Did Aprilia release any production Type EU Sintesi bikes with a number 6 on the tail piece (Reggiani) or were all bikes number 4’s (De Radigues)?
On Aprilia's own workshop manual it features the Sintesi version 1 (type EH) and the version 2 (type EU), on closer inspection the type EU features a number 6 on the tail unit like the type EH Reggiani relplica.
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| Image from the official Aprillia workshop manual |
Digging a little deeper the number change happened to reflect the changing of Aprilia's sponsored GP riders and the need to sell was being raced at the time.
Making its debut at the 1988 Bologna Motor Show, Aprilia presented the updated type EU Sintesi Replica 125 motorcycle featuring the number 6 on the seat unit, this was to reflect their then sponsored rider Loris Reggiani who ran that number in 1988 season. However, after finishing 13th in the 88 season Aprilia did not renew the teams contract and the rider switched to Honda. For the 89 season Aprilia replaced Reggiani with the Belgian Didier De Radigues. As the new rider came from the 500cc class to the 250cc class he did not have a race number frpm the previous season so was assigned the race number 4. To reflect their new rider Aprilia changed the tail number from 6 to 4 on the Replica model for production versions, however some bikes were sold as Reggiani '6' bikes in the first few months of 1989 but are extremely rare.
This would also explain why the De Radigues Replica bikes are technically in the 88 Reggiani colours rather than the revised 89 colours as at this point the bikes were probably already made or at the minimum some body panels would of been painted ready for assembly.
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| 1988 Reggiani race bike |
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| 1989 De Radigues race bike |
If you have a genuine number 6 type EU please leave a message bellow as I would love to see it!
Many thanks to the contributors of the Aprilia AF1 page on facebook and 125 Stadali
UPDATE 06/11/2023Taken from Practical Sportsbike magazine July 2016
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| number 6! |
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| image captured from a video at the 1988 motor show |
