With the acquisition by Piaggio, the new President of Aprilia is Roberto Colaninno (President of Piaggio & C.), and the Managing Director is Rocco Sabelli. SpA, to form the world’s fourth largest motorcycle group with 1.5 billion Euro in sales, an annual production capacity of over 600,000 vehicles, and a presence in 50 countries. In 2004 Aprilia was acquired by Piaggio & C. Most of the major motorcycle magazines picked it for the best bike of the year. Most recently, in 2003, Aprilia launched the RSV Mille Tuono which was essentially an RSV Mille with motocross-style high handlebars and only a small headlight fairing. Both of these latter two motorcycles used a variation of the Rotax 1000 cc V-Twin. In 2000 Aprilia launched the 50 cc DiTech (Direct Injection Technology) two stroke engine for scooters which provides high mileage and low emissions, and also the RST Futura, a sport tourer, and the ETV 1000 Caponord an adventure touring motorcycle. In 1999 Aprilia entered World Superbike Championship racing with its RSV Mille, and during 2000, Aprilia acquired Moto-Guzzi and Laverda, both historic heritage Italian marques. Both bikes used a variation of a Rotax 1000cc engine. In 1998 Aprilia launched the RSV Mille, a 1000cc V-Twin Superbike, and the Falco, a 1000cc V-Twin sport tourer with emphasis on sport. Also in 1995 Aprilia launched the two stroke RS 125 and RS 250 sports bikes. In 1995, Aprilia commissioned Philippe Starck to design the Motò which was shown in New York’s Modern Art Museum. Later Aprilia launched more scooters such as the Leonardo, the SR and the Gulliver. In 1993 Aprilia launched a large diameter wheel scooter reusing the name Scarabeo with a four-stroke, four-valve engine. In 1992, Aprilia introduced the Amico LK and the two stroke Pegaso 125, both with catalytic converters. Many world champions started on Aprilia such as Biaggi, Capirossi, Gramigni, Locatelli, Sakata and Rossi.Īlso in the 1990s, Aprilia entered the scooter market starting in 1990 with Italy’s first all-plastic scooter, the Amico. Since then, Aprilia has 124 times won 125 and 250 cc class Grand Prix, 15 Road Racing World Championship titles, and 16 European speed titles. Also in 1992, Tommy Ahvala won the World Trials Championship on an Aprilia Climber. Later, in 1992 Aprilia rider Alessandro Gramigni won the World 125 Road Racing Championship title. In 1990 Aprilia launched the Pegaso 600, a road bike derived from off-road mechanics. Two seasons later, on August 30, 1987, at San Marino Grand Prix in Misano Loris Reggiani's AF1 won the first World Speed Championship.
Aprilia factory rider Philippe Berlatier contended for the trials world championship reaching fifth place, and Loris Reggiani rode an Aprilia GP 250 with Rotax engine to sixth place in the road racing World Championship. In 1986 Aprilia launched the AF1 a small sports model, and the Tuareg a large tanked bike for African rallies like the Dakar Rally.
In 1985 Aprilia launched a 125 STX and 350 STX. In 1985, Aprilia started outsourcing engines for some models to the Austrian company Rotax. In 1984 Aprilia launched an improved model called STX, and an enduro, called the ET 50.
In 1983 Aprilia launched the St 125 road bike. In 1981 Aprilia introduced the T元20 trials machine. In the 1980s Aprilia added enduro, trials and road bikes of between 50 and 600 cc. In 1978 Alborghetti closed the season with two third places in individual races and sixth place in the World Championship. In 1977 Ivan Alborghetti from Milan, Italy won the Italian 125 and 250 cc motocross championships on Aprilias. Produced until the end of the 1970s, the Scarabeo came in 50 and 125 cc versions. Aprilia later produced a motocross bike in 1970 called the Scarabeo. The first production Aprilia mopeds were named Colibrì, Daniela and Packi. Alberto’s son, Ivano Beggio, took over the helm of the company in 1968 and constructed a 50 cc "motorcycle" with a dozen or so collaborators. Aprilia was founded after the Second World War by Cavaliere Alberto Beggio as a bicycle production factory at Noale, Italy in the province of Venice.