Different strokes for different folks: RSV4 1100 under the skin of 2-stroke Aprilia RS250 tribute

A French biker has combined over 20 years of Aprilia performance heritage by transforming his RSV4 1100 superbike into a bespoke tribute to two-stroke RS250.

Fifty-year-old Gwenael Barthélémy, originally from Brittany, got the inspiration for the bike in the early noughties during a ride along the banks of Lake Como in Italy, when he stumbled across a V-twin Aprilia RSV1000 wearing a white RS250 fairing.

“I am very proud of the finished result,” Barthélémy told MCN. “This was not an easy plan to make happen, with different people all working on the same project. You risk losing some consistency, but this build proved really successful.”

Despite being an amateur, the now Swiss resident has overseen eight builds since 2016 – coming up with the ideas himself before working with friends and workshops to bring them to life.

“I design my projects before asking [others] to create what I need. Easy, right? Not really, as it took me a lot of time to find the right people.”

Barthélémy has called this build the RS/V4 and whilst the exterior may have been altered to remember the past, what lies underneath is a thoroughly modern 214bhp superbike.

Being a ‘Factory’ version, it also gets an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for lean sensitive electronics – all controlled via the switchgear and colour TFT dash.

Also helping you stay in control of all that power are fully adjustable manual Öhlins NIX forks and fully adjustable monoshock. But what about the nostalgic RS250 bodywork?

Geneva-based Carrosserie Corbex SA provided headlight brackets, plus the red, black, and grey livery. Apiata Metal Shaping in France adapted the RS250’s headlamp to work with the RSV4’s loom.

Elsewhere, Carbone Junkie worked on the RS fairings, as well as creating carbon fibre air scoops to feed the RSV4 engine.

When asked if there were any plans to turn the RS/V4 into a production-ready kit, Barthélémy said: “That would be great, but I already have my family, my job and not enough time to work on my bikes!”

Barthélémy’s RS250 RSV4 in detail

Full fibre: Bolted to the braced swingarm is a wrap-around carbon mudguard, inspired by another project that transformed an RS125 into an RSW 500 MotoGP rep. It had to be widened to fit the 200-section rear tyre.

Paint it black: The livery is almost entirely painted rather than decals. Only the lion graphic on the front fairing and Aprilia logos have been stuck on.

Take a seat: Swiss firm Biman Bike Concept produced the saddle to work with the rounded seat unit.

Old and new: One of the many neat touches on this build are the mirrors – the RSV4’s modern units with integrated indicators bolted into the RS250 bodywork.

History lesson: The Aprilia RS250 this bike pays tribute to was a two-stroke sportsbike produced between 1994 and 2004, which used a 249cc V-twin engine.