Born Again

After seeing our "MonoGP" story (December, 2007) that highlighted three Japanese 450cc MXers converted into roadracers, the folks at Aprilia said, "Super Single? Paah! We'll make it one cylinder better!" Aprilia commissioned Roland Sands Design—maker of the MonoGP bikes—to build a roadracer based on the 2007 SXV 450 V-Twin supermoto bike, which, for a variety of reasons, didn't meet DOT/EPA requirements for street legality in the U.S. ('08 and '09 models do, however). Heck, the SXV already comes with nice, wide, 17-inch wheels wearing Dunlop D208s and an oversized front brake!

To accomplish the supermoto-to-roadracer conversion, all plastic bodywork and fenders were stripped, then custom brackets for the RSD fairing, fuel tank, tailsection and rearsets were fabricated. Race Tech handled shortening and revalving of the suspension.

I headed north of Los Angeles to the Streets of Willow Springs Raceway to meet the RSD crew for a test ride. Obviously, even this rocking 450cc Twin doesn't pump out big power compared to a typical 600cc sportbike. But what it loses in grunt is countered by a combination of low weight and excellent handling, which gives this track-only machine the ability to carry tremendous corner speed.

According to Aprilia, a limited number of leftover '07 SXVs will be converted by RSD into roadracers on a built-to-order basis for less than $12,000.