APRILIA PICK WINNING DESIGN
14 September 2006 - Aprilia

APRILIA.COM CHOOSES THE WINNING FAIRING DESIGN FOR THE 24 HOURS ‘BOL D’OR’ RACE

Aprilia fans have contributed an amazing 1046 designs to the Aprilia website aprilia.com, suggesting graphics for the RSV 1000 R Factory entered in the ‘Bol d’Or’, the world’s most famous 24 hours motorcycle endurance race, at the Magny Cours circuit on the 16th and 17th September.

The selection process has been long and arduous, but after great deal of debate the prize was awarded to a design inspired by the Aprilia GP 250 of the early ’90s. The winning idea was chosen not only because it is an extremely valid, modern and attractive design, but because it represents an excellent way to celebrate Aprilia’s recent record of 200 wins in Grand Prix motorcycling racing.

The Bol d’Or meeting is the fifth race in the World Endurance Championship calendar. The event regularly attracts around 150,000 spectators and is one of the year’s top happenings for motorcycle racing fans. It is therefore the perfect occasion to celebrate Aprilia’s record number of race victories.

In its brand new livery, the Aprilia RSV 1000 R Factory will be racing in the Superstock class, strictly reserved for production motorcycles. The race will be followed step by step on the aprilia.com website. The Aprilia website will also be launching a brand new game to coincide with the race. The new on-line videogame will let you ‘virtually’ ride Aprilia’s legendary supersport in an attempt to record the fastest possible lap time.

For the last two years, the RSV 1000 R Factory has been the unquestioned top dog in the Superstock class of the World Endurance Championship, winning three out of five races (the Suzuka 8 Hours, the Oschersleben 24 Hours, and the Vallelunga 200 Miles) and clocking up a third place (at the Le Mans 24 Hours). In the process the RSV 1000 R Factory has won itself legendary status for is amazing reliability, and has not suffered a single technical problem in over 67 hours of flat-out racing.
Aprilia Brand Manager Leo Francesco Mercanti handed over the prize for the design competition to the lucky winner, Alessandro Imeri, himself the proud owner of an RSV.

Also, an honorable mention to Daniele Tonoli, whose work was very similar to the one selected, and it left the jury divided for some time before the final decision.

We contacted the winning designer in order to record his immediate reaction to the verdict.

Alessandro, your graphic creation will receive dual recognition: first, it will grace the RSV on the track at Bol d’Or, and then, you will be able to admire it in person in all its glory on the Magny Cours circuit. A great achievement, obtained in a competition with a solid 800 entries from all over the world: what’s your secret?
Rather than a secret, I think we should talk about a recipe made from good intuition, a lot of passion for the world on two wheels, especially Aprilia, and a lot, a lot of luck. Because I am certain that when you win among almost 800 entries, the luck factor is fundamental.

What instruments did you use, and, moreover, how long did it take you to give life to your creation?
Unfortunately, I’m not a computer wiz, so usually I do sketches by hand to see how the finished work will come out. This time, however, I have to thank my friend Fabio Vicenti who, with a lot of patience and skill, created a sketch that was incredibly true to the image that I could clearly see in my head. After finishing the sketch, a few months passed before it was on the street. It was definitely a long time, but when you do something for passion and not for work it’s always like that. And I have to say that the wait made the satisfaction with the finished product even greater.

Was it a totally personal job or was it the result of some collaborative brainstorming?
As I said, the design was mine, but the realization of the project was due to the help of some friends with whom I share this passion. And with some, I also shared the graphic. Yes, because this coloration made some of my friends fall in love and they decided to use it for their Aprilia with some small personalizing touches that separate it very little from the original idea.

You chose to revisit a graphic theme from the past, belonging to an awesome Aprilia from the racing world: what were the motivating factors behind your decision?
Here, too, I feel that it was passion that played a fundamental role, paired with a certain dose of nostalgia and a little healthy patriotism. With this graphic, I wanted to remember a magical time both for Aprilia and for me, when, at the age of 16, I felt like king of the world in the saddle of my 125 GP replica.

In your case, we’d imagine that it was crucial to be able to adopt a graphic that belongs to a notably different body style to that of the RSV. Were there some critical moments?
Surely not all bikes work well with the same graphic, but in this case I believe that the clean lines of the RSV perfectly adapt to the typical cuts of this graphic, giving everything a certain aggressiveness. The design I created is, in my opinion, beautiful also because it’s very simple and not very elaborate. Once you find the right color proportions, the game is over.

How would you judge, in terms of technique and creativity, the other designers’ works?
Among all the entries sent in, I saw many that were creative and very well designed! But also some works, for my tastes, were a little too exotic and elaborate. According to me, simplicity always pays, if the line of the bike is beautiful.

Your passion for design, is it something you cultivate only in your spare time? Or, in some way, does it crossover into your professional life?
No, unfortunately my professional life goes down a different road, while my design hobby was born as a passion and has grown out of necessity. With all of the skids I’ve collected over 15 honorable years as a motorcyclist, I chose to learn to paint rather than make all the garages of the province very wealthy. Certainly, the dream of uniting my passion with work continues.

In your opinion, does an insight and creativity exist in this sector that is totally Italian? If yes, what are its components?
Of course it exists! Italian creativity and style are famous and not only in the motor world. Today the competition is getting much closer, proposing ways that are always more appreciated and sought after in design, but the personality and the maturity of motorcycles like the RSV are there to demonstrate that…Italians do it better!

The graphic art creations in the motorcycle sector represent an intriguing world and at times, it’s undervalued: what are some of the new trends, according to you?
It seems to me that in the racing world, the super-sporty designs affect the street product in a way that is becoming more and more evident. I believe that the graphic art, the aesthetic appeal, is as important as the dynamic capabilities of a bike, especially since today, motorcycling is becoming more a phenomenon of the masses rather than a faith with a few passionate followers. In this sense, I think it’s fundamental that a motorcycle, especially if it’s Italian, must be beautiful to drive, but also and more importantly, very beautiful to look at.

Strong tones against weaker tints, vivid creativity or monochromatic solutions: what is your creed for evaluating a body style?
Aprilia was once famous for its cutting-edge graphics, for the pairing of colors seemingly in contrast. Above all, I remember an AF1 synthesis Sport Pro, from ’89, if I’m not mistaken, which provocatively exhibited an acid green mudguard, in direct contrast to the rest of the graphic art. So much so, that it remains in my memory even after more than fifteen years. That said, I believe there isn’t much to invent. If the line is good, there’s no need for a lot of frills on the graphic level. Of course, when you talk about motorcycle racing, a little color and some contrasts can give great results!

Do you own an Aprilia? What were the motivations for buying one?
Yes, I’ve been driving an RSV since 2001. I wouldn’t want to seem cliché, but I think that Italian bikes have character, and a unique personality. Moreover, I find this bike to be very balanced but at the same time very exciting, and all of that combined with a great reliability. Let’s say that it’s the vehicle that currently most resembles, from my point of view, the ideal sport motorcycle.

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