The Aprilia ETX are the off-road motorcycles of the Noale company, not to be confused with the Aprilia RX, since the ETX use less extreme solutions. They were made in 125 cc (two-stroke) and 350 and 600 cc (four-stroke) displacements.
Aprilia ETX at a glance
| ETX 125 | introduced in 1984, built until 2001; two-stroke |
|---|---|
| ETX 125 engine | Hiro engine (as on the STX) up to 1988; later the Rotax of the RX without the exhaust valve |
| ETX 350 | 1985–1987; air-cooled four-stroke 79.5 by 70.4 mm, SOHC with four valves, compression 9.6:1, 19.7 kW at 7,000 rpm, 5 gears |
| ETX 350 tank and tyres | 14 L; 90/90-21 front, 130/80-17 rear |
| ETX 600 | never produced; prototype 562 cc four-stroke single, 35.8 kW at 6,800 rpm |
| Related models | Aprilia RX, STX and Tuareg 125 |
This page is based on Italian Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Aprilia ETX
The ETX family is made of the off-road bikes of Aprilia. They differ from the RX because they use less extreme solutions. The 125 two-stroke was introduced in 1984 and produced until 2001; it was first accompanied and then, in most markets, replaced by the version with a bigger tank called the Tuareg 125.
ETX 125
The ETX 125 differs from the Aprilia RX mainly by the missing exhaust valve: it uses a cylinder without it. In the first versions, up to 1988, the engine block came from the Aprilia STX and was a Hiro engine, with a mixed intake system called H.I.S. (Hiro Induction System), halfway between piston port and reed valve: the piston port in the middle is the main port, and the intake reeds are on the sides, one or two per side. Later versions used the Rotax engine of the Aprilia RX, without the exhaust valve.
ETX 350 and 600
The ETX 350 was introduced in 1985 and produced until 1987. It had an air-cooled four-stroke engine of 79.5 by 70.4 mm with a single overhead camshaft and four valves per cylinder, compression ratio 9.6:1, giving 19.7 kW at 7,000 rpm with a five-speed gearbox, a 14 litre tank and tyres of 90/90-21 and 130/80-17. The ETX 600 was never produced; its prototype had a 562 cc air-cooled four-stroke single of 94 by 81 mm with 35.8 kW at 6,800 rpm.
Design and features
- Concept: an off-road bike with less extreme solutions than the RX.
- ETX 125 engines: a Hiro unit with H.I.S. intake up to 1988, then a Rotax without the exhaust valve.
- ETX 350 engine: an air-cooled SOHC four-valve four-stroke single with five gears.
Aprilia ETX versions
- ETX 125 (1984–2001): the two-stroke bike, later replaced in most markets by the Tuareg 125.
- ETX 350 (1985–1987): the four-stroke single.
- ETX 600: the prototype that never reached production.
More Aprilia motorcycles are in our Aprilia collection, for example the Tuareg, the RX and the Pegaso.
Aprilia ETX questions and answers
What is the Aprilia ETX?
A family of off-road motorcycles from Aprilia, in 125, 350 and 600 cc.
How is the ETX different from the RX?
The ETX uses less extreme solutions; the ETX 125 has no exhaust valve.
When was the ETX 125 built?
From 1984 to 2001.
Was the ETX 600 built?
No, only a prototype was made.
What replaced the ETX 125?
In most markets the Tuareg 125, with a bigger tank.
Video: Aprilia Etx 125 new piston testing
Video by TheOgrenietis on YouTube.
Sources
- Aprilia ETX, Italian Wikipedia: ETX 125, 350 and 600
- Aprilia Tuareg, Italian Wikipedia: the Tuareg ETX
