YZ450F project bike. I moved by with an outside pass, but overshot the next tabletop and heard a loud clunk after bottoming the fork. That wouldn’t be anywhere near the last time I did it either.



About a half a lap later I made a mistake around an off-camber uphill corner and high-sided, landing on my head. Good thing I was wearing a Bell MX-1 helmet. Within seconds I was back in the race (got to love electric start) and was trying to chase down Waheed. I took a crazy line for a pass attempt through a rough part of the track, but the fork bottomed in some braking bumps resulting in the handlebar swapping and slamming into my stomach. With the wind knocked out of me I called it quits in hopes of getting some rest before Moto 2.



The REM crew does a fantastic job of pumping out motos quickly so I only had a small amount of time to regain my composure and make some suspension adjustments to the bike. I decided to try and tweak the shock to help with some rear end
traction and stability. I softened the high-speed compression by a half-turn, softened the low-speed compression by two clicks, and sped up the rebound by two clicks. Making these adjustments gave me some much needed confidence for the final moto after taking a pretty nasty digger in Moto 1.



As the gate dropped, I got another awesome jump but was just edged out by a couple 450s, one being Waheed. Darn it! After my Moto 1 DNF I really wanted to win. I stayed behind Adam for a couple laps figuring out his weak spots and soon found where I would make the pass. I squared up the corner before one of the monster uphills and passed him on the inside. Would it work? It did with both of us motoring uphill right next to each other.



I kept the throttle pinned to the stop, leaned back and the 350 pulled side-by-side with Waheed’s built 450. Full of excitement, on the way back down I carried too much speed trying to be a hero through the braking bump and bottomed the fork again. Thankfully, with its fantastic brakes I managed to slow down enough to make the inside rut. After leading Adam for a couple laps my stamina came into play and I began to run out of juice. Soon enough he was on my rear wheel and after taking his pressure for a little while I decided to let him go. To my surprise just after I let him get by he made a bad line choice of one of the hills and lost momentum and stalled out giving me the easy win. I would end up with DNF-1 scores for the day.



KTM 350 SX-F Maintenance Costs
Months in Service / Total Run Time: 3 / 8 Hours

MSRP: $8499

Aftermarket Accessories Cost: $64.95

Maintenance Costs: $180.30

Parts Breakdown:



(1) Dirt Digits M10 Backgrounds: $64.95

(1) Oil Filter: $11.33

(2) Motorex Oil (Liter) 10W-40: $39.99

(1) Bridgestone M403 Front Tire: $62.99

(1) Bridgestone M404 Rear Tire: $65.99
Overall I am very happy with the KTM 350 SX-F. It is an outstanding motorcycle and is definitely competitive with the 450s. The bike’s engine power is outrageously smooth, yet it pulls forever. The suspension is definitely on the soft side up front and could use some springs for sure, but the shock was better. The fork valving seemed to be pretty decent - plush and smooth – but the WP just could not handle big holes during braking overshooting jumps. The rear shock absorber played a huge role in the bikes great handling, it took a lot of heat and the rear of the bike was planted after I made some adjustments. The braking system is excellent with some serious stopping power but is not too touchy like previous models. I’m also in awe of just how well-designed the ergonomic package is. It immediately offers comfort and confidence to the rider. My only other complaint would be that the seat could use a little more grip but with a quick installation of an aftermarket seat cover that problem can be solved very easily.



Make sure to keep your eye on Motorcyle-USA.com in the next few weeks as we find out how the 350 SX-F compares against the rest of the 450s, including its Austrian sibling, in the upcoming 2011 450 Motocross Shootout. Additionally we will be compiling more long-term test updates as we accumulate more hours on it.

2012 Audi RS6 Sports Sedan

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2012 Audi RS6 Sedan

It's been just a few days since Audi pulled the veils off the fourth-generation A6 premium sedan, and we already have a photoshop rendering of the future RS6 created from EDL. Granted, the production model would most likely sport blistered wheel arches while it wouldn't sit so close to the ground, but the 'chop gives us an idea of what an RS version of the new A6 would look like.

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Ferrari 458 Challenge at 2010 Bologna Motor Show

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Ferrari 458 Challenge

Time has come for the 458 to taste the Maranello magic. The Ferrari 458 Challenge has been debuted at this year's 2010 Bologna Motor Show. This is the fifth model to get placed into a single-series racing program. The Challenge keeps the same 570 horsepower engine as the standard 458 Italia. Ferrari has focused on reducing the thickness of the body panels, as well as introducing materials such as carbon fiber and Lexan. All the upgrades found on the Ferrari 458 Challenge result in a potent, track-ready machine that is faster than the 458 Italia.

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2011 Subaru Impreza WRX

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subaru impreza wrx

The headline news for the 2010-to-2011 changeover is that the WRX gained the STI model's widebody fenders and 1.3-inch wider track. High-performance tires certainly contributes to the stability of WRX. The tires are about 235/45R17, a centimeter wider than the 2010 edition.

The 265-horsepower turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four sounds great. Unlike most cars, the WRX emits a unique exhaust note thrum that enthusiasts can ID without a pause in conversation, and the engine itself emits a muscular howl as it moves up and down the power band.

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Audi pushes for solar program

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audi solar

Audi will be introducing a new solar program for its eTron electric vehicles. Audi is also planning to expand its solar panel system so that electric vehicle's batteries may be charged using clean, renewable energy from the sun. It hopes to cover some 80,730 square feet of the plant's roof with new photovoltaic panels. By the end of the project, it will have nearly 205,000 square feet of its German manufacturing facility's roof covered with the solar cells and the new installation alone can produce enough electricity to power 180 homes.

Source: Audi

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Toyota to fix over heating problems in 378,000 prius hybrids

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Toyota Prius Hybrid

Toyota's US division has issued a limited service campaign on approximately 378,000 U.S-spec Prius hybrids from the 2004 and 2007 model years to resolve the over heat problem caused with the water-pumps.

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