The Aprilia RST1000 Futura is a

sport touring motorcycle A sport touring motorcycle (sometime a "sports-tourer") is a type of motorcycle that combines the performance of a sport bike with the long-distance capabilities and comfort of a touring motorcycle. The first sport-tourer is said to be the fully ...

that was produced by

Aprilia Aprilia is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded immediately after World War II in Noale, Italy, by Alberto Beggio. The company started as a manufacturer of bicycles and moved on to manufacture scooters and small-capacity motorcycles. ...

from 2001 to 2004. It is equipped with a 113 horsepower (85 kW)

four-stroke A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...

60°

V-twin A V-twin engine, also called a V2 engine, is a two-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. Although widely associated with motorcycles (installed either transversely or longit ...

engine with electric-start,

liquid cooling Liquid cooling refers to cooling by means of the convection or circulation of a liquid. Examples of liquid cooling technologies include: * Cooling by convection or circulation of coolant, including water cooling * Liquid cooling and ventilatio ...

and electronic

fuel-injection Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines. All compr ...

. The engine is broadly similar to that fitted to the Aprilia SL1000 Falco. With its hard-shelled panniers, the Futura was intended to compete with the similarly styled

Honda VFR800 The Honda VFR800 (Interceptor) is a sport touring motorcycle made by Honda since 1998. The model was the successor to the VFR750F and shares the V4 engine configuration with the Honda VF and VFR series. Fifth Generation: 1998–2001 VFR800Fi ( ...

, but poor sales and Aprilia's worsening financial position led to the Futura's demise. Production ended in 2003, although the bike remained in the range until 2005.

Design

The Futura incorporated an aluminium-alloy, double-parallel-beam frame with a single-sided swinging arm. Transmission is ''via'' a six-speed gearbox and chain-final drive. Other features included CDI

dual ignition Dual Ignition is a system for spark-ignition engines, whereby critical ignition components, such as spark plugs and magnetos, are duplicated. Dual ignition is most commonly employed on aero engines,Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, ...

system using two spark plugs per cylinder,

dry sump A dry-sump system is a method to manage the lubricating motor oil in four-stroke and large two-stroke piston driven internal combustion engines. The dry-sump system uses two or more oil pumps and a separate oil reservoir, as opposed to a conve ...

lubrication, mixed gear/chain timing, (AVDC) double-balance countershaft, and power-assisted hydraulic-controlled clutch, with a patented Pneumatic Power Clutch" (PPC) to simulate a

slipper clutch A slipper clutch ''(also known as a back-torque limiter)'' is a specialized clutch with an integrated freewheel mechanism, developed for performance-oriented motorcycles to mitigate the effects of engine braking when riders decelerate. The main pu ...

to control rear-wheel bounce during sudden deceleration. The Futura's dry weight is 210 kg (463 lb). The chief designer in charge of the project was Pierluigi Marconi. He would design the Futura around the same motor used in the

Mille Mille can refer to: People * Constantin Mille, Romanian journalist and politician * Mathieu Mille, French ice hockey player Places * Mille Lacs County, Minnesota * Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. * Mille River, a tributary of the Awash River i ...

, a 998cc DOHC 60 degree V-twin. Among major changes from the Mille were the single side swing arm and undertail exhaust used to retain space for the hard sided luggage. Marconi also specified an increase in the electrical generator in order to cope with accessories that touring riders were sure to add. Electrical capacity was increased by 30% over that of the Mille. Marconi directed his design team to spend an extensive amount of time on the exhaust system. The result was that it did not heat up the seat as other undertail exhausts did. It also passed Euro 1 standard emissions without the catalytic converter. The design team moved to supplier Sagem to provide the fuel injection and intake systems. Marconi would later quit to work with Benelli and then later Gas-Gas. It is his leaving Aprilia that caused promised updates like ABS and power outlets to never materialize on the Futura.

Reception

The bike's large, angular shape divided critics: some thought it was innovative and made it "look like an

F-117 The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft developed by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational air ...

" while others said it was just too bulky. MCN reviewed the Futura, saying: "The Aprilia RST1000 Futura is desperately underestimated, sadly short lived and now a potential bargain. Aprilia’s ambitious rival for Honda’s polished VFR sports-tourer is able, well-specced and potent".

References

{{Aprilia motorcycles RST1000 Futura Sport touring motorcycles Motorcycles introduced in 2001