Aprilia SL 1000 Falco R

Biking in the pure state. A new concept twin in a light-sports version aimed at all those who identify with the pleasure of a sporty but not extreme ride. The quest for sensations and thrills, where the machine's rationality and versatility guarantee performance, safety, handling, exclusivity and comfort. The updated year 2002 model with a new R version.

The Aprilia SL 1000 FALCO R incorporates all the sports and performance concepts typical of Aprilia motorbikes, but creates a new and effective mix for an easy, enjoyable machine, fascinating in every shape and detail. A bike with bags of character and a powerful and generous heart, capable of delivering maximum power with incredible riding ease and control in any situation.

The Aprilia SL 1000 FALCO R is the bike for the pure enthusiast who rides for passion and fun, for all those who want to avoid the monotony of the motorways and seek out the side roads, especially the windy ones or in the mountains.

A rediscovery of the pure "primitive" and sincere pleasure of biking. A quest for harmony between machine, rider and the surrounding landscape. The thrill that comes not so much from the lap time, as from the motorbike's flexibility, for "light" medium-range touring. A motorbike where the riding pleasure is always as great as the performance.

The design concept guiding the development of the motorbike was to create a "light sports" bike, combining the best characteristics typical of motorbikes in the segment (extremely easy and safe sporty ride, good handling, easy and enjoyable to ride and adequate comfort, even with a passenger) with a highly personal and innovative design.

The SL 1000 FALCO R thus stands out for its design and its less extreme use in respect to the RSV 1000, while being less "touring" if compared with the RST Futura.

The design has modern and original lines, attractive in their essentiality. There are few plastic fairing elements, making the motorbike "light" (even visually).

The half fairing leaves all the technical elements in view, from the frame to the engine and mechanical components.

The aluminium frame (in the new black coloring) and swingarm have been designed and produced especially for the FALCO, both in design and construction, although the general style of the motorbike is the same as the RSV 1000 and there are precise and distinctive elements giving a "family feeling" in many aspects of the design (such as the triple front lighting assembly).

From the RSV 1000, the new SL undoubtedly inherits its high performance personality, earning it a position as the most "sporty" light sports model on the market. The exceptional fluidity of the highly successful 60° V twin engine, optimised for this type of use by new injection regulation mapping, delivers 118 HP to the shaft, an impressive amount of power which is made even more high performance and efficient by the sophisticated mechanics.

The lightness of the SL 1000 FALCO R also derives from its "naked" essentiality: the burnished engine, the black aluminium frame and the refined components are in full view, giving this motorbike a special fascination and personality.

As for every Aprilia product, the sophisticated and personal design of the SL 1000 FALCO has been developed by lengthy and meticulous wind tunnel testing, optimising not just the coefficient of penetration, but also the impact of the rider with the air flows.

All this, together with an equally in-depth ergonomic study - from the general dimensions to the riding position - reduces fatigue to a minimum and multiplies the control, safety and comfort (also for the passenger) of the motorbike.

Helping give this new version an even more exclusive and "racing" look are the new graphics (dark frame, two-color fairing and tank) and a series of important details such as the Ergal screws fixing the fairing.

As well as giving the bike an original and exclusive look, aerodynamically integrated with the overall design, the front triple optical assembly gives the SL 1000 FALCO even more personality and is an important active safety element. The three high efficiency parabolas, scientifically designed by computer, guarantee exceptional visibility. The control to adjust the height of the light beam is also practical and functional.

Characterised by fascinating and sinuous lines, perfectly integrated with the rear optical assembly, the unmistakable "tail" of the SL 1000 FALCO has a practical ergonomically-designed rear handle, which also acts as a spoiler. A roomy glove compartment completes the comfort and practicality of this motorbike, a further exclusive detail for a truly multipurpose "sports" bike.

Also worthy of note are the very low level of vibrations and long range, guaranteed by a 21 litre tank (including four litre reserve), two other important and distinctive factors which increase the bike's comfort and functionality.

The SL 1000 FALCO R engine is the same as that fitted in the supersports RSV, with a major revision of the injection mapping and tuning to optimise performance for the less extreme riding style of the SL use, improving usability and evenness when functioning at low revs. It delivers 118 HP to the shaft at 9,500 r.p.m. and a maximum torque of 9.75 kgm at 7,000 r.p.m.

As in the RSV 1000, the decision to use a 60° V twin engine originated from the need for a light, compact engine to avoid having to compromise the design of the mechanical components in any way with less than optimal technical solutions and weight distribution.

Furthermore, the twin engine (typical of the European motorcycling tradition) also maximises riding pleasure, combining perfectly with the mechanical and handling characteristics of the SL 1000 FALCO.

We can therefore find all the technical characteristics which have made the RSV 1000 famous and well-appreciated:

• longitudinal 60° V twin engine (short and compact for optimum positioning inside the frame); timing with four valves per cylinder and double cam shaft in the cylinder head, controlled by a mixed chain and gear system;
• electronic fuel injection system with dynamic air intakes; 51 mm diameter throttle bodies and continuous self-diagnostic system with display of any system anomalies on the dashboard;
• CDI type ignition with a TSI (Twin Spark Ignition) system using two spark plugs per cylinder. Ignition is controlled by the engine's integrated control system which also controls injection
• dry crank case lubrication using a second recovery trochoidal pump and an external oil reservoir (as well as a radiator located in front of the engine). The external oil reservoir consists of a single aluminium casting to guarantee maximum seal, constructional quality and improved cooling. With the dry crankcase system, the engine block can be more rigid and compact than with a "wet crankcase" system, totally eliminating the risk of poor engine lubrication during sudden acceleration/declaration, falls, or wheelies;
• mixed gear/chain timing. The pair of gears (one for each timing chain) in the engine block enables the size of the cylinder heads to be reduced;
• Further confirmation of the exclusive technology comes from the exclusive Aprilia patents used in the SL 1000 FALCO R:
• the AVDC (anti-vibration double countershaft) double balancing countershaft system, based on an anti-vibration countershaft rotating in the opposite direction to the engine shaft, balancing the first order forces. The momentum generated by the countershaft is in turn balanced by a second smaller countershaft inside the cylinder head. As is well-known and appreciated, the use of this technique results in an engine with excellent power, torque and output characteristics and extremely low vibrations;
• the power-assisted hydraulic controlled clutch covered by the PPC (Pneumatic Power Clutch) patent to control rear wheel bounce. During sudden deceleration, the weight of the motorbike is transferred repeatedly onto the front end, lightening the rear of the motorbike. This phenomenon, accentuated in high powered twins by the high "engine braking" effect, produces so-called "rear wheel bounce", in other words, the tendency for the rear wheel to lock and leave the ground, compromising the stability of the motorbike and thus also its performance and safety. The Aprilia patented system, already used in the RSV 1000, exploits the pressure variations occurring in the intake pipes when the throttle opens and closes to lighten the pressure on the clutch springs, and consequently reduce the engine braking effect on the rear wheel.

The operating logic is both simple and effective. A tube connects the intake pipe to a "reservoir" located alongside the clutch assembly in such a way that the drop in pressure arising when the throttle closes reduces the pressure exerted by the springs on the disks. When the throttle reopens, the clutch again operates under normal pressure conditions, thus transferring the full power to the rear wheel.

The system also enables the force on the handlebar lever to be reduced when the motorbike is operating at low revolutions.

One of the distinctive characteristics of the Aprilia SL 1000 FALCO R is the exhaust system with two silencers made entirely from stainless steel (to guarantee a long working life and the stability of its characteristics over time), fitted with catalytic converter in line with EURO 2 limits.

The position and volume of the terminals was determined after in-depth aerodynamic and ridability analyses. The system chosen:

• guarantees the equilibrium of the motorbike;
• ensures low noise levels;
• does not generate irritating turbulence at high speed;

In line with tradition, the frame and mechanics are a tribute to Aprilia's know-how and the maximum expression of the company's philosophy.

The splendid frame consists of a double beam of bent parallel aluminium and magnesium alloy extrusions (DOUBLE TWIN BEAM) guaranteeing the highest coefficient of torsional rigidity in its class.

After in-depth studies, the simple and refined appearance enables the welding of the frame to be drastically reduced. The advantages include considerably lower tensions in the frame, a reduction in tolerances, improved engine cooling and an overall increase in constructional quality.

The rear swingarm, also in aluminium and magnesium alloy, has a cast shell-shaped central section with extruded arms and forged terminals. It represents the best possible solution for an optimum relationship between lightness and torsional rigidity. The design is also aimed at achieving the best possible weight/rigidity ratio.

The result is riding precision and a prompt response to commands, partly as a consequence of the optimum weight distribution: 49% at the front, 51% at the rear.

• Showa upside-down front suspension with 43 mm diameter sleeves. External hydraulic system for regulating rebound, compression and preload;
• Sachs rear suspension, adjustable in rebound and preload, with APS (Aprilia Progressive System) progressive linkage;
• Brembo Oro braking system, with sintered pads both front and rear and Freudenberg brake tubes (guaranteeing performance and characteristics on a par with braided tubes);
• removable aluminium saddle mount frame;
• aluminium instrument mount;
• aluminium footrest mounts;
• removable ergonomic rear passenger handle, also acts as a built-in spoiler, perfectly integrated into the refined design of the rear tail;
• digital-analogue multi-function dashboard incorporating injection auto-diagnosis and chronometer with 40 memories, operated by the passing signal (flash of headlight);
• the multifocal "free-form" front headlight is made from plastic to ensure lightness and optimum weight balance in a critical zone for ridability. It can easily be adjusted both vertically and horizontally and uses three H7 55 Watt halogen bulbs, two top main beam bulbs and one bottom dipped beam bulb. There is also a convenient and functional control inside the front fairing to easily and rapidly regulate the height of the entire lighting assembly (and thus also the light beam).