- RSV1000 Mille was the brand’s V-Twin superbike
- The new motorcycle could sit below the RSV4
- We might see it in WSBK as well
Aprilia has filed a new trademark in the US for the name RSV1000. It was the brand’s V-Twin superbike that was discontinued around a decade and a half back and was replaced by the RSV4 offering.
With most of the performance motorcycle manufacturers making twin-cylinder sportbikes, some being replacements for their four-cylinder siblings, it makes sense for Aprilia to move in the same direction. Twin-cylinder offerings bring in several advantages over four-cylinder screamers. These include more cost-effective manufacturing and compliance with ever-tightening emission norms while extracting similar performance, if not the same. Yamaha recently launched the R9 after discontinuing the R1 in most of the countries. Even Ducati rolled out the 2025 Panigale V2 which is supposed to be a more accessible version of the Panigale V4.
As of now, there’s a huge gap in Aprilia’s portfolio between the RS660 and the RSV4, not just in terms of price but also on the performance front. A twin-cylinder, litre-class sportbike should be an ideal filler with a more affordable price tag than the RSV4 but better performance than the RS660. Now, making a 60-degree V-twin sportbike, like the original RSV1000, that complies with the new stringent emission norms might be challenging. What Aprilia might resort to is utilising its existing almost-litre, V-twin that used to power the Aprilia Shiver and Dorsoduro. Now, a revised 996cc version of the same motor is being readied for the Shiver-based Cyclone SR1000 by Zonsen, the Chinese partner of Aprilia’s parent company, Piaggio.
While the filed patent doesn’t necessarily warrant a new litre-class, V-twin from Aprilia, it might still be an indication that the brand has started working on something new. If a twin-cylinder sportbike from Aprilia becomes a reality, we might see it debut in WSBK which is expected to shift towards cheaper and less powerful motorcycles.
