The Aprilia RS125 is a GP derived replica sport production motorcycle. It is powered by a single cylinder 2-stroke, Nikasil

Nikasil

Nikasil is a trademarked electrodeposited lipophilic nickel matrix silicon carbide coating for engine components, mainly piston engine cylinder liners. It was introduced by Mahle in 1967, initially developed to allow rotary engine apex seals to work directly against the aluminum housing...

 coated aluminium cylinder block, liquid cooled 124.8 cc Rotax

Rotax

BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG , commonly known simply as Rotax, is an Austrian engine manufacturer. It develops and produces four-stroke and advanced two-stroke engines for Bombardier Recreational Products products as well as for motorcycles, karts,...

 engine.

Aprilia

Aprilia

Aprilia is an Italian motorcycle company, one of the seven marques owned by Piaggio, the world's fourth largest motorcycle manufacturer.Aprilia started as a scooter manufacturer, but has more recently come to be known for its race-winning sportbikes...

 has had many Grand Prix

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...

 victories in the 125 cc and 250 cc 2-stroke classes. This racing experience has been used by Aprilia to produce updated and improved versions of the RS125.

RS125R Extrema 1992 to 1995

Aprilia introduced the first RS125 in 1992. It has the distinctive features of having an angular tail section and swept front fairing

Motorcycle fairing

A motorcycle fairing is a shell placed over the frame of some motorcycles, especially racing motorcycles and sport bikes, with the primary purpose to reduce air drag. The secondary functions are the protection of the rider from airborne hazards and wind-induced hypothermia and of the engine...

, square cut headlight unit, three spoke rims, air scoops

Hood scoop

A bonnet/hood scoop is an upraised component on the hood of an automobile that either allows a flow of air to directly enter the engine compartment, or appears to do so. It has only one opening and is closed on all other sides...

 on the upper front middle fairing, Electric starter or kick start

Kick start

Kick start refers to a method of starting an internal combustion engine by pushing a ratcheting lever with one's foot. Kick start mechanisms were almost universally a part of motorcycle engines before the mid-1970s, and were phased out of production over the next twenty years or so as electric...

 on the left hand side and analogue

Analog signal

An analog or analogue signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are...

 gauges.

RS125 1996 to 1998

The RS125 is revised and the R suffix is dropped. The RS retains a lot of the appearances of the previous RS but there are some notable differences. The front air intakes are integrated into the front upper portion of the middle fairing. The headlight unit is rounded and the lip is introduced to the top centre. A digital

Digital

A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...

 gauge is added in place of the temperature gauge.

RS125 1999 to 2005

The RS125 was revised again in 1999 with more rounded and bulbous fairings, five spoke rims and a single air duct on the driver's right hand side. The lip on the headlight unit is increased in size.

RS125 2006 onwards

The RS125 was given completely new fairing styling similar to the RSV 1000R. The most notable features are the angular fairings, two headlight units, digital gauge and multispoke Marchesini-styled rims.

The bike's brakes have also been upgraded,featuring a radial 4-piston brake caliper and braided brake lines.

In 2008,the bikes electronics have been replaced from the usual Nippon-Denso version giving 21 KW/28 HP at the crank to more restrictive Piaggio

Piaggio

Piaggio based in Pontedera, Italy encompasses seven brands of scooters, motorcycles and compact commercial vehicles. As the fourth largest producer of scooters and motorcycles in the world, Piaggio produces more than 600,000 vehicles annually, with five research and development centers, more than...

 electronics, most notably the new CDI and EFI on the Carburettor, putting out only 24 HP at the crank to meet the more stringent EURO3 Emissions standards.

The bike has also been fitted with a vacuum fuel tap on the tank and a new Dell'orto 28PHBH-BD carburettor that features the vacuum pipe extension.

Tuono 1999 to 2005

The RS125 Tuono was introduced in 1999 as a semi naked version of the RS125. Production ran until 2005 and was subsequently dropped from the line-up.

The Tuono was essentially an RS125 with the middle and lower portions of the fairings absent and a handlebar fitted on the top yoke.

Race replica colour schemes

Throughout the history of the RS125, various race replica colour schemes and tributes of various racers have been available, from Haga, Harada, Rossi, Poggiali, Talmacsi, Lorenzo, Biaggi

External links

• RS 125 Official site.