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All-New KTM V4 Bike Allegedly Spotted but We Believe It Is an Aprilia

The all-new V4 KTM superbike was reportedly caught testing in Spain, but the reports mentioned a rather uncanny resemblance to one of Aprilia’s liter-class machines. Since the preview photos we saw were copyrighted and we cannot show them to you, you’ll have to wait for them to surface on less exposed websites. Then you’ll maybe see why we believe that this is not the actual new KTM, but an Aprilia.
Aprilia Tuono 1100 4 photos
Photo: Aprilia
Aprilia Tuono 1100Aprilia RSV4RRKTM RC8 Carbon
We looked at the low-res spy photos preview and spotted some places where the would-be V4 KTM resembles way too much with Aprilia’s Tuono or RSV4 machines. When the spy photos surface you should be paying attention to the clutch cover and the small piece of the engine which can be seen under the bodywork.

The overall angles of the fairing are a very close match to those of the Tuono or RSV4, and this includes the “nose” of the machine. Some argue that KTM could be that smart as to dress their V4 in a RSV4 fairing with a clutch cover cut and attached to it just to mislead anyone looking at it.

This might of course be true, as we doubt KTM is already in the aerodynamics stage with its new bike, and therefore any sort of “livery” would do, the more misleading and tricky, the better. As for the front cowl, KTM is well-known for the edgy approach of the Kiska designs, and seeing Mattighofen going for round voluptuous shapes all of a sudden is rather hard to swallow. So using an Aprilia front cowl for a consummate masquerade cannot be ruled out.

Front calipers seem closer to what RC8 used

While the rear caliper, swingarm and the exhaust system (including heat shields) seem to be all Aprilia, the front brake calipers seem to be closer to the design of the Brembo units KTM mused for the late RC8.

And the list of resemblances with Aprilia is not over, as we have to add the lower radiator and its mask, which are all Aprilia, just like the entire piece holding together the license holder and rear turn signals. The seat looks different, but the handlebars definitely belong to a bike such as the Tuono, tall and wide, without anything to do with the low clip-ons of sport bikes.

Surely, the rider wearing KTM leathers and a KTM-branded Arai full-face helmet we saw in the spy photos, but this again could be just a part of the misleading game. We’ve attached photos of the two Aprilia we mentioned and one of an RC8, to help you understand how much the design approach differs between the two.
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