Eugene Laverty was second on the timesheets for both days in Portimao, and afterwards the Irishman declared that he was happy, confident, and aiming for wins from the opening round of the WorldSBK season.
“I feel a lot more confidence ahead of Phillip Island after this test,” said Laverty. “We’ve had six days on the bike now. The November test was just to get used to the Pirelli tyres again, and by the end of that test I was feeling ok with them.”
More factories racing means more factories testing. The usual one or two-day shakedown test ahead of the first official MotoGP test of the year organized by IRTA has expanded this year to become much more than that.
All six MotoGP factories are present with test riders – Aprilia, Ducati, Honda, KTM, Suzuki, and Yamaha – as well as a couple of factories testing Superbike machines ahead of the 2017 season.
The reason? The more factory teams there are, the cheaper the cost per factory to rent the circuit, and the more time they get preparing for next week’s test.
The new year has officially started, the real world of contracts finally lining up with the world of motorcycle racing.
Riders who swapped factories are now free of their old contracts, their new contracts having commenced as the world greeted 2017.
That also leaves them free to post about the new season on social media again. Aleix Espargaro was so keen to do so that he posted right on the stroke of midnight.
If the riders are excited, that gives fans reason to be excited too. Here are 10 reasons to look forward to 2017.
Two years ago, Aprilia started its “Factory Works” program, where racers and customers alike could order professional-level versions of the popular Aprilia RSV4 RR superbike.
Available from the program are turn-key superstock and superbike machines, and for those with the right pocketbook, the near MotoGP-level Aprilia RSV4 R-FW Misano version was also available.
With Aprilia’s MotoGP program having taken an evolution from then to now, the Noale-based manufacturer has also updated its ultimate superbike offering.
We bring you the Aprilia RSV4 R FW-GP, which comes with pneumatic valves, post-sales support, and a factory guarantee of 250hp.
The Jerez Test was hardly the first day at school for either Eugene Laverty or Lorenzo Savadori, but while the bike was similar, it was new surroundings for both riders.
With the Shaun Muir Racing squad switching to an Aprilia steed in 2017, the opening day of the Jerez test was the team’s first experience of the Italian bike.
Both Laverty and Savadori have plenty of experience on the RSV4, the Irishman was a title contender on the bike, and Savadori raced it this year, and that certainly helped both throughout the day.
For SMR however, it was all change, having used BMW S1000RRs during their debut WorldSBK season. For team boss, Shaun Muir, it was clearly an important day for the British squad.
When you watch the Valencia GP this weekend, keep an eye out for a pair of strikingly red motorcycles on the track, piloted by Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl.
This is because their Aprilia RS-GP race bikes will be sporting a special (RED) livery, supporting the charity that fights acquired immune deficiency syndrome – better known as AIDS.
A disease that once generated massive headlines in the United States in the 1980s, now for many in the western world, AIDS is no longer the specter it once was.
Modern antiviral treatments can reduce the presence of AIDS in affected patients to below detectable levels, thus making AIDS a chronic instead of terminal disease, and which allows patients to lead mostly full and normal lives.
However in other countries, AIDS is still very much a death sentence once it is contracted, with access to life-saving medication incredibly more difficult to acquire, and prevention efforts woefully inadequate.
Over 37 million people worldwide are currently infected with AIDS, with 2 million more contracting the disease with each passing year – many of them in Africa. (RED) aims to change that epidemic, and has contributed $360 million to the stop of AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in the region.
Hopefully with the help of Aprilia and the MotoGP Championship this weekend, even more support can be channeled to this worthy cause.
For the 2017 model year, the Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 gets an upgrade to 900cc, making it the 2017 Aprilia Dorsoduro 900. Aprilia says that the new 896cc 90° v-twin engine is a stroked out version of the 750cc motor (from 56.4mm to 67.4mm), which allows Aprilia to meet Euro4 emission standards while also giving the Dorsoduro 750 a much-needed upgrade.
Despite the 150cc increase in displacement, the 2017 Aprilia Dorsoduro 900 makes only an additional 3hp, with peak power now set at 95hp at 8,750 rpm.
While that change in horsepower is underwhelming, there is somewhat better news to be found in the torque curve, which sees a 6 lbs•ft torque increase, for 66 lbs•ft at 6,600 rpm.
Aprilia says that the torque curve for the Dorsoduro 900 is flatter than that of Dorsoduro 750, and at all rpm points higher. That is at least modestly reassuring.
Piaggio Group Americas is recalling a bevy of models for a front brake master cylinder that may allow air in the hydraulic lines.
The recall affects 1,628 units of the 2014-2015 Aprilia Tuono V4 1000, 2016 Tuono V4 1100, 2015 Caponord 1200 ABS/ADD, and 2016 Caponord Rally motorcycles, which were manufactured June 18, 2013 to June 13, 2016.
Let’s just be really honest for a moment – the 2017 Aprilia RSV4 RF looks as hot as it is fast. Debuting at the INTERMOT show in Germany, this is our first look at what the engineers at Noale have in store for the superbike market, also debuting the l0wer-spec Aprilia RSV4 RR for the 2017 model year.
Both bikes benefit from improved suspension and braking pieces, as well as an updated electronics package, which includes Bosch’s cornering ABS.
Like the RSV4 RR, the Aprilia RSV4 RF is compliant with the Euro 4 emissions standard, though Aprilia worked hard to maintain the bike’s 201hp / 84.8 lbs•ft power and torque ratings.
Aprilia was able to do this, mostly by raising the RSV4 RF’s redline by 300 rpm. Aprilia has also done away with its variable timing intake ducts (a 500g savings), deeming them unnecessary now with the updated APRC electronics package.
Several internal changes have been made to the engine, including lighter pistons and a number of friction-reducing treatments. A linear sensor has also been added to the gearbox, which aids in the new quick-shifting functions for upshifts and downshifts.
Typical for the “RF” model, the 2017 Aprilia RSV4 RF comes with premium suspension pieces from Öhlins. It might be evolution, not revolution for the Aprilia RSV4 line, but the Italian superbikes continue to set the bar for others the chase.
It goes without saying that if the 2017 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 is getting a list of updates at INTERMOT, then the same must be true for the Factory version of the potent 175hp streetfighter.
This means that the 2017 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory takes the new fourth-generation APRC electronics package, Bosch-powered cornering ABS, improved combustion chamber, larger exhaust can, and adds to it the typical Factory-spec improvements like Öhlins suspension (including an Öhlins steering damper).
If you haven’t ridden the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 RR or Factory, we highly recommend it. They’re so choice.
Debuting today at INTERMOT, the 2017 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 gets many of the features added to the RSV4 line this year, namely a revised electronics package which includes the addition of Bosch’s cornering ABS technology.
As we saw with the 2017 Aprilia RSV4 RR, the 2017 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 is now Euro 4 compliant, and has undergone a number of changes to meet those emissions standards, while maintaining its 175hp output.
Aprilia is also touting the fact that the 2017 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 uses the same suspension (Sachs) and brakes (Brembo) components as next year’s RSV4 RR, helping draw the connection from track bike to street bike.