Colin Edwards didn’t ride an RSV in World Superbike, but he did ride for Aprilia Cube in Moto GP, and this edition of the talented v-twin Aprilia was inspired by their unfortunately troubled GP efforts.
The Mille was designed to compete in races and in the showroom against, and grab a slice of Ducati’s v-twin pie, the RSV didn’t simply mimic their formula. Instead of the standard 90° twins usually chosen for sporting twins because of their inherent smoothness, Aprilia contracted with Rotax to build a more compact 998cc 60° motor that allowed more freedom to position the engine in the RS250-derived frame for optimum handling. Twin balance shafts were included to smooth the engine and keep vibrations to an acceptable level.
The bulbous fairing and jet-exhaust and stealth-fighter paint certainly look like nothing else on the road, but provide better wind protection and more rider comfort than the 916’s sleek fairing, especially for taller riders. Reliability is generally excellent, and service intervals are much longer than Ducati’s of the same period.
The R version saw the inclusion of Öhlins suspension front and rear, with a matching steering damper and forged wheels and a dash of carbon fiber. The Colin Edwards Replica is a bit of a paint-and-tape job compared to the standard R, but that’s no bad thing considering the performance of that machine, although it did include the exhausts you see here, a different airbox, and bigger throttle bodies.
From the original eBay listing: 2003 Aprilia RSV Mille R Colin Edwards Edition
Rennsport Naples is proud to offer this extremely rare 2003 Aprilia RSV Mille R 1000 – Colin Edwards Edition #75 of 460 worldwide! (Only 50 were brought to the States).
This Superbike is ready for the track or your collection.
2 prior owners. (Same family).
100% stock!
Runs and sounds incredible! All maintenance recently done. Clutch and brake fluid is clear.
Stock factory Brembo Brakes.
Stock Ohlin front forks and rear shocks.
Akrapovic titanium Aprilia factory exhaust system.
Carbon Fiber is all over the bike. Front and rear fenders, Air intake panels, Exhaust mounts.
Blue factory OZ racing wheels.
Original undertail and tag mount. Factory grips and bar-ends. Factory mirrors.Have 2 keys and owner manuals.
Rennsport Naples was founded by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. All of the vehicles we sell are clean, smoke free and well maintained.
Call us today to come view this thrilling Aprilia for yourself. (If you are out of the area… Feel free to call for a “on phone complete walkaround”).
We are well versed in door to door shipping of automobiles and motorcycles around the States and will export anywhere in the World
The dual exhausts of this bike are a huge improvement, I think, over the bulky standard single-sided item. Maybe v-twins just look better with twin exhausts?
The Mille managed to blend Japanese build and reliability with Italian style and handling. Basic bikes are fitted with very good components as standard, and represent the cool bike bargain of the decade, unless you’re a collector or a serious track junky. Race-biased performance enhancements of the R model make them ideal for track-rats who want some Italian style and feel on a budget. Race replicas like this Colin Edwards lie at the top end of RSV pricing, but they still represent serious bang for the buck compared to special edition Ducatis.
-tad
While I like the single exhaust on the early Milles, converting to the twin cans with a crossover pipe supposedly improves the midrange. And the V990 already has some sweet midrange. I’ve always liked Ducs and thought of the Milles as an also-ran trying to steal some of Ducati’s market, but Aprilia really had a great street engine with virtually no reliability or maintenance issues. Rotax knows how to put a motor together, problems seem to be pretty minor and rare.
Sloooowwwww! I mean, I guess it is cool that it had radial brakes in 03, but that was about the only good thing about the early Mille. Heavy, and bad handling too. I sent him an offer of $5,000 to sit on a while and flip. We’ll see.
Huh. I’ve no personal experience riding them, but having “bad handling” isn’t a criticism I’ve heard before.
correction: rotax knows how to put together a four stroke motor, the two strokes are hit and miss
I love you Joe! How do you know so much about bikes; you little Kabloona, you.