Aprilia RXV 550

As for the supermoto version, which was called the SXV in Aprilia and which we already wrote about in Avto magazine, it was expected to be a very popular machine for fast turns on the race track and fun on the road. Last but not least, they were already world supermoto champions with this bike. But the Aprilia RXV enduro is a big mystery to everyone.

Namely, these are almost identical motorcycles, the only difference is in the tuning of the suspension, brakes, gearbox and in the tuning of the electronics that control the operation of the engine. The aggressive nature of the supermoto is not accurate enough off-road, as the enduro requires more tenderness and sensitivity when transferring power from the motorcycle to the ground.

The RXV 550 is an extremely aesthetically pleasing bike, and every tech aficionado has something to admire. The unique swing made of aluminum could rightfully decorate the gallery premises with contemporary art. The same can be said about the tubular steel frame, which is reinforced with aluminum at the bottom. In addition, they did not skimp on innovative solutions in the design of the superstructure, that is, on plastic parts. This is made possible by a modern V2 engine, which can be accessed by a mechanic by simply lifting the small 7-liter (already too small for an enduro) fuel tank.

The use of two rollers, which is unique in the sport (make no mistake, the RXV 550 is an all-terrain bike), allowed for an extremely light mainshaft. Consequently, the gyroscopic effect of the shaft has also been greatly reduced. This had a positive effect on the rapid response of the engine to accelerated acceleration, facilitating steering and reducing inertia during acceleration and braking. The fact that this is in fact a racing engine is made clear by the use of four valves (in the head - a single camshaft) on a cylinder made of light but expensive titanium and magnesium engine side covers. The engine itself, which is one of the smallest and very compact, also has a separate oil to lubricate the engine and transmission. This extends the life of a heavily loaded clutch due to the lower density of dirt particles in the oil. The plant does not provide official data, but they say that the engine will have about 70 “horses”.

It says so in the newspaper, but what about practice? The indisputable fact is that the engine has a lot of power, almost too much. But Aprilia technicians and McKee's engineer failed to solve a key problem with modern electronic fuel injection four-stroke engines. The engine is extremely aggressive already in the lower rev range and operates in the same way as turning it on at the push of a button.

You add gas, the engine waits for a fraction of a second, and then the computer fills it with a huge amount of gas and air mixture through 40mm vacuums. The result is an explosion under the rear wheel. There's nothing wrong with a slightly faster enduro on tracks and gravel roads, but on technical off-road, where speeds are very low and where every millimeter of throttle movement means a lot, it lacks tenderness, or rather smoothness. The frame, brakes, drivetrain, suspension that's a bit soft (but not too soft) and ergonomics that taller drivers will love work in unison when the pace of driving is at its most relentless and the driver doesn't give up. The RXV 550's effort pays off with an unforgettable adrenaline-fuelled ride with above-average side-to-side and rear-wheel drive; also because of the lightness of the bike.

With a few additions, such as protecting the exposed lower edges of the radiator and a tiny tail light instead of the big and sensitive stock light, some suspension tweaks and a new “softer” computer program, this bike could be the perfect hard enduro for motorcycles. wider crowds, however in its current form it is a sporting mainstay for professionals. Last but not least, the price confirms this.

Aprilia RXV 550

Base model price: 2.024.900 SIT.

Technical information

Engine: 4-stroke, V 77 °, two-cylinder, 549 cc liquid-cooled, electronic fuel injection

Transmission: 5-speed gearbox, chain

Frame: steel pipe and aluminum perimeter

Suspension: Front Adjustable USD Telescopic Fork, Rear Adjustable Single Shock

Tires: front 90/90 R21, rear 140/80 R18

Brakes: front 1 x 270 mm disc, rear 1x 240 disc

Wheelbase: 1.495 mm

Seat height from ground: 996 mm

Fuel tank: 7, 8 l

Representative: Avto Triglav, doo, Dunajska 122, Ljubljana

Tel: [phone]

We praise

design, innovation

ease while driving

ergonomics

very powerful engine

We scold

price

aggressive nature of the engine

small fuel tank

paper air filter

seat height from floor

text: Petr Kavchich

photo: Sasha Kapetanovich