Aprilia RS 250

You don't need to be Max Biaggi to get your socks blown off by the new RS250. But you do need to be to find much wrong with it. At the world launch of the stunning 250 at Misano the RS seemed to have it all: a fast motor; an exquisite chassis and, perhaps more than anything, the looks and detailing worth flogging granny for. All it lacked was the presence of the newly-crowned 250 world champion himself to give the bike his the Noale marque's lengthy experipersonal seal of approval.

We've been waiting a long time from 50cc super shoppers to whizzo for Aprilia's 250 screamer. Despite 125s and world championship 250 trials and GP competition bikes, the eagerly-expected 250 road bike seemed to be the firm's Achilles heel. Over the last few years reports of 250 prototypes seizing or proving otherwise unreliable repeatedly found their way back to the UK. And for a variety of reasons Aprilia struggled to make a reliable V-twin stroker competitive with the class-leading RGV Suzuki. Ultimately, Aprilia gave up, instead surprisingly turning to Suzuki itself three years ago to forge a deal whereby the Japanese manufacturer now supplies a version of the proven RGV engine, redesigned to Aprilia's spec, to power the RS.

However ironic, it's certainly an effective move. Although the engine remains essentially RGV, top end, exhaust, ignition, cooling and overall gearing changes make the engine in the RS both noticeably different in character and more potent on the road or track. And, gearing aside, the track (or maybe a glass display case) is where it belongs.

Below 8000rpm you'd be better off on a bike with less than half the power: the RS kickstarts reluctantly, idles splutteringly and then burbles asthmatically until the revs approach five figures. That's the price you pay for the all-singing, all-dancing fireworks at the top of the range. But cog down or patiently wind the tacho needle over nine and the twin pipes crispen and the bike canters forward, faster and faster like a true racetrack refugee. It's all over, suddenly, at 12 thou — then you notch up a gear for more: bouncing like a screaming maniac between ten and ll,50()rpm; keeping one eye on the tacho, your foot on the gear lever and your heart in your mouth. It's completely addictive, hooliganistically noisy and, Aprilia claims, a smidgen faster everywhere than the RGV.

Its only problems on the track were gear ratios that are slightly too wide, especially in the lower gears, to always keep within the edges of that powerband. Although the gearbox itself is identical to the RGV's, a one tooth smaller rear sprocket raises overall gearing but also has the effect of spacing the ratios a touch wider. But on the road it's unlikely to make any odds.

Where the RS really comes into its own is on the brakes and into corners. Here the RS makes all previous racer-rep stroker 250s seem five years out of date. And it does so with style. The Aprilia may carry a premium price tag but it's the no-expense-spared approach the firm has taken to the bike's chassis and cycle parts that will make the outlay worth it.

Aprilia's 'RGV'

DON'T BE FOOLED by the 'Aprilia Racing' on the cases. The RS engine is built entirely by Suzuki and, bar a handful of crucial Aprilia design changes, is mechanically identical to the RGV250. (Quite why Suzuki cooperated with Aprilia to build a direct competitor to its RGV remains a mystery. Aprilia says Suzuki didn't consider the RS a rival and RGV sales are now so low Suzuki says its future is in different types of bike.)

Barrels, crank, clutch and gearbox are all identical to the RGV, however new heads featuring reshaped combustion chambers (which hike compression to a whopping 13.2:1 over the RGV's 7.3:1), enlarged coolant channels, all-new expansion chambers and a reprogrammed ignition 'black box' make the RS engine a markedly more potent beast.

Aprilia is claiming a peak of 69bhp for the RS - eight bhp over the RGV -plus a power curve supposedly better throughout the entire range.

Gearbox and clutch are also stock RGV but the Aprilia wears a slightly smaller rear sprocket which has the effect of raising overall gearing (even on the test track's long straight the RS was still short of the redline in top but showing 200kph, or 125mph, on the speedo) and exaggerating the spacing between the ratios.

Fears about longevity should be quelled by the news that in Italy the bike is being offered with a three year warranty. The UK is expected to follow suit. On the launch, 15 bikes were caned mercilessly all day long without a single seizure expect. The bars are quite flat and widely spaced and, though the pegs are so high they're impossible to ground even on the track, the seat is such that it's not too cramped. The RGV seems much more compact but in truth it s the little Aprilia that is shorter, lighter and lower.

Once aboard you're instantly at home. The RS's light and low down weight allied to steering that is slightly slower than the RGV make the machine extremely predictable and easy to get on with. And it just gets better the faster you go.

The brakes are absolutely astonishing, with the power to loft the rear wheel with just two fingers and the sensitivity to confidently trail deep into corners. But overall it's the balance between the super-rigid frame and top-quality, multi-adjustable suspension that impresses most. Though a couple of kilos lighter than the RGV, the sensuous pressed aluminium frame gives the RS a solidity and integrity the RGV somehow lacks. The inverted Marzocchis up front inspire complete confidence as does the rising rate rear shock once the compression damping is wound right off (via a convenient knurled knob poking from the side panel) — even if the super-grippy Pirelli Dragon rear tyre did cut up alarmingly during the session. Put that lot together and you've got one of the best-handling and least daunting road bikes ever built.

All of which would be fine for a special or the sort of bike destined only for proddie racers but the telling class of the RS250 is not only what it does but how well it's been put together. The styling speaks for itself. From whatever angle you view it, the RS250 is mouth-wateringly beautiful. But when you go through its component parts, one by one, it gets better yet: the alluringly-sculpted front mudguard; the perfectly-blended headlight; the slim and smooth (but useful) mirrors; that fantastic pressed and welded sheet aluminium frame and 'banana' swing-arm; the neatly machined footrest hangers and the lovely forged and polished aluminium heel protector plates. Not to mention the svelte seat unit complete with closely-fitting pillion cover under which lives the two-stroke filler and a useful sandwich compartment.

It's these things, the attention to detail, the flourishes of design and the quality finish (a few peely stickers apart) that really ensures the RS250 will blow the RGV into a cocked hat. Neat welding, polished aluminium and (admittedly fake) carbon fibre abounds. Plus of course, there's the unique (and gimmicky) LCD lap-timer which doubles as the temp gauge in the console. Phew, there's so much to the RS, so much style, flair and potential pub boasting to it that, in a way, how the bike goes is almost irrelevant.

But, having ridden it, the RS turns out to be faster (just), handles better, is better braked and, for my money, is much more fun than the RGV too. If any bike is going to come close to the Ducati 916 for sheer desirability this year, the RS250 is surely it. And against the 916s £11,000 price tag, the little Aprilia is an absolute steal.