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 takes Aprilia's 65-degree V4 to its sharpest point. The 1077cc engine claims 217 hp at 13,200 rpm and 90 lb-ft at 11,000, wrapped in carbon bodywork and winglets that mean business. This Factory trim builds on the standard bike with Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 electronic suspension and an LED headlight, rolling on forged aluminum wheels. The electronics run deep: APRC ride-by-wire with three maps, Slide Control, Bosch Cornering ABS with MSC, and a bidirectional Aprilia Quick Shift. It sits at the extreme end of the supersport class, built to turn raw output into lap time.
On the road it feels like what it is, a track tool with plates. At 439 lb wet with a 33.5-inch seat, the riding position is committed and the intent is obvious. The feedback through the chassis is the best I've felt in this class, and that's exactly why it rewards a rider who already has the skill to use it. Buy it for canyon days and track time, not commuting. Be honest about the caveats too: some bikes stumble on throttle from low rpm, oil consumption can run high, and there was a front brake pad recall on this era. Go in with your eyes open.
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
Lighting
Safety
The named systems that set this bike apart — and what each one does for you.
Braking
Suspension
Wheels
Thumb the starter and the V4 clears its throat with a hard, metallic snarl that never gets old. Tuck in and the ergonomics make their demands right away: low bars, high pegs, weight on your wrists at a stop. Once you're moving and loaded up, that riding position starts to make sense and your body settles into it. The bike is compact and feels lighter than the number on paper suggests. Ground clearance is enormous, so you run out of nerve long before you run out of lean. There's a fine buzz through the bars at higher revs that keeps you honest about what's spinning underneath. At real road pace it asks for your attention and your input. Give it both, and it feels alive under you in a way few machines manage.
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 |
This section gathers what riders have told me over years of listening: threads passed around, conversations in the paddock, owners comparing notes, and the messages and emails that land in my inbox directly. For this Aprilia the pattern is remarkably consistent. Almost everyone opens with the engine and the chassis, and the handful of running complaints cluster around how much deliberate input the bike asks of you.
Two things come up in nearly every conversation. First the V4. Riders describe a brutally strong, characterful engine that pulls hard through the midrange and keeps building all the way to its high-rpm ceiling, carried by a sound they never tire of. Owners call the delivery smooth yet ferocious, the kind that turns an ordinary ride into an event. Right beside it comes the chassis. Riders consistently talk about razor-sharp handling matched to real stability, a bike that stays planted under hard braking, through fast corners, and hard on the gas. The word that keeps returning is confidence: the chassis flatters the rider and encourages a harder pace. The high-end hardware earns its own praise, too. Between the Öhlins suspension, forged wheels, carbon bodywork, and the full APRC electronics, riders find the traction, wheelie, and launch controls and the up-and-down quickshifter intuitive and transparent, working in the background instead of getting in the way.
For all that composure, one gripe recurs. Some riders find the bike heavy in the middle of a corner and reluctant to change direction quickly. Flicking through tight chicanes or quick side-to-side transitions takes deliberate effort, and it feels less willing to fall from one side to the other than lighter rivals. The consensus is that it rewards a firm, committed hand more than a casual one.
Front brake pad friction material detachment (recall 20V-245)
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 your weapon. Built to turn skill into lap time, with the feedback and lean clearance to chase every apex and the electronics to keep 217 hp on your side when you push. On a closed track, it's exactly right.
Made for Barber Motorsports Park · WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · Circuit of the Americas
For a skilled hand on Angeles Crest, it's a scalpel. Precise, communicative, and fast. Just know the ergonomics are pure track, so long canyon days will test your wrists and your commitment.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
On Tail of the Dragon and the Blue Ridge, its quick steering and deep feedback let you sharpen precision. It's more bike than those speeds need, but if skill-building is the point, it hands you the tools.
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.
