230hp, 165kg and a full kit of aero for the ultimate, limited-edition trackday variant
Aprilia is unusual among the teams on MotoGP’s grid because it patents many of the aerodynamic innovations that show up on its racebikes. Now we know why: the new RSV4 X ex3ma brings MotoGP aero to a handful of customers – creating a commercial use for the tech that warrants its appearance in patent applications.
We’ve seen high-end, low-production versions of the RSV4 before, such as the be-winged, 230hp XTrenta of 2022, but the X ex3ma ups its game even farther, slicing even more weight off and adding a full suite of RS-GP aero parts, including the ground-effect fairing sides that have been developed over the last couple of seasons.
Aprilia explains that those bulging lower fairings help reduce air pressure between the bodywork and the ground when the bike is cornering hard, adding downforce and increasing grip. There’s also a new, GP-style front wing and a ‘spoon’ spoiler under the swingarm, plus angled cowls over the lower parts of the front wheels, again adding downforce when the bike is cranked over.
All the bodywork is carbon fibre, of course, and Aprilia claims it has five times as much downforce as the previous XTrenta model in a straight line and three times as much in corners.
No wonder, then, that racebikes exploit the same ideas.
The engine is Aprilia’s 1099cc V4, and in the X ex3ma’s track-only form puts out the same 171.5kW (230hp) as the XTrenta managed, reaching that peak at 13,500rpm. Max torque is 131Nm at 11,000rpm. It’s all tamed by a WorldSBK-derived ECU that oversees the traction control, wheelie control and engine braking in each gear, and can be adjusted via ’bar-mounted buttons or by plugging in a laptop – which is provided with the bike.
The chassis might be Aprilia’s usual alloy beam frame, but it’s equipped with Öhlins suspension. As you’d expect from such a high-end Aprilia, the brakes are Brembos, and the wheels are carbon fibre fitted with Pirelli racing slicks.
The paintwork is a tribute to Aprilia’s racing heritage and particularly the RS250s ridden by Max Biaggi to successive titles from 1994 to 1996. Biaggi himself was also involved in the X ex3ma’s development.
Only 30 of the bikes are due to be made, each with a price tag of €80,000 ($A130,000) before tax, and tax will add another substantial wedge on top. Although you do get a personalised bike cover and a bit of carpet for it to sit on, plus a paddock stand, as part of the bundle.
