I covered the evolution of Aprilia’s RSW-2 GP twins in a previous column – 1997 Aprilia RSW-2 | Twin-cylinder 500 GP Aprilia – so won’t go into detail here. Suffice to say that seven years of effort brought respectable results but no victories.
Tetsuya Harada’s Aprilia RSW-2
Tetsuya Harada and team-mate Jeremy McWilliams between them scored eight top-ten places in 2000 (including two thirds by McWilliams) for 14th and 16th overall.
By 2000 the bike was making over 145 hp at 11,750 rpm and was fitted (since ’99) with RAVE electronic exhaust valves and indirect fuel injection. Bore and stroke was 72.8 x 60 mm, while carburettors were Dell’Orto VHSD 42 mm units. A full carbon swing-arm was used and the bike weighed 110 kg dry.
Tetsuya Harada’s Aprilia RSW-2
The bike seen here is Tetsuya Harada’s 2000 machine – the final version of the RSW-2.
Phil Aynsley sadly passed away in 2023 after a life spent travelling the world photographing many of the rarest and most beautiful motorcycles ever made. We are proud to continue showcasing his catalogue of work on MCNews.com.au.
