Aprilia is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded immediately after World War II in Noale, Italy by Alberto Beggio.The company started as a manufacturer of bicycles and moved on to manufacture scooters and small-capacity motorcycles.In more recent times Aprilia has produced large sportbikes such as the 1,000 cc V-twin RSV Mille and the V4 RSV4.Aprilia has supported a strong motorsport competition program beginning with motocross racing and then a world championship-winning road racing program.The company was acquired by Piaggio in 2004.Aprilia entered the Superbike World Championship in 1999 using a homologation special version of their V-twin road bike RSV Mille. They were third in the riders' championship in 2000 with rider Troy Corser, and third in manufacturers' points and fourth in rider points both in 2001 with Corser and in 2002 with Noriyuki Haga. Aprilia retired from the series at the end of that season.In February 2008, Aprilia debuted a V-4 superbike, the RSV4, for the 2009 Superbike World Championship.Aprilia won its first Superbike world championship in 2010 with Max Biaggi, claiming both the riders and the manufacturers titles.