The 2021 Aprilia RS-GP MotoGP Race Bike, In All Its Weird Glory

For a variety of reasons, the MotoGP team unveilings have become a dreadful boring affair in the recent years.

It used to be, that these events would be our first chance to see the new bikes from the coming season, but now these new bike revisions have become too secret to show before the racing started.

Instead, the events have become a release of new livery designs, plastered on last year’s bikes. The liveries rarely change though, and with the current rules package, the same could be said about the machinery.

That is not the case with the factory Aprilia Racing squad, however. Developing the Aprilia RS-GP at a rapid pace, we are witnessing a constantly evolving motorcycle.

Showing off its 2021 unveiling, we can see the fruits of that labor. The front air intake of the Aprilia RS-GP has changed radically in its shape, as have the winglets that attach to it.

There is a more pronounced “salad box” compartment in the tail now, and of course the controversial air scoop that is attached the swingarm, behind the bellypan.

There is of course a carbon fiber swingarm now, and other improvements to the aerodynamics package. There are plenty of mechanical changes as well, though they are hidden beneath the machine’s fairings.

We do enjoy the Akrapovič exhaust design, especially the underbelly pipe arrangement for the forward cylinder bank on the V4 engine.

“Thanks to the work done over the winter and the great efforts of the racing department, we know that we have taken a big step forward, so now we are anxious to see how it measures up against our rivals,” said Romano Albesiano, Technical Director of Aprilia Racing.

“Our growth is clear and this gives everyone a boost of confidence. Our engineers have brought to the track a further evolution of a project that has great potential still to be expressed.”

“We made changes in every aspect, from the visible areas, like the new aerodynamics or the carbon swingarm, all the way to in depth changes to the chassis architecture, engine, and electronics.”

“The package that we will be taking onto the track in this initial stage of the season will then be developed even further based on a work program that has substantially already been defined.”

Of course, everyone on the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini mourns the loss of team leader Fausto Gresini, and hope to honor his memory with a strong 2021 season.