No Reserve – CA Plated 1998 Aprilia RS250

Description

2/23 Update: Abhi and Anthony took this bike out for a longer ride so that you can hear what it sounds like on the open road:

Additional photos of this Aprilia RS250 are available here for your perusal.

In 1994, Aprilia released the RS250, a road-legal replica version of their RSV250. 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.

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 swing-arm. Better still, it came paired with 41mm inverted Marzocchi forks up front and a Sachs monoshock in the back —- both adjustable for preload and rebound damping.

The RS250 remained in production, receiving various updates and tweaks – including a significant revamp in ’98 — before Aprilia pulled the plug on the 250 in 2004. Despite a decade-and-a-half having passed since the last RS left the factory, the track-oriented V-Twins are regarded incredibly highly today. MCN has gone as far as to call the RS250, “Simply one of the very best, least-compromised sports motorcycles money can buy”, and VisorDown more recently stated, “The real problem with the RS250 is that if you want one, a good one, you’re too late.”

This example is VIN: ZD4LDAA000VN000252. Abhi acquired it two months ago from the original owner (who previously sold a zero-mile Aprilia RS125 with us): “I loved that it had a California plate and thought it could make for a fun alternate commuter, but it turns out that a two-stroke on the streets isn’t for me and I don’t have room for a bike that I’d only ride on a weekend every once in a while.”

The original engine failed due to oil starvation in 2001. The original owner ordered a NOS crate motor from Aprilia in September 2001 and had it replaced. The original engine is included in the sale but will need to be rebuilt before it can be used.

The original owner noted that at roughly 10,000 kms, the tachometer started to randomly sweep. He brought it to an Aprilia shop who had him replace the dash with a used unit, but the problem remained. The shop later determined that one of the pins in a connector had come loose, which fixed the problem. The owner kept the second dash installed, so true mileage is unknown but it is estimated to be roughly 12,000 kms. Abhi has put on approximately 200 kms in the last two weeks.

Maintenance:
In preparation for the listing, we had the shop change the oil, the coolant, and the brake fluid. We also swapped out the spark plugs, the fork seals, and the battery. Finally, we serviced the chain and installed new Pirelli Diablo Ross IV tires with date codes of 0922 and 1122.

Olly did the work, he notes the following in his condition report:
Tire Press Front/ Rear: 27/32
Brake % Front/ Rear: 80/80
Hydraulic: NEW
Oil: NEW
Coolant: NEW
Low Beam: OK
High Beam: OK
Turn: OK
Tail Light: OK
Brake Light: OK
Plate Light: OK
Kill: OK
Horn: NONE
Battery: OK

Please note: The passing light button is non-functional and there is no horn installed.

Modifications:
Arrow exhaust.

Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:

Inside of the tank:

The sale includes one key.

Extras:
Spare front fairing.

Stock exhaust.

Spare parts.

Original service and maintenance manuals.

Magazine road test, Ohlins steering damper manual (the bike does not have a steering damper), and a receipt for the replacement motor.

RS250 promotional poster.

Currently located at our facility in Santa Monica, California (please make an appointment for an inspection), this Aprilia is offered on a clean California title with registration current through October 2023.

Have any RS250 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!