Aprilia RS250 Chesterfield

Back in those rose tinted days of the ultimate 2 stroke 250cc GP racer replicas, Aprilia dominated the 1990’s and the ’00’s. A road going Aprilia race replica was every young riders dream bike. I worked holidays from the age of 13 so I could save enough for an Aprilia 50cc AF1 Reggiani replica, which was replaced by an Extrema 125 RS. The next step would have been the RS250, however life (University) intervened and it was not to be, but the desire to one day own one never diminished. I sold my RS175 (yes it seized and was replaced with a Malossi 175cc engine kit) in 1996, the same year as the ‘green pin stripe’ Chesterfield was released.

The 1996 Aprilia RS250 Chesterfield Mk1 was the racing replica tribute to the 250GP Aprilia racer that took Max Biaggi to three consecutive World Championships from 1994-1996.

Fast forward 24 years (and many RS250 enquiries over that time), it’s fitting that finally, a 1996 Mk1 RS250 Chesterfield becomes available with a mere 2,647 miles, this dealer pre registered +1 lady owner example is meant to be.

It’s for sale at a motorcycle dealer advertising on Ebay. I call, and by the end of the day the deed is done. When I go to collect two days later, I am shown a long list of prospective buyers who have left their numbers should the sale fall through. A scrutineering walk around the bike reveals that at some point in it’s low mileage life it has been down on its left side, this is evidence by a randomly placed sticker on the tail fairing and a non genuine decal on the front side fairing which by the looks of it must have received a new panel back in the day for which I’m grateful. Otherwise, the running gear looks as new, brakes, callipers, suspension look to have been nurtured and the right hand side of the bike is unmarked. The ultra low mileage engine should still be good for some time still along with all the running components.

Goodrich hoses another bonus when the bike was recommissioned and MOT’d by the previous owner in 2007 after sitting in the garage unused for a few years…where it subsequently went back to being unused.
Hello! What’s this hiding?

I have to wait until I get home to find out what that sticker may be hiding…

A full history with no gaps is always wonderful to find. The original sales brochure a bonus!

I can’t wait to check over the rest of the bike and enjoy taking her for a trip down memory lane. The current Covid 19 lockdown means that for now she remains on SORN. Meanwhile the 3 month warranty that came with the bike is slowly counting down to nothing!!!