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THE V90 ENGINE: TECHNOLOGY IN THE PURE STATE
 The V90 engine inherits all Aprilia's
experience in high performance mechanics. Endless hours of bench and road tests
have produced a genuine masterpiece of mechanical engineering, capable not just
of high performance, but also complete reliability. Thanks to its particular
technical characteristics, the Aprilia V90 combines high specific power with
maximum usability and easy riding.
A generous heart, destined to set new
performance and technology standards for medium powered bikes. The engine has been designed by the Aprilia
Research and Development department which set out to create a powerful and
reliable engine requiring very limited maintenance.
The quest for performance at the top of its
class led to the adoption of a number of advanced and innovative technical
features:
- 90° V structure;
- Ride by Wire technology;
- Bore and stroke ratio markedly supersquare;
- Four valves per cylinder;
- Ignition with two plugs per cylinder;
- Double overhead camshaft, controlled by a
mixed chain and gear system;
- Electronic fuel injection with two throttle
bodies;
- Three way catalytic converter and lambda probe
oxygen sensor (Euro 3 compliant).
For this type of bike, the 90° V arrangement
of the cylinders was found to be the best solution in terms of performance and
size. With consistently generous torque available across a wide range of revs
and negligible vibrations, the Aprilia V2 750 is full and powerful at the top
of its class.
The timing deserves special mention. Motion is
transmitted to the four valves per cylinder and double camshaft by a mixed
gear/chain system. This technical
application, already adopted by Aprilia in the V60 mounted on the RSV 1000 R,
enables the size of the engine to be kept down, while guaranteeing more precise
and reliable timing. The chain is
shorter, for less overall stress and a longer working life; this makes the engine shorter.
The latest generation injection system uses fine
atomising injectors. This, together with the ignition with two spark plugs per
cylinder, ensures optimum combustion for an engine which is not just more
powerful, but also cleaner.
The sophisticated electronic management makes
the Aprilia SL 750 Shiver a new benchmark for nakeds. In the Aprilia SL 750 Shiver, Ride by Wire
technology becomes part of the standard equipment of a naked bike for the first
time in the history of motorcycling. The
electronic accelerator management optimises opening of the throttle bodies
according to numerous parameters, including engine speed, gear selected and
position of the throttle. The engine is
therefore always able to offer optimum performance in acceleration and the
lowest possible consumption for a still more fluid and profitable ride. This innovative solution guarantees even
fuller and more regular output at low and medium speeds, optimising running of
the engine, even with the choke.
 Thanks to the technology used, the Aprilia V90
manages to deliver exceptionally high power for the engine configuration. 95 HP
at 9000 revs and maximum torque of 81 Nm at 7000 revs are excellent for a twin
of this capacity. The high torque
available even at low speeds makes the Aprilia SL 750 Shiver incomparable to ride
on mixed routes.
A latest generation engine management unit
controls all engine parameters. All data passes through a CAN (Controlled Area
Network) line to the instrument panel, which also acts as a diagnostic
terminal. The CAN line uses just two wires
to transmit all data. This simplifies the electrical system enormously as well
as reducing the total weight of the bike.
The exhaust is made entirely from stainless
steel. The manifolds come together under the seat in a single silencer with
twin tail pipes. The large volume (10 litres) contributes to
perfect engine breathing for excellent efficiency.
THE FRAME: RATIONALITY AND EFFICIENCY
Experts have always acknowledged that Aprilia
bikes have the best chassis in their class.
The Aprilia SL 750 Shiver is concrete confirmation that once again
Aprilia has managed to create a chassis which is both extremely easy and
intuitive and incredibly high performance.
The frame exploits all the
knowledge Aprilia has gained in racing and also draws on new studies on mixed
structures with the futuristic RXV and SXV, already winners of a number of
titles during their debut on the racetrack.
The top part of the tubular steel trellis is connected to large side
plates by means of special high strength bolts.
This creates an extremely rigid lightweight frame, the best solution to
harness all the horsepower of the Aprilia V90.
Creation of an Aprilia bike always involves
synergy between chassis and engine engineers. The fundamental design choices for the V90
engine led to construction of a highly rational and efficient frame. The
reduced longitudinal dimensions of the engine made it possible to design a
short, agile bike, helped by the particular side positioning of the shock
absorber, not a simple cosmetic mannerism, but a precise technical decision which created valuable space for the exhaust
manifolds whose shape and size have been calibrated perfectly to ensure maximum
engine efficiency. This enabled the
optimum exhaust manifold configuration to be obtained, without too heavily affecting the length of the bike and
without exposing the shock absorber, a fundamental element for the ride, to
heat stress.
The aluminium swingarm with reinforcement
truss has been sized specifically to support the asymmetrical stresses caused
by lateral positioning of the shock absorber.
The rigidity of the swingarm sets new standards for the class.
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