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2019 · Supersport · A variant of the RSV4 1100
Differences between the standard RSV4 1100 and the Factory
Feedback, Fire, V4 Fury
The RSV4 1100 Factory runs a 65° V4 that makes 217 hp at 13,200 rpm and 90 lb-ft from 1077 cc, wrapped in carbon bodywork with aerodynamic wings. This is the sharp end of the supersport class: a hard-charging engine, a chassis tuned for razor stability, and a full APRC electronics package sitting on a Bosch cornering setup. Ride-by-Wire gives you three switchable maps, Slide Control keeps the rear honest under power, and forged aluminum wheels cut the weight where it matters most. Above all, it talks to you through the front tire like almost nothing else at this level.
On the road it rewards commitment. At a real pace through a canyon or a good backroad the chassis holds its line and the lean clearance runs out long after your nerve does. This is a machine for experienced riders who want feedback and precision, not a soft daily. Ownership asks for attention: some of these engines drink oil and want regular top-ups, and there was a front brake pad recall (20V-245) on this era of RSV4 worth confirming as done. Buy it for the riding, stay on top of maintenance, and it holds its edge for years.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 217 hp (160 kW) @ 13,200 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 90 lb-ft (122 Nm) @ 11,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 1077 cc |
| Engine | V4 |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front tire | 120/70 ZR17 |
| Rear tire | 200/55 ZR17 |
| Seat height | 33.5 in (851 mm) |
| Wet weight | 439 lb (199 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.9 gal (18.5 L) |
| Fuel economy | 36 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Connectivity
Drivetrain
Safety
The named systems that set this bike apart — and what each one does for you.
Braking
Wheels
Thumb the starter and the V4 clears its throat with a hard, metallic bark that stretches into a full howl as the revs climb. That sound alone justifies the ownership. The riding position is committed: a 33.5-inch seat, clip-ons that load your wrists, and a tank you grip hard with your knees. At 439 lb wet it feels light in your hands and eager to change direction the instant you shift your weight. There is a fine buzz through the bars and pegs that never turns numbing, more a pulse telling you the engine is alive underneath you. Roll on from low revs and the throttle can hesitate before it picks up cleanly, so smooth inputs pay off in town. Once the road opens and the tach swings up, everything sharpens and the bike seems to shrink around you.
The RSV4 1100 Factory (MY2019-Factory) builds on the standard RSV4 1100: the upgraded hardware, the key spec changes and where its character shifts. The full ride, specs, scoring and verdict are all right here on this page.
| Spec | Standard RSV4 1100 | Factory | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet weight | 452 lb | 439 lb | -13 lb |
The read on this bike has built up over years of listening to riders directly: paddock conversations, long owner threads, and the steady run of emails and messages that land in NastyNils' inbox. Pooled together, the sentiment on the RSV4 1100 is strikingly consistent. There's near-total agreement on the engine and the hardware, set against a smaller and more specific set of complaints about how it behaves once the road starts twisting.
Ask owners about the engine and the answer lands the same way every time: a huge wave of torque arrives early and keeps building, and the delivery stays smooth even as it turns ferocious higher up. Riders describe opening the throttle as an event in itself, with drive on tap from low in the rev range. Just as consistent is the praise for the electronics. The APRC package that manages traction, wheelie, launch, and shifting reads as intuitive and transparent to most owners, doing its work in the background so they can focus on the road instead of fighting the system. Factor in the Öhlins suspension, carbon bodywork, and forged wheels the bike carries, and the recurring verdict is a machine that feels genuinely special and fully sorted before you touch a thing.
The gripes are fewer, and they cluster in one place. Even riders who love the way it holds a line note that the RSV4 can feel heavy in the middle of a corner, less willing to flick side to side than some of its rivals. Tight chicanes and fast direction changes take deliberate effort, and the bike reads as a touch reluctant when you want to snap it from one lean to the other. By most accounts it rewards a firm, considered hand more than a light one.
Front brake pad friction material detachment
A recall was issued for certain 2017-2020 RSV4 and Tuono models due to corrosion causing brake pad friction material to detach, reducing front braking performance.
Excessive oil consumption
Several owners report abnormal oil consumption, requiring frequent top-ups and potentially indicating internal engine issues like piston ring or valve seal problems.
Throttle hesitation / stumble
Some riders experience hesitation or rough fueling when opening the throttle from low RPM, possibly due to mapping or intake fouling.
Where this Aprilia RSV4 1100 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 RSV4 1100 is actually built for.
This is exactly your tool. The feedback, endless lean clearance, and 217 hp let you chase apexes and braking markers with total confidence on a closed circuit. Bring your best and it rewards every bit of it.
Made for Barber Motorsports Park · WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Circuit of the Americas
For fast canyon runs above LA this bike is a joy: precise, communicative, and deeply capable. Just know the committed ergonomics and low-rpm fueling make the traffic-bound miles between the good roads less fun.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
On tight Tail of the Dragon-style twisties its light feel and razor turn-in shine. It's more bike than those roads truly demand, so ride it for skill and precision rather than outright speed.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
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 RSV4 1100. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
