Aprilia RSV4 Streetbike Recalled in the USA!

[Matt Bleck]

from http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2010/Feb/100203m.htm

Yikes! Aprilia is recalling certain models of their brand new RSV4 streetbike, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Association.

In our experience, any connecting rod problem that leads to a "loss of control" is very, very ugly, potentially lethal and usually a serious bitch to clean up if not repair.

The bulletin on the NHTSA site (not found on the Aprilia USA site):

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
APRILLA / RSV4 2010
Manufacturer: PIAGGIO USA, INC. Mfr's Report Date: JAN 25, 2010
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 10V029000
N/A
NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Potential Number of Units Affected: 335
Summary:

PIAGGIO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 APRILIA RSV4 "FACTORY¿ AND RSV4 "R" MOTORCYCLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JULY 2, 2009, AND OCTOBER 30, 2009. IN MANUFACTURING THE CONNECTING RODS, A PROCESS WAS USED TO STRAIGHTEN THE ROD IN ORDER TO MEET SPECIFICATIONS. THIS PROCESS INTRODUCED STRESSES INTO THE RODS WHICH GREATLY AFFECTED STRENGTH AND RELIABILITY.

Consequence:

CONNECTING RODS IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES COULD FAIL AND CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE THAT COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, RESULTING IN A CRASH, PERSONAL INJURY, OR DEATH.
Remedy:

PIAGGIO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE ENGINES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY 28, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PIAGGIO AT 1-212-380-4431.
Notes:

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

[mashman]

Eeeeeek, will these guys ever learn!!!

More info from AF1 in the US

http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/s...d.php?t=196419

[Pixie]

I never heard a 5 ft length of pipe called "a process" before

[Elysium]

Aprilia sure have had shit luck in terms of image with this bike from the number of crashes riders suffered when they debut the bike on a wet track to this problem with connecting rods.

[Sensei]

At least they relise there is a fault with the Rod's that some other company has made for them on the first run of motor's & done something about it !! . They are replacing the whole motor with a new unit ECU wiring etc & have added a bonus gift etc to those that have been effected by this problem , alot more than any other brands have done or admitted to .

[sosman]

Didn't a bunch of em break down on a journal press release launch..... at Mugello?

[Elysium]

Didn't a bunch of em break down on a journal press release launch..... at Mugello?

I think that was the same thing I was talking about but I think the track was very wet at the time and had to can the thing when too many riders lost control. I was in a NZ bike mag, can't remember which.

At least they relise there is a fault with the Rod's that some other company has made for them on the first run of motor's & done something about it !! . They are replacing the whole motor with a new unit ECU wiring etc & have added a bonus gift etc to those that have been effected by this problem , alot more than any other brands have done or admitted to .

Any other manufactur would have to do the same thing when your talking about important components like connecting rods.

[FruitLooPs]

I think that was the same thing I was talking about but I think the track was very wet at the time and had to can the thing when too many riders lost control. I was in a NZ bike mag, can't remember which.


Any other manufactur would have to do the same thing when your talking about important components like connecting rods.

Wasn't the wet, apparently 5 test bikes suffered conrod failure

"“The launch bikes were pre-production machines with just 300km on the clock. Aprilia found the problem very quickly and traced it to a manufacturing fault with a batch of con rods."

"“No production bikes have been produced yet, so this problem should remain an isolated problem on these 30 launch bikes."

hah, well thats not quite the case now ..

"On all of them, we’ve found a crack in the forged conrod. The machined big end hole is slightly off-centre, so one side of the rod is thinner than the other and that’s where the crack has occurred.

[cs363]

It will be interesting to see if any of the affected bikes came to NZ and how quickly the NZ distributor responds (and how), given the other posts/threads on this forum about their service and warranty.......

[pritch]

Don't know about you guys, but I've never even set eyes on an Aprilia V4. This isn't in quite the same league as the recent Toyota recalls.

[cs363]

Don't know about you guys, but I've never even set eyes on an Aprilia V4. This isn't in quite the same league as the recent Toyota recalls.

I've seen a few around, not sure of sales figures in NZ though ( Probably seen the same one several times, truth be known...) but yes, certainly nothing like Toyota or Honda's recent car issues!
Mind you anyone that purchased a Toyota Pious, oops I mean Prius deserves what they get....... don't start me on the hybrid vehicle scam....(don't know what I'm on about? Spend some time on Google, here's just one example: http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=24899)