It's also the RSV4's first year out. And in the real world, I give the nod to the aprilia. It may not have the straight line speed of the S but it has balance, and plenty of it's own power. That S1000 was super-intrusive with the traction control, wheelie control, etc and the ape has none of those. It's pure. It delivers smooth power pulses to the rear through an ideal V4 arrangement and definitely isn't lacking in the grunt category. Also, the fact that the S1000rr is using so many gadgets to go fast and the aprilia is faster just due to the rider says something about riding the ape. You have to be good and it makes no exceptions for idiots like the BMW will.