This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Alstare Suzuki Cries Foul on Aprilia RSV4 Homologation

A

Asphalt & Rubber

*
*
*
This article comes from AsphaltandRubber.com
*
*
*

aprilia-rsv4-production-560x423.jpg


Controversy has hit*Aprilia*after Max Biaggi took second place in the Superpole shoot out.*Alstare Suzuki*owner and team manager,*Jean Francois Batta*told Italian network*La7*that: “Everyone knows that the RSV4 is a prototype and shouldn’t be racing here in SBK. After the race I’m going to the technical commission and lodge a complaint.”*According to paddock gossip the Alstare techs seem to have had a tiny peek at Aprilia’s fuel system and saw something that did not convince them. Fuel systems according to Superbike regulations have to be identical to the road bike version.*Since Aprilia’s return to the series, several teams have quietly expressed concern regarding Aprilia’s new superbike, deeming it not yet a true production bike.

*

Ducati’s*Davide Tardozzi*seems to be one of those most worried but has yet to openly admit it as Batta did. When Aprilia wanted to continue testing at Phillip Island also on Saturday and Sunday last week, Tardozzi came up with, “Aprilia is investing a huge amount of money on its bike and is capable of winning the title in their debut year and that everyone should think of the current economic situation and that the teams should all sit at a table and discuss how to stop escalating costs”.

Last Friday evening the FIM presented the list of superbikes to be homologated for 2009, which naturally also includes Aprilia and BMW and certified that by January 30, Aprilia has to produce 250 bikes since they have previously competed in the series and BMW only 125 since they are newcomers to SBK racing.

Source: Two Wheels Blog



Visit Asphalt & Rubber for more articles like this one
 
Seems to me the RSV4 is basicaly a road going version of the 'cube'. Everything has been lifted from it including the design team and the mechanics so of corse they're not happy. Aprilia have snuck a moto gp bike into the WSB grid and with any luck into my garage.
Go Max! podium first time out please.

Cheers.

H..
 
Hmmmmm It looks like Davide Tardozzi is worried already !!! Eh :devious

COME ON APRILIA:doug:doug:doug
 
H.. said:
Seems to me the RSV4 is basicaly a road going version of the 'cube'. Everything has been lifted from it including the design team and the mechanics so of corse they're not happy. Aprilia have snuck a moto gp bike into the WSB grid and with any luck into my garage.
Go Max! podium first time out please.

Cheers.

H..
Click to expand...

no no no! the cube was a straight triple, the rsv4 is a completely different bike, its closer by comparison to a ducati desmosedici than anything else.
 
What puzzles me is that how can Ducati run a 1200cc when their road bike is 1098cc
 
I'm talking technology here, fly by wire, variable height velocity stacks, the variable frame geometry and the like all tried out on the cube now on the 4 cylinder bike.

Cheers.

H..

p.s. I think Ducatis 1198 is a 1200.
 
Aprilia was making a bike for the motoGP, but then they changed to 800cc rule and because they already done so much on the engine they didnt have the money to start a new engine for the 800cc, so they decited to complete the bike and enter wsbk :)

Hope they do something this year, but with max the camper there ****** :D
 
I think the look of the RSV4 alone has all of them worried as it even looks so fast standing still:devious. I can't believe that all weekend at the Phillip Island races the Ducati was announced as 1098R when it is an 1198R, what is with that?:dunno
 
Gravelrash said:
What puzzles me is that how can Ducati run a 1200cc when their road bike is 1098cc
Click to expand...

The homologation model Ducati 1098r has always been 1200cc despite being called a 1098r:dunno

The base models 1098 and 1098s are 1098cc.

Regards the RSV4 i think it's well known in the paddock that Aprilia intended this bike for Motogp but didn't have the budget to go so they scaled it back to go to Wsbk.

It was always going to attract scrutiny from other teams because there was a danger of some motogp inspired stuff sneaking through the homologation process.
Aprilia would be very silly if they have done that because there were always going to be questions so lets hope there is nothing to find.
 
Maybe Ducati down play the extra 100cc to hide the fact that every time that the other brands catch up that they complain and get the rules changed to suit them:jack.
As for the RSV4 being moto GP inspired- they haven't been in Moto GP for quite a while, and the RS3 Cube was rubbish and never did any good, I can't see how Aprilia were inspired buy that? Remember the RSV4 is a prodution bike and everything they want to use in SBK has to be on the production bike. As far as Moto GP inspired I think nothing in Superbikes comes closer to Moto GP than the new R1. Rossi has been developing that engine and chassis for a few years now and it has filtered down to a production bike, hence a Superbike. I think 1st in super pole and a win on its 1st outing proves that point. I wonder if the others are complaining about the R1, I think the R1 is the biggest threat to take the title this year. I surpose the next step for Ducati would be to build a proper production Desmosedecci and try there luck with that or maybe a cross plane crank inline 4 cylinder?:dunno
 
So Alstare suzuki think that there are bits on the rsv4 that are prototype, and not on the production bike. Well where were the production Foggy bikes then?
 
TinTin said:
So Alstare suzuki think that there are bits on the rsv4 that are prototype, and not on the production bike. Well where were the production Foggy bikes then?
Click to expand...
Mine's still on back order. I just can't wait till it turns up....
 
your also talking about a company that wouldn't take part in the MCN v-twin shoot-out, complaining about tyres......
 
I think Jamie Whitham said it all in the Phillip Island commentary.
The Aprilia looks like a moto gp bike modified to fit into WSB.
He is probably more qualified to say that than any of us having seen it first hand.
If you see the pre ride warm up of the Aprilia it's very motogp and unlike any of the other bikes or any production machine i've ever seen.

The dispute seems to be that Alstare believe the fuel injection system on Biaggi's bike is not the part that was homologated by the production model. It may be sour grapes on the part of Suzuki or it may have some foundation we may never know.
Suzuki run a single outlet exhaust (2nd is a dummy) in wsbk yet the production bike has twin, so how is that production etc etc.

The fact we like Aprilia's shouldn't cloud the issue and mean that Aprilia are not immune from bending the rules to their advantage. Aprilia have been done in 250cc before now for illegal fuel.

On the part of Ducati they have pushed the limits probably more than they should have been allowed to but the 1200cc bike has probably kept them in wsb.
The pre 1200cc bikes were in such a high state of tune to be competative that engine life was incredably short and very very costly. Had they still been running it they might not be racing at all given that they only just scraped a budget for the 1098r this year and have no development budget at all.

Whatever anybody thinks of Ducati or Suzuki or anyone else the series is always poorer for losing a major manufacturer so it's good to have them all there.
They will always be suspicous of each other, happens in wsb F1 etc etc. Someone always wants to get an edge on the opposition and not always within the rules.
 
It doesn't matter if it was Moto GP inspired as long as it is a production bike, just like the new R1:dunno. I agree that Aprilia would be stupid to use proto-type parts as there would be repercussions. I also agree that it is great to have so many manufactures in the series, not like a few years ago when it became the Ducati cup with a couple of Suzuki's in the mix, I could barley be bothered watching it, as could a lot of my friends. I think it is just becoming harder for V-twins, although last years results would not suggest this!
As for the RSV4 looking like a Moto GP bike, maybe it does but time moves on and so does automotive design and that is why some older vehicles start to look very dated. I think some designs are classic and don't date so badly- ie Ducati 916, Honda NR750.
Although I am an Aprilia fan I really enjoyed going to Phillip Island and seeing a range of brands on the front row after Super Pole, and really enjoyed seeing so many brands so competitive with each other.This is what makes racing exciting, I do admire the new R1, although I will always cheer for Aprilia.:doug:doug:doug
 
agree with all of that.

My point with Aprilia having a Motogp style shall we say construction process means it was always going to attract scrutiny from the other manufacturers. It's how much of the race bike crosses over to the production bike that seems to be in contention with the FI i think one area they are strictly regulated and alstare claiming they have not stuck to that regulation.

It's up to the FIM now to make sure the technical requirements have been met and then it doesn't matter what the other teams think.

I think twins are probably dead down the line in the series unless they bring in hp caps. I think there is more to come from the 4's with the twins on the limit unless they keep hiking cc's.

Ducati to have a v4 based on the desmo i reckon.
 
I was wondering how come the superbikes can have those super trick TTX Ohlins forks on them when they are not on the production bike:dunno
 
×

Similar threads

chip
2021 Aprilia Tuono 660 Pictures and Information
Replies
3
Views
4K
Papadelta
P
C
Aprilia RSV4 Race Bike Build
Replies
2
Views
3K
redratbike
redratbike
M
2013 Aprilia RSV4 Factory aprc abs sbk se
Replies
0
Views
927
motogp34
M
M
Carbon fiber cooling pipes from Sprint Filter
Replies
0
Views
1K
maxbiaggi
M
H
2014 RSV4-R Magazine Quality Race/Street Build
Replies
1
Views
1K
Harabec
H

New Posts