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2009–2013 · Enduro · Buyer's Guide
Aprilia V-Twin Built for Dirt
The RXV 550 is the odd one out in the enduro world: a liquid-cooled 550 cc 77° V-twin in a steel trellis frame, with roots in Aprilia's supermoto platform. That twin makes 71 hp and 49 lb-ft, which on paper puts this generation among the most potent machines in its off-road class. Everything around it is competition enduro. You get an upside-down fork, fully adjustable suspension with 11.8 in (300 mm) of travel at both ends and a 21/18-inch wheel pair. There's no ABS and no traction control. Just hardware.
The numbers tell you who this is for. Ground clearance of 15.6 in (396 mm) and 11.8 in (300 mm) of travel at both ends suit a rider who lives on rocks, sand and steep technical climbs, not someone easing into the dirt. It's street-legal, so you can ride to the trailhead, but the hardware is built for hard terrain. It also needs an owner with tools and patience. The known issues are a speedometer cable the front brake disc can chew through and weak starter electrics. Buy it with open eyes!
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 71 hp (52 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 49 lb-ft (66 Nm) |
| Displacement | 550 cc |
| Engine | 77° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 270 mm |
| Front tire | 90/90-21 |
| Rear tire | 140/80-18 |
| Wheelbase | 58.9 in (1495 mm) |
| Ground clearance | 15.6 in (396 mm) |
| Front travel | 11.8 in (300 mm) |
| Rear travel | 11.8 in (300 mm) |
Equipment check
Chassis
This section is not a test ride. It is what has come back to me over the years from people who own these bikes: paddock conversations, talk at club nights, and the emails and messages riders send me directly. On the RXV 550 the chatter splits cleanly. Riders love the riding and worry about the owning.
The engine is what riders bring up first and most often. They describe strong, responsive drive with a top end that keeps pulling, and many rank it at the front of the class for punch. Fun is the word that follows. Acceleration that arrives all at once, a front wheel that comes up without asking, and a ride owners describe as adrenaline every time out. Handling earns steady praise too, called light, sharp and confidence-inspiring on tight trails and gravel roads.
Reliability is the loudest theme in the pile, raised more often than any single piece of praise, and the point owners return to is what the repairs cost. Upkeep comes next. Riders describe a schedule closer to a race bike, with parts and knowledgeable hands hard to find away from a specialist. Comfort surfaces least, usually as the seat on a long day.
Speedometer cable routing short circuit
Poor routing of the speedometer cable can cause it to be chewed by the front brake disc, leading to a short in the 7.5A fuse. The engine then stalls and will not restart until the fuse and cable are replaced.
Starter motor and electrical failures
Weak starter motors, blown 30A fuses, and corroded starter relays are common, often leaving riders stranded with a bike that won't crank.
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
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the RXV 550 is actually built for.
This is your best fit: 11.8 in of adjustable travel, 15.6 in of clearance and a 71 hp twin are built for slickrock, sand and technical sections. Just stay on top of the maintenance.
Made for Moab · Bar M / Kane Creek · Imperial Sand Dunes
A partial fit. It'll handle rough backcountry sections well, but there's no luggage system, and the maintenance demands make multi-day logistics harder than they need to be.
Made for AZBDR — Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route · California BDR South · COBDR — Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2006–2008
The V-Twin Off-Road Exotic
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Aprilia RXV 550. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
