Aprilia Timeline!
APRILIA TIMELINE!
Be a Noale Know-it-All
1945 Aprilia is founded by Alberto Beggio after World War II In Noale (near Venice) as a bicycle factory. In 1968, son Ivano takes over and builds a 50cc scooter.
1970 The Scarabeo 50cc MXer puts Aprilia on the map, and by the mid-’70s, Aprilia is building 12 models, including the Scarabeo Bimbo and the Calibrl.
1977 Ivan Alborghetti wins 125 and 250cc Italian MX Championships. Outsourced manufacturing Is Aprilia’s key to successbuying engines from Sachs, Hiro, Morini-Franco and Mlnarelli.
1982 First streetbike: ST125, liquid-cooled twostroke Hlro Single.
1985 Aprilia goes Grand Prix racing: Loris Reggianl rides an Aprilia Rotax rotarydisc-valve tandem Twin to sixth place in 250 GR First Rotax-powered streetbike: ETX350, a dual-purpose bike that leads to the Tuareg.
1992 Alessandro Gramignl wins the 125 GP Championship, Aprilia’s first roadracing world title.
1993 The RS250 V-Twin two-stroke is a huge hit everywhere but the U.S., because it’s not imported.
www.cycleworld.com
1994 Max Biaggi wins Aprilia’s first 250 GP World Championship.
1997Some kid named Rossi wins the 125 World Championship on an RS125.
1998 The RSV Mille Is born, a bold, 60-degree, 998cc Ducati challenger.
1999 World Superbike Racing! Troy Corser gets down to business.
1999 Aprilia acquires Laverda and Moto Guzzi.
2000 Jeremy McWilliams rides the RSV400 V-Twin In 500 GR gets two thirds and one pole (Australia).
2002 The RS3 Cube goes MotoGP racing, the first bike with F1-derived ride-by-wire throttle and pneumatic valves. After a few “minor” problems, Colin Edwards said the Cube was “born bad.”
2002 RSV Mille Tuono, version 1.0.
www.cycleworld.com
2004 Aprilia Is swallowed up by the Piaggio Group.
2005 RXV4.5 450cc V-Twin dirtblke.
2009 RSV4 Is born, and upon it, Max Biaggi wins the 201OWSBK title.
APRILIA TRIVIA Another Italian company called Aprilia built electrical components for motorcycles, which were used extensively by nearly all the Italian manufacturers up until its demise in 1977. Naturally, the company became known as Principe delle Tenebre—Italy’s own Prince of Darkness.
John Burns
www.cycleworld.com
