Honda had dibs and let it slide away. Vmax is a monster too. Its a great layout and sounds amazing with headers. I SAY GOOD FOR THEM AND A GOOD MOVE. It will certainly move Aprilia out of the Ducati shadow and into its own light.
I'm too lazy right now to dig out old buyer's guides. But off the top of my head, and using 1990 as a reference point (that seems long enough for a "long, painful death"), here's some impressions:
Ducati - still building them, and I suspect selling more than in 1990.
Buell - definitely selling more
Moto Guzzi - dunno.
Suzuki - had no V-Twin sporter in 1990, IIRC. Selling loads of SV-650S's now.
Kawasaki - none in '90, none now, for a net decline of none.
Yamaha - ditto
Honda - I think they might have had a 250 V-twin back then. Got the RC51 now. Bet that's been selling better.
Aprilia - none in 1990, several models now. In a classic display of kpaul's patented "Absurd-Unwarranted-Conclusion-From-Evidence-Presented Misdirection Ploy", there is nothing in his link to indicate that Aprilia is abandoning the V-Twin models (in a related story, kpaul reports that Coke has introduced Vanilla Cherry Coke, signalling the death of regular Coca-Cola.)
The idea that a brain that works as illogically as yours is apparently involved in the production of commercial aircraft is frightening.
Suzuki discontinued the its two V-Twin TL1000 (i think) sport bikes a few years ago. SV aren't really sportbikes i.e. race replica bikes. RC51 doesn't sell well and doesn't race anymore.. Ducati is getting it's butt kicked in AMA...Doing better this year in WSB where the Twins still enjoy a rules advantage. Last year Ducati got it's butt kicke last year in WSB . I think Baylis is a great a rider but the superior inline 4s will win the championship in the end. MotoGuzzis are sport bikes, race replicas, are they? Buells fail to complete the Daytona 200... Also enjoy a huge rules advantage in AMA Formula extreme..
What series are you talking about? AMA? don't think so. WSB? maybe but they still enjoy a rules advantage.. RC51 doesn't race anymore. Betya Aprilia will race the V-4 in WSB...
Using your definition, "sportbikes i.e. race replica bikes", it just so happens that Aprilia's best sportsbike is a V-Twin: the SXV. This bike is very competitive in the World Supermoto Championship (and Van Den Bosch is a world-class racer).
Frankly, cylinder configuration is pretty low on the criteria I use to make a purchasing decision. And in case you're wondering, my current bike has an inline four...big whoopdeedoo.
Ducati is still winning races against I-4s with their 999 last I remember, and I'm sure that if Honda made an updated RC51 that it could be competetive again (It's still their most expensive sport bike already from what I remember). The only problem is people have taken the path of least resistance to the highest amount of horsepower, and that's the I-4. But I can gaurantee you that V-Twin sport bikes will never disappear as long as there are twin fanatics, and the same applies to I-4s or any other configuration.
There are two Ducatis in the top eight in World Superbike, and none of the other manufacturers have more in the top 8 and in the top 10 suzuki has 3 (1,9-10). What's the point of asking which series? It'd be like saying that "v-twin sport bikes are disappearing", it's just another grasp for a reality that doesn't exist by kpaul.
I'd be willing to bet he isn't directly involved in producing anything. Since I know a bit more about him than he thinks, I'll lay any amount on that bet.
Why do you always get personal longride? Actually I am on the frontlines...email me directly so we can have a chat before you go down this slippery slope..Any case I don't see why this has anything to do about Aprilias V-4 and the decline of V-2s. Does it?
I'm afraid that you'd loose that bet longride. Just review the last several thousand threads on this site and you will find that he has produced enough BS to fill a fleet of oil tankers
with his much touted "environmentally friendly" fuel.
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