Handling and suspension question?

Stu, firstly make sure your suspension is set to Aprilia's recommended standard settings. You'll be amazed at how far out some bikes are. Check preload, compression and rebound damping setting front and rear and also the number of rings showing on the top of each fork leg above the top yoke.

Also check your tyre pressure are somewhere in the ballpark of 34psi front 38 psi rear. Also check there is no play in the headstock bearings and the rear shock linkage is free and not partially siezed

Once you've got the this far then you can start getting things set up correctly. RSVR's handle brilliantly so there perhaps is some issue with yours as is shown by the seriously scuffed front tyre unless you are in the realms of a riding god

next step is to set front and rear static sag

Sag ,sag saggy sag before you do anything radical.

At want point in a corner does it feel worst. tip in, mid corner on a neutral throttle or coming out ?

so many variables so these things are hard to get a feel for remotely but as a guide suspenders wise.

set the compression for a decent amount of dive on the forks when you brake for a corner (use a zip tie on fork leg). It shouldn't collapse but just transfer some weight to the front to load the front tyre and tighten the steering angle to get the bike to turn in.

Then your rebound kicks in As soon as you unload the front either by releasing the brakes or altering you body/throttle then the front will rebound. If it does that too quickly the bike will suddenly sit up at the front and push the bike wide. Often lack of rebound gives the feeling of pushing or washing out.

Don't ignore the rear in this though. a rapidly extending shock will over compress your forks etc. what your looking for is balance. Front and rear reacting to bumps in an equal manor and not overly stiffer one end to the other.

Your tyre sounds like it has some feathering or cold tearing. usually means you front tyre is doing the work your suspension isn't.

"The bike has battleaxe 021's front and rear with under a 1000 miles on them"

Has this problem been there before the tyre change?

deff set loaded and static sag figures before anything, after checking mine I need a stronger rear spring and I am very close to needing softer front springs having the correct springs makes a big difference what tyre presures how old are the tyres have they seen any track days