NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS, April 16, 2007 - More than 400 North American Aprilia owners, enthusiasts and their motorcycles are expected to attend the second annual AF1 Racing Open House and Track Day, an event that is rapidly becoming the largest such gathering this side of Noale, Italy, Aprilia's hometown.
The event, which features a track day at Texas World Speedway, demo rides on the latest Aprilia motorcycles, dyno testing and scenic jaunts into Texas'famed Hill Country, had its start as a discussion topic on ApriliaForum.com. The Aprilia Forum, created and hosted by AF1 Racing, a full-line Aprilia dealer, boasts a membership of nearly 20,000 riders and fans.
"This is only our second year and already we expect the size of the event to double," says Ed Cook, co-owner of AF1 Racing and organizer of the event. "When you mix enthusiasts with Aprilia bikes and track time, it's puremagic." Just as important, says Cook, is the camaraderie that bringsriders from as far away as Canada.
Track Time, Twisties, Demos and More
Aprilia USA will be on-site throughout the weekend with the 2007 Aprilia Demo Tour, featuring the entire lineup of award-winning sport bikes, adventure tourers, off-road bikes and scooters. The Aprilia Demo Tour crosses the country, visiting racing venues and other events to give current and future customers a chance to sample the latest products.
The event weekend kicks off Friday, May 11 with a Texas BBQ and welcome reception at AF1 Racing.
On Saturday, AF1 Racing is offering technical seminars to demonstrate to owners how to customize their set-up and get the maximum out of their performance bike. And, for owners who want to check the numbers, AF1 Racingis offering dynamometer testing. Group rides through Texas' famed HillCountry and the San Antonio area will depart regularly and continue through Sunday afternoon. Sunday evening, the musical entertainment is hundreds of V-Twin motors headed to Texas World Speedway in College Station, home of Texas A&M University.
Monday is Lone Star Track Day at Texas World Speedway and participants will spend the day where Aprilias were conceived, on the track. Professional instruction, coupled with Aprilia's confidence-inspiring on-track character makes this the ideal environment for any enthusiast.
"The Aprilia pros at AF1 have really created a national-caliber, must-attend weekend for any motorcycle enthusiast," says Rick Panettieri, Aprilia Brand Manager, Piaggio Group Americas. "We look forward to increasing the enthusiasm for the Aprilia brand with more events like this in the future."
About AF1 Racing
AF1 Racing has been part of the U.S. Aprilia retail team since 2006 when the Aprilia enthusiast privateer racing team decided to share their enthusiasm for the brand with Texas by becoming an official dealer. Today, AF1 Racing is a full service dealer for Aprilia's entire model line of street, off-road and scooter products. The AF1 team specializes in sport bikes, including the best-selling 2007 Aprilia Tuono. They also sell Aprilia's winning lineup of new off-road bikes including the acclaimed RXV and SXV 4.5 and 5.5s with innovative V-Twin powerplants.
About Aprilia and Piaggio Group Americas
Aprilia world headquarters are in Noale (Venice, Italy). Founded in 1962, the company designs and manufactures motorcycles in Noale, with additional production facilities in Scorz. With 32 motorcycling world championship titles (27 road and 5 off-road) under its belt, Aprilia is the only European manufacturer to have a complete on- and off-road model portfolio, ranging from sporty scooters, innovative off-road bikes and tough adventure tourers to award-winning super sport bikes. For information on Aprilia's complete U.S. model line, visit the company's website at www.apriliausa.com .
In December 2004 Aprilia became part of the Piaggio Group, Europe's leading manufacturer of two wheelers and one of the world's most recognized and respected names in motorcycle and scooter production.
With over 6,700 employees, an annual production of more than 680,000 vehicles, 5 R&D centers, 7 production facilities in Europe and Asia, and operations in over 50 countries, the Piaggio Group has a consolidated leadership in the European 2 wheeler market. Its production includes scooters, motorcycles and mopeds in the 50cc to 1,200 cc displacement range, marketed under the Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Derbi, Aprilia, Scarabeo and Moto Guzzi brands.