Aprilia Motorcycles

Aprilia was founded in Noale, Italy in 1945 by Alberto Beggio, initially as a bicycle factory in the aftermath of the Second World War. His son Ivano Beggio took over the company in 1968 and built its first motorcycle, a 50cc machine, moving the company from bicycles into powered two-wheelers and, soon after, into motocross with the 1970 Scarabeo. From there Aprilia built its identity almost entirely around racing: the brand has won 54 world championship titles across various motorcycle racing classes, a record that makes it statistically the most successful European manufacturer in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history. That racing pedigree carried directly into Aprilia's road bikes, particularly its RSV sportbikes, and the company remains defined by performance-oriented engineering more than any single vehicle category.