Description
Riding Aprilia’s quarter-liter GP mount, Max Biaggi secured back-to-back-to-back world titles in ’94, ’95, and ’96.. Like Paul Smart’s Desmo racer had done for Ducati roughly two decades prior, Max’s success achieved on the RSV250 put Aprilia on the map and helped to establish the small Italian firm as a true contender on the world stage.
Taking advantage of the factory race effort’s triumphs, in 1994 Aprilia released a road-legal replica version of the RSV250 known as the RS250. Powering the RS was a modified version of the liquid-cooled, 249cc, two-stroke, 90-degree V-Twin from Suzuki’s RGV250. The RS’s engine utilized the Suzuki’s 34mm Mikuni flat slide carbs, though it featured its own Aprilia-designed expansion chambers, barrels, air-box, and exhaust system, a revised ignition and ECU, and a higher compression ratio. Building on the already well-designed single-crank V-Twin developed by Suzuki, the changes made in Noale afforded the RS more mid-range power. Married to a six-speed transmission, the RS250’s engine was similar to the motor found in Aprilia’s GP mount, albeit with a bore and stroke of 56mm X 50mm versus the race bike’s square 54mm X 54mm setup. The RS generated 29.5ft-lbs of torque at 10,750rpm and around 70hp at 11,900rpm — just shy of its 12,000rpm redline.
What really made the RS250 special, however, was its chassis design. Derived from the bikes built by Aprilia’s factory race program, the RS250 used a polished alloy twin-spar frame paired with an adjustable magnesium alloy banana swingarm. The trick alloy frame was fitted with 41mm inverted Marzocchi fork and a mono-shock in back — both adjustable for preload and rebound damping.
Rolling on 17-inch, five-arm, cast aluminum rims, the RS250 and its race-bred chassis afforded its rider incredibly sharp handling. Slowing the V-Twin was a set of dual 298mm discs pinched by four-piston Brembo Serie Oro calipers out front and a single 220mm unit bit by a dual-pot caliper in the rear. Its GP-inspired bodywork not only looked the business but gave the RS one very slippery drag coefficient. Tipping the scales at just 310 lbs dry, the RS boasted a top speed of over 130 mph, and a standing quarter-mile time of 12.5-seconds flat.
From 1995 to 1998, Aprilia released a limited number of bikes in unique liveries to commemorate the success it’s riders were having on the track; Biaggi, Tetsuya Harada, Rossi, and Doriano Romboni were all honored. Both 1996 and 1997 models had (two different) Romboni color schemes which paid homage to the Italian’s RSW-2 500s. If you’d like to know more (and can read Italian), check out this write up on the race bikes which inspired this Romboni, here.
This example is VIN: ZD4LD0000VN053993. The seller purchased the bike three and a half years ago and states, “Bought it in ’21 from the original owner who was stationed in Italy in the late ’90s and brought it home to Ohio after deployment. Love this bike. Low mileage, second owner with just the right parts. Rides and sounds the part, especially when the power valve hits.”
The bike is numbered T1040.
During his ownership, the seller has covered approximately 39kms (24 miles). The odometer shows 5,754 kilometers (3,575 miles).
Maintenance:
Per the seller, “Completely gone through in 2022. Carburetor cleaned and synced. All rubber parts inspected and replaced where need be. Power valve serviced. New plugs, filters, fluids and brake pads. New Bridgestone Battlax tires in 2022. New battery 2025.”
Modifications:
“Arrow exhaust system. Steel braided brake lines.”
Battery tender lead.
Tank pad.
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on Bridgestone Battlax Racing Street RS10 tires with date codes of 3822.
The sale includes two keys, stock exhaust, service manuals, and original brake lines.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
“Tank and plastics are damn near perfect. I cannot find a flaw other than dust. Only blemish would be slight corrosion on the collectors.”
Currently located in Carroll, Ohio, this Aprilia is offered on a clean Ohio title. Have any RS250 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
