Aprillia RST1000

LIVING WITH THE FUTURA
Comparing the Futura to other sports tourers isn't really fair, but will always happen as it shares many similar attributes with the likes of the mighty VFR800, and yet deep inside the Aprilia is a heart of a real sports machine. The chassis being little different to the Mille with just a few social niceties added to make life a shade more comfortable for long distance use and a beefier front end to improve stability. The angular bodywork may look awkward but at speed it comes into its own, having been extensively wind tunnel tested the rider and passenger are left unflustered by the windblast, which in turn, allows for stress free and sustained high speed travelling. This is handy, as, with a shade over five gallons of fuel on board, the Futura can keep on going and going, uninterrupted by pesky fuel stops.

With hefty, upside down, Showa forks holding the front end in check, and capable single Sachs unit performing the same task in the stern, handling is never brought into doubt; it's a firm ride ideal for fast, sweeping corners. The Futura is happiest when braking into bends, the sure footed front end offers bags of confidence to rider and passenger, few other machines share the RST's poise.
If the Aprilia's chassis is the icing on the cake, then the motor is the cherry on top. It's a V-twin alright, but not in the same vein as a DucatL The Mille engine has its cylinders spaced a mere 60 degrees apart and also has twin balance shafts making it feel more like an inline four than a thumping Vee. Fuel injection is absolutely spot on too, you can easily let the revs drop off the scale in top gear, taking it as low down as 2500rpm before opening the taps and off it goes again; it greatly reducing the amount of gearshifts needed per journey which, in turn, reduces fatigue. With 114bhp, and ?lft-lb of torque, to hand you can bet the Futura can get itself away from the scene pretty damn quick, easily reaching its top speed of 160mph even when two up. Just magic.



HISTORY: First introduced in 2001, the Futura's looks were a little too futuristic for many riders to stomach, but now with so many other manufacturers, Honda, BMW et al, going down the same angular, linear, spaceship styling road, it made perfect sense. Underneath that weird exterior beat the heart of the RSV Mille sports bike, albeit slightly detuned for more manageable touring use, and with that move, Aprilia created a real alternative to the usual sports touring mounts like the VFR800 and FJR1300. There was little new about this machine, on paper it looks like most others, but this really is a case of the end result being greater than the sum of the parts. Little things like the under seat exhausts allowing for clean fitment of panniers and rear view mirrors providing a highly visible home for the front indicators showed a clear thought process and focused design brief. It was typical of the thinking involved from the outset with the Futura and the end result is ergonomic heaven, and sheer riding bliss.

A relatively short wheelbase of just 1435mm, and a low all up weight, keeps the big and bulky looking machine firmly on the agile side of the fence, a space occupied by just a handful of machines in the touring category. The type disappeared from the Aprilia line-up for 2006 leaving just the Honda VFR, Ducati's ST and the Triumph Sprint ST to fly the flag for sporting tourers.