| After the Second World War, Cavaliere Alberto Beggio started a bicycle production factory at Noale, Italy, in the province of Venice called Aprilia. His son, Ivano Beggio constructed a 50 cc "motorcycle" in 1968, after replacing his father as the chairman. This motorcycle or “moped” was launched under various model names such as Colibrì, Daniela, and Packi, followed by the 1970 motocross bike, Scarabeo. The Scarabeo was available in 50 and 125 cc editions. Later in 1977, Ivan Alborghetti won the Italian 125 and 250 cc motocross championships riding Aprilias. Alborghetti ended the season races with two positions in the third and sixth place at the World Championship in 1978.
Aprilia introduced the Enduro, trials and road bikes in the 50 to 600 cc categories, in 1980, followed by the TL320 trials machines, in 1981, the St 125 road bike in 1983, and the ET 50 in 1984. Aprilia started using the Rotax engine, manufactured by an Austrian company of the same name, from 1985, with the launch of 125 STX and 350 STX models. TRX312M was the first Aprilia to be imported into the United States in 1988, following which the first "mass-production" liquid-cooled trials bike, The Climber was launched. Aprilia produced Italy’s first all-plastic scooter in 1990, the Amico, along with the twin cylinder 125 cc Pegaso in 1992. The Scarabeo brand was re-launched as a scooter with a large diameter wheel based on a four-stroke, four-valve engine in 1993. Other varieties in the similar line-up are the Leonardo, the SR, and the Gulliver.
Alessandro Gramigni won the World 125 Road Racing Championship title on an Aprilia, as also Tommy Ahvala who won the World Trials Championship on an Aprilia Climber in 1992, proving the tenacity of the bikes. Aprilia has won the 125 cc and 250 cc class Grand Prix a total of 124 times, 15 Road Racing World Championship titles, and 16 European speed titles. World champions Biaggi, Capirossi, Gramigni, Locatelli, Sakata, and Rossi started their careers on an Aprilia. Its current flagship models, the 1000cc V-Twin super-bike RSV Mille and the 1000cc V-Twin sport-tourer Falco were launched in 1998. The bikes use an enhanced version of the 1000 cc Rotax engine. |
