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2006–2008 · Enduro · Buyer's Guide
The V-Twin Off-Road Exotic
Aprilia did something in 2006 that nobody else in the dirt world was doing: it built a 549 cc liquid-cooled 77-degree V-twin and put it in a full-size enduro chassis. The figures are 71 hp and 49 lb-ft against 315 lb wet, which is racing arithmetic rather than trail-bike arithmetic. Steel trellis frame, long-travel suspension, five speeds and a chain, with bodywork that makes no apology for any of it. This was conceived as a competition machine first, and Aprilia made no attempt to soften it into something friendlier.
On the ground that logic pays off for the right rider. The weight and the way the twin keeps pulling make it genuinely fast in technical terrain, and the 37.0 in seat with 15.6 in of ground clearance tells you plainly who it was drawn for: an experienced off-road rider, not someone learning. Ageing is the hard part. The 2006 and 2007 bikes carry a real reliability record against them, from case sealant that lets coolant into the oil to wiring that burns and breaks. Buy one because you want this exact engine, and budget for keeping it alive.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 71 hp (52 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 49 lb-ft (66 Nm) |
| Displacement | 549 cc |
| Engine | 77° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Front tire | 90/90-21 |
| Rear tire | 140/80-18 |
| Ground clearance | 15.6 in (396 mm) |
| Front travel | 11.8 in (300 mm) |
| Rear travel | 11.8 in (300 mm) |
| Seat height | 37.0 in (940 mm) |
| Wet weight | 315 lb (143 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 2.1 gal (7.8 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
This one comes from years of listening rather than testing: paddock talk, owners cornering me at club nights, and the messages riders send me directly. On the RXV the chatter splits cleanly. What people say about the engine is warm and consistent. What they say about living with it is not.
The praise is all about the motor. Riders describe explosive power at the top of the rev range that pays off the moment terrain opens up, and they credit the fuel injection for throttle response that stays crisp in technical going. Owners coming off big singles mention the smoother running too, less vibration across a long day. The wide-ratio five-speed gets a nod for covering tight trails and fast ground alike.
The other half of the conversation is ownership. Reliability on the early bikes dominates it, and close behind sits a service schedule owners call unforgiving, with oil and valve intervals nobody gets away with stretching. A separate complaint runs through the handling. In slow, tight going the twin feels taller and heavier under them than the singles alongside, and some riders find the stock suspension soft enough to want changing.
Engine case sealant failure causing oil/water mix
The factory-applied sealant on the engine cases (especially on 2006-2007 models) deteriorates, leading to coolant mixing with oil and potential engine damage.
Electrical wiring and component failures
Chronic electrical issues including wires burning, breaking, and EFI glitches, causing sudden stops.
Stator bolts backing out causing engine damage
On early production bikes, the stator mounting bolts were insufficiently torqued from the factory. They can work loose, allowing the stator to contact the flywheel, which shreds the stator and sends metallic debris through the engine oil system, potentially causing catastrophic engine failure.
Oil filter cover blowing off
The standard plastic oil filter cover is prone to failure under high oil pressure or when the engine is worked hard. If it blows off, it leads to rapid oil loss and potential engine seizure. Owners commonly replace it with an aftermarket aluminum cover as a preventive measure.
Starter motor failures
The starter motor is prone to failure, often after minimal use, requiring replacement.
Speedometer cable routing causes short and fuse blow
The speedometer cable is poorly routed and can rub against the front brake disc, wearing through the insulation and causing a short that blows the 7.5 amp fuse. This can result in a stall and a no-start condition until the fuse and damaged cable are replaced and properly re-routed.
Where this Aprilia RXV 550 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the RXV 550 is actually built for.
If you already read technical ground well, this is a serious tool for Moab and desert lines. Day trips, absolutely. Multi-day only if you carry tools and accept the 2.1 gal tank.
Made for Moab · Bar M / Kane Creek · Imperial Sand Dunes
Wrong tool for this job. A 2.1 gal tank, a 37.0 in seat and that early reliability record turn multi-day logistics into a fight. Fine for one hard loop, not for covering ground.
Made for AZBDR — Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route · California BDR South · COBDR — Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
