The design of the new Aprilia RXV 4.5/5.5 model year 2008 owes much to the concept of constant evolution in the name of competition. Experience gained in the Enduro World Championship, which saw Aprilia Racing at the top of the field, plus valuable hints and suggestions from four times world champion Stefan Merriman, the team’s top rider, have enabled Aprilia’s engineers and designer to transfer advances from racing to production. Impressive team work has led to a number of major improvements over the 2007 bike, making the 2008 RXV even more “race ready”, and better equipped to satisfy the demands of professionals and amateurs alike.

Aesthetically, the 2008 RXV looks meaner than ever thanks to new graphics, a two-tone black and red seat, brand new, lightweight racing headlight, and a distinctly aggressive nose. Even the tail light is new. In conjunction with general refinements, these important new details have also led to a significant reduction in dry weight, down by 4 kg to only 113 kg.

A great deal of work has also been done to ensure the sort of ergonomics needed for effective competition use. The new fuel tank blends in better with the overall design of the bike, enabling the rider to shift his weight around more easily. The new handlebars have eliminated the cross-bar and feature more practical and race-oriented controls. The latest RXV makes it even easier for man and machine to blend into one, without any annoying interference from structural parts. The suspension (featuring a 45 mm upside down fork at the front and a monoshock at the rear) also incorporates new settings suggested by the team official riders, for improved stability on fast sections and better damping over rough ground.