A history of Aprilia
Aprilia is very much the new kid on the block where Italian motorcycles
are concerned - indeed, until the late 1980s hardly anyone outside Italy
had even heard of the company.
Right
from the start the company bought in engines and other components and
fitted them to its own designs, an effective way of keeping costs down.
This process culminated in the RSV Mille, with its Rotax engine built
to Aprilia's specification, as the company's latest machines now have
Aprilia-built engines.
This history lists landmark dates for the company as relevant to the
RST1000 Futura.
1956: Alberto Beggio opens a bicycle factory in Noale, near Venice
in northern Italy.
1960: Production of the company's first powered two wheeler, a
step thru moped with a 49cc Minerelli two stroke engine, begins.
1968: Alberto's son Ivano takes over, although the company remains
focussed on producing bicycles until the oil crisis of 1973, when the
bicycle market collapses.
1975: Production is totally focussed on small bikes, with 12 machines
in the range, all using bought-in engines from four different manufacturers:
Sachs,Hiro, Morini-Franco and Minerelli.
1976: Aprilia breaks into the 125cc market with two race-winning
off road bikes - the Scarabeo Cross 125, powered by a Hiro engine, and
the Sachs-powered Scarabeo 125RG, an enduro bike that shared little with
its motocross brother.
1977: Aprilia is now the name to beat in motocross and enduro,
winning the Italian national championships in 125 and 500cc categories
two years running. Launches two new 250cc off road bikes.
1981: Total sales figures of 4,500 bikes - scooters and off road
machines.
1982: The company launches its first street bike, the 125cc ST
with liquid-cooling, monoshock rear suspension, and a Rotax two stroke
motor. The sales success of the bike changes the course of Aprilia's fortunes,
convincing Ivano Beggio to concentrate on streetbikes using technical
innovation and funky styling.
1985: Loris Reggiani enters 250 Grand Prix with Rotax-powered
Aprilia, finishing 6th overall in the championship. Rotax partnership
continues with range of bikes from 50 to 600cc.
1987: 
Reggiani
takes Aprilia's first ever GP win at Misano. AF1 125 project 108 launched
- the first Aprilia to feature a single-sided swing arm. Company puts
aside 60 billion lire for investment in new models, including a 750cc
V-twin, which later becomes a fuel-injection 1,000cc superbike.
1988: Aprilia overtakes Ducati, Benelli, Laverda, Gilera and Moto
Guzzi to share with Cagiva the title of Italy's most popular motorcycle
manufacturer. Tuareg 600 Wind, a street trail bike with 600cc Rotax single
cylinder four stroke engine, upside down forks and ultra-modern styling
launched, along with the Red Rose 50 and 125, the company's first custom
bikes using Rotax two-stroke engines. Total sales of almost 40,000 - 18,000
of which in the 125cc sector. Turnover up to £45 million from £5
million in five years.
1990: AF1 125 is re-launched as the Futura, with upside-down forks,
disc brakes all round, aluminium frame, full race fairing and the AF1's
single-sided swing arm. Gains a reputation as the closest a road bike
can get to the GP paddock, with sweet handling, suspension and brakes,
and eventually evolves into the RS125. Tuareg Wind becomes the Pegaso
and later gains a five valve cylinder head. Climber becomes the world's
first liquid-cooled over the counter trials bike.
1991: Reggiani is joined in the 250 factory squad by Pier Francesco
Chilli and Max Biaggi (who wins the European 250cc Championship).
1993: BMW launches the F650, a street bike similar to the Pegaso
using the Rotax four valve head and developed and built by Aprilia. More
than 60,000 are produced up to 1999. Both companies learn from the project
- BMW gains entry to a new market - and a first non shaft drive bike -
but Aprilia learns much from its German partner about quality control,
finish and ergonomics.
1994: RS 250, with a modified Suzuki RGV 250M engine, enters production
and is an instant success. It's re-worked engine and incredible handling
re-defines the class, ironically killing off the Suzuki. Even 14 years
later, it's still seen as the ideal track day bike. Biaggi takes the 250
to Aprilia's first world title. Reggiani switches to the 500 class with
Aprilia's new 400cc V-twin, while the RS125R cements the company's place
in all three GP classes.
1995: 
Prototype
V60 1,000cc engine is displayed for the first time at the Bologna Show.
Aprilia makes its first serious blunders, with a barrage of ugly concept
bikes from the drawing board of kitchen designer Philippe Starck. One
of them, the Pegaso-engined Moto 6.5, makes it into production and fails
to sell in spectacular fashion. Finish is not up to Aprilia's usual standard
either. The bike is quietly dropped and forgotten.
1996: Turnover for year up 32 per cent on 1995 to 800 thousand
million lire, selling 231,000 bikes and scooters, 45 per cent of which
are exported. Biaggi makes it three 250 titles in a row, and promptly
moves to Honda.
1997: After years of rumours, the RSV Mille, Aprilia's first big
bike, finally makes its debut at the Milan Show and goes on sale the following
spring. Valentino Rossi wins the 125cc World Championship aboard an Aprilia,
the company's sixth world title in seven years (three 125, three 250).
1998: The RSV Mille hits the streets to universal acclaim. Aprilia's
strategy of holding back and not releasing the bike - arguably its most
important - until it is ready is vindicated.
1999: 
RSV range expanded to include the R and 150 SP versions for WSB homologation. The
first of the Mille-powered spin-off bikes, the Falco, is launched at the
Milan Show. Rossi takes the 250cc world title on an Aprilia.
2000: Aprilia
enters World Superbike for the first time. Troy Corser gives Aprilia its
first-ever WSB win (a double, no less) at Misano in June, and finishes
third overall. RST Futura and ETV Caponord, both based heavily on the 2000 Mille, launched at autumn shows. Aprilia
pays an estimated £42 million to bring Moto Guzzi back under Italian
control. In the first half of the year, Aprilia sells almost as many bikes
in the UK as Kawasaki.
2001: Futura and Caponord go into production. While the Falco
and Capo don't sell well, the Futura flops completely.
2003: Aprilia enters Moto GP with the RS3 Cube. Colin Edwards
fights the beast all year and finishes 13th overall. The last Futuras,
now badged RS Touring (except in the US market), leave the Scorze factory.
The first Tuono is launched.
2004: 
The
company is hit with major cash-flow problems as racing in Moto GP and
WSB drain finances, as well as propping up Moto Guzzi. Matters are made
worse by the end of the European scooter boom. The company is on the brink
of collapse and uncertainty rules. The Futura is quietly dropped from
the range, to be followed by the Falco in 05 and the Capo in 07. New shape
RSVR launched.
2005: Piaggio takes over, ending Aprilia's 30 years as an independent
motorcycle manufacturer. Several Moto Guzzi sports tourers appear wearing
modified Futura panniers - the sign of things to come? Tuono is updated
for 06 with RSVR goodies.
2006: Aprilia unveils the 750cc Shiver, with the first Aprilia-built engine and fly by wire throttle, and the 850cc Mana, heralding the end of the Rotax engine deal. Unveils a new 1000cc V4 engine that will go on to power the RSV4.
2009: Aprilia launches the RSV4 Factory, while the RSV and Tuono cease production.
Sources:
Aprilia, The Complete Story, Mick Walker, 2000 ISBN 1 86126 377 5
Various UK bike magazines, including Motor Cycle News and Two Wheels Only
(April 2005)
Page last updated: June 6, 2010
