BikeBoy.org - Aprilia Gearing

Summary: Various gearing for Aprilia V990 models with ratio and RPM comparisons.

The V990 engine that has powered the RSV, RSVR, RST, SL and ETV models is fitted with one primary drive ratio and two alternate gearbox sets, being wide and close. Close ratio boxes have been fitted to all the RSVR and SP models (afaik) and to the Tuono from ’06 models onward (when it was fitted with the ’04 spec RSVR engine). So unlike the Ducati gearing report, this one is quite short and easy to follow.

Primary drive ratio (the gear on the end of the crank and the gear attached to the back of the clutch basket): 31/60 – 1.94:1

Gear	Wide Ratio – Spread 2.93				Close Ratio – Spread 2.56
Gear	Input	Output	Ratio	% Gap	Input	Output	Ratio	% Gap
1	14	35	2.50		15	34	2.27
2	16	28	1.75	30	19	31	1.63	28
3	19	26	1.37	22	20	26	1.30	20
4	22	24	1.09	20	22	24	1.09	16
5	23	22	0.96	12	25	24	0.96	12
6	27	23	0.85	11	26	23	0.88	8

To give an idea of how this works with various sprocket combinations, the following table shows approximate RPM at 120km/h with both gearbox sets. A tyre circumference of 1.95m has been used for these calculations, which is about right for most tyres in the 160 to 190 size range. Realistically this assumption is probably about as accurate as your speedo or tacho, but as an indication of RPM changes with gearing changes, it’s accurate. The two right hand columns also show RPM at 20km/h in first gear. This is simply to give you an idea of how the wide and close ratio boxes affect overall gear spread. I’ve used 15 to 17 tooth front and 40 to 47 tooth rear sprockets for this table. As yet I’m not sure if that covers the range most Aprilia owners would use, so if not please let me know.

FRONT	REAR	RATIO	RPM @ 120 KM/H		RPM @ 20 KM/H
			IN 6TH GEAR		IN 1ST GEAR
			WIDE	CLOSE	WIDE	CLOSE
17	40	2.35	3979	4132	1946	1765
17	41	2.41	4078	4235	1995	1809
17	42	2.47	4178	4339	2043	1853
16	40	2.50	4228	4390	2068	1875
17	43	2.53	4277	4442	2092	1897
16	41	2.56	4333	4500	2120	1922
17	44	2.59	4377	4545	2141	1941
16	42	2.63	4439	4610	2171	1969
17	45	2.65	4476	4648	2189	1985
15	40	2.67	4509	4683	2206	2000
16	43	2.69	4545	4719	2223	2015
17	46	2.71	4576	4752	2238	2029
15	41	2.73	4622	4800	2261	2050
16	44	2.75	4650	4829	2275	2062
17	47	2.76	4675	4855	2287	2073
15	42	2.80	4735	4917	2316	2100
16	45	2.81	4756	4939	2326	2109
15	43	2.87	4848	5034	2371	2150
16	46	2.88	4862	5049	2378	2156
15	44	2.93	4960	5151	2426	2200
16	47	2.94	4967	5158	2430	2203
15	45	3.00	5073	5268	2481	2250
15	46	3.07	5186	5385	2537	2300
15	47	3.13	5299	5502	2592	2350