Mille Makeovers
MILLE MAKEOVERS
FOUR YEARS AND A COUPLE of fairly brilliant seasons of racing later, Aprilia's Rotax-built RSV Mille is still struggling to find its own identity. There’s no disputing the engine’s quality, but fact is, the liquid-cooled. 60-degree V-Twin could have been designed anywhere in the world. It doesn’t sport the kind of shapes and style one often associates with an engine of Italian origin.
At last fall’s Milan Show, Aprilia launched a campaign to expand the appeal of its trademark powerplant. It worked: Many regard the stunning Blue Marlin showbike as a modern-
day Norton Manx,
a classic sportbike of the purest essence. Whether the bike will be produced in its original form, however, remains in question. The next attack came at last December’s Bologna Motor Show, where Aprilia unveiled two more RSV-engincd models, the RSV Mille R Tuono (Italian for “Thunder”) and ETV Mana. Mixing naked-bike styling with hightech, the Tuono shares its 130-horsepower engine, aluminum frame and swingarm, OZ wheels and Öhlins suspension with the RSV Mille R. The Brembo front brakes house four pads per caliper, one for each piston, as pioneered on Ducati’s 996R. The Tuono is light (399 pounds), short (55.7-inch wheelbase) and has relaxed ergonomics, thanks in part to its tube-type handlebar. The combination is attractive, though seat height is a tallish 32.3 inches and passenger accommodations are sparse. Production will be limited to 300 units, each costing $17,500. A less exotic version is said to be in the works.
The ETV Mana, meanwhile, is more of a concept bike. As the Tuono borrows from the Mille R, the Mana draws from the ETV CapoNord: 100-horse-
power engine, twin-spar aluminum frame, single-sided swingarm, 50mm Marzocchi fork and Sachs shock. The Mana sits tall on hand-cut radiais, but its seat height is only 31.4 inches. Wheelbase measures 60.4 inches. The Mana retains the CapoNord’s 26-degree steeringhead angle, but the 17-inch front tire’s lower aspect ratio reduces trail to 4.1 inches.
So, docs the RSV family have a future? What do you think?
Bruno de Prato
