Aprilia RS Cube
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Inline-triple | |
Bore / stroke | 93 mm × 48.49 mm (3.661 in × 1.909 in) |
---|---|
Compression ratio | 14:1 |
Power | over 220 hp (160 kW) @ 15,000 rpm |
Wheelbase | 1,410 mm (56 in) |
Weight | 135 kg (298 lb) (dry) |
Fuel capacity | 24 L (5.3 imp gal; 6.3 US gal) |
The RS Cube
On the bike's first outing in 2002 it showed promise and claimed the top speed in the early races. The highly innovative engine and control system was poorly matched with the chassis which was too stiff and unforgiving. Through the 2002 season a handful of updates were made and in 2003 a 3-2-1 exhaust system was added to effectively de-tune the engine. This was coupled with a change to a 6 injector fuel system and a host of calibration changes which transformed the feel of the bike. At this point Aprilia took over the engine development programme themselves and did not take any further development updates from Cosworth.
Despite early promise the bike was not a success; the innovation shown in the 2002 season with traction control and drive by wire is only now[when?] being perfected. The engine design and development was carried out by a small team at Cosworth Racing in Northampton and went from CAD to track in 8 months.
The engine was considered the most powerful at that time, producing about 225 bhp (168 kW).[citation needed] A testbed that never was raced produced 235 bhp (175 kW) at one point,[citation needed] before Aprilia bowed out of MotoGP in 2004.
See also
References
- ^ "2004 - the triumph in the supermotard category". aprilia.it. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ "New Aprilia RS Cube unveiled at Genoa presentation". motogp.com. 22 March 2004. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
External links
- Aprilia RS Cube MotoGP bike reviewed by Motorcyclist Online