One of the biggest compliments ever made regarding the Aprilia RSV4 was actual meant to be a criticism, as when it came time to homologate the RSV4 for World Superbike racing, the competition cried afoul — saying the RSV4 Factory was really a MotoGP bike in a production bike’s clothing. Said to be the leftovers from Aprilia’s aborted MotoGP effort, the Aprilia RSV4 had a meteoric rise in WSBK, and won the Championship after only the company’s second season back in the series.
It should come then with little surprise that the Aprilia and its V4 motor has been the popular choice for teams in the MotoGP Championship looking for a claiming-rule team (CRT) solution. Dubbed the ART, the Aprilia-powered CRT bike also features an aluminum chassis that is designed by the Italian company. Thus with Aprilia offering essentially a turn-key GP solution for teams like Aspar Racing, it probably shouldn’t shock us that the similarities between the production WSBK-spec RSV4 and prototype ART being almost too close to distinguish between the two, even down to the bodywork.
Given the fact that Dorna desperately needs an alternative to prototype racing machines built by Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha for its CRT gamble to work — not to mention the need for CRT bikes and teams that are competitive on the track with the bikes from the OEMs — one can only imagine that Dorna is turning a blind eye to obvious “bending of the rules” that is occurring with the ART project. If the ends justify the means, then surely none of this matters to Ezpeleta et al, and right now Randy de Puniet and the Aspar Racing team’s CRT effort are the MotoGP rights holder’s best bet at recapturing control of MotoGP racing.
That all being said, the Power Electronics Aspar team debuted its ART race bike, and as is the custom, disclosed only some of the most basic technical specifications about the machine. At the helm of Aspar’s ARTs will be Randy de Puniet and Aleix Espargaro, and while the CRTs as a whole have been off the pace of the prototype bikes, RdP’s pace on the Aprilia has been noticeably quicker, and could give some of the slower satellite riders a run for their money. Technical details and photos are after the jump.
Though sparse of an real details, an interesting figure of note is the ARTs 165kg dry weight, which is noticeably heavier than the 157kg MotoGP minimum. This gives some further credence to why the minimum weight limit was raised in MotoGP, and also shows some areas of improvement that Aprilia can make to its racing package.
Technical Specifications of the ART – The Aprilia-powered & Aprilia-designed CRT Bike:
Engine: Aprilia, 65° V4 , four-stroke, liquid cooling, double camshaft distribution, four valves per cylinder.
Cylinder Capacity: 999cc
Maximum Power: 220+ hp
Top Speed: 330+ km/h (205+ mph)
Transmission: 6 speed with alternative links available. Oil clutch with anti-stutter tank.
Fuel Delivery: Electronic injection via Ride-by-Wire.
Starting Unit: Aprilia Racing ECU.
Exhausts: Arrow
End Transmission: Cadena – Regina
Chassis: ART Aluminum
Suspension: Öhlins 42mm inverted forks and Öhlins rear shock, with preload control, hydraulic brake and extension.
Brakes: Brembo, double 320mm carbon front discs, with four piston callipers. Individual rear disc with two piston callipers.
Weight: 165 kg (364 lbs)
Source: Power Electronics Aspar Racing
I love how I can see traces of both my beloved RSA250 and RSV-4 in it’s DNA.
LMAO…SWEET…ANOTHER Mule HIGH on Pixie Dust Misfit trying to mix in with the few Thoroughbreds left on the field…Mediocre Measures to TRY to improve A Mediocre Event.
They should have 2 classes on the same event…Real GP Bikes and wannabes…1st Place GP and first place Wannabe…everybody wins ! LOL.
How about they iron all the wrinkles off their CUBE Project with all their super fancy schnancy anti-this, anti-that software they have now ? Now that was a real wild Bronco AHEAD OF IT’S TIME that made HAGA and EDWARDS run away crying for their mom’s, not some pedestrian, garden variety superbike.
Upon closer “hating”… are they running a wet clutch ? Is that a butterfly valve on the exhaust ? Whaaat ?! lol.
Any idea if/when the new WSBK engine tested at Aragon by Laverty will show up under RdP / Espargaro?
The translator seems to have been struggling a bit.
“6 speed with alternative links available” links??? Ratios maybe?
“Oil clutch with anti-stutter tank” anti stutter tank??? Slipper clutch? What is tanks a translation of?
@Ed
A slipper clutch is a back torque limiting clutch that keeps your rear wheel from locking up during hard downshifts before entering a corner. In my own opinion, they make riders pansies.
Whatever happened to riders “blipping” the throttle on downshifts… Agree with @Isaac…
JD ;)
Still there, they just don’t have to waste time doing it …
@MikeD- “garden variety superbike?” Can you (or anyone you know) handle an off the showroom floor RSV4-F, much less a fully built version? I’m looking forward to seeing what these things have, and I think it gives the GP fella’s a good run for their money. Even if it means lap-traffic, good. Those guys haven’t had to deal with lap traffic since BSB or AMA or wherever they came from.
@JawDroppin- Autoblip is now a feature that can be programmed into the APEX2 ECU that these bikes run.
@Isaac- Getting a chassis settled prior to turn entry is challenging enough. RTLSC’s aren’t fool-proof, you’ve still got to ease it out, just a little quicker. Techno-gizmo’s are a racers advantage. Tenths are important.
@A&R- Keep it coming! I love reading more about them ‘prillers. (for obvious reasons)
@DeezToolz:
Dude, im hardly qualified to ride a bicycle…yet delusional enough to get on my old bike…watch out for me.
But back to ur legit question…when u compare an RC211-212-213, M1 or GP 1x? to the RSV GP Mockup u can tell right away who’s cutting corners($$$) with some destiled Superbike.
That’s all i was implying…hating aside…best of luck to those busting their booties trying to make more with less…THESE GUYS.
@MikeD
‘Garden variety superbike’? You’re off your tits man. Look at that WSB Aprilia’s speed at Phillip Island and tell me how that’s pedestrian.
The RSV4 had the rest of the WSB paddock crying foul that it was too close to a GP bike a couple of years ago (gear driven cams and all) and yet this year we’ve got haters bagging it as too much like a Superbike and cutting corners.
I’m sure Gigi Dall’Igna would piss himself laughing at your post too.
@MikeD: Haha, OK, cool. I gotcha. Definitely a legit point about budget. But I’m thinking that’s what the point of CRT really was.
I do, however, see two classes at the same time as still being a fun race to watch. Think of GP1 and GP2 autos. That’s a production vs. a one-off class, and it’s awesome to see everyone on the same strip of pavement.
@Shedman: Good historical reference about everyone moaning about the gear driven cams. They were calling the V4 an overdeveloped WSBK, broaching the topic of money spent on WSBK’s.
@Shedman:
The RSV4 may be the greatest SBK but we are talking here GP Bikes that make more than 230hp w/o breaking a sweat, ALL DAY…with a truck load of $$$ for budget…and guys in a white lab coats doing their magic on it…and NOT from a recycled SBK engine format but rather clean sheet design.
Next to them the Priler is a FIST on a GUN FIGHT. Gear driven cams or NOT.
A prototype frame does not make a GP BIKE or a SBK engine into a GP one for that matter…like a said, a MULE on CRACK trying to race an Arab or British Pure Blood Race Horse.
Is a great effort, just not up to GP BIKE LEVEL. I would love them to shut me up and prove me wrong.
At the moment this ‘mule’ has already arrived just behind full MotoGP Ducati’s.
BBQdog says:
March 27, 2012 at 11:12 PM
At the moment this ‘mule’ has already arrived just behind full MotoGP Ducati’s.
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Fair enough, but let’s wait until is behind the RC213 or the 1000 M1 then we can make a big deal about it … (^_^)
Ducati’s horse seems to be ” still dazed & confused”… not a great reference point at this time…JMHO.
CRTs are coming, there’s no denying it.
All i would like to know is if MotoGP will turn into The CRT SuperBike CUP or will it remain 100% Prototype ?