Earlier last month, Motoplex Petaling Jaya (the new home of Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, and Vespa brands here in Malaysia) brought in a very interesting piece of equipment. Called the Aprilia Moto Trainer, it’s a very high-tech simulator rig that’s designed to mimic optimum track riding scenarios on any circuit around the globe without having to spend a single cent on travelling.

This one-of-a-kind simulator is actually a product created by Dorna Sports (MotoGP’s parent company) and Moto Trainer that offers a rig that can deliver almost real-life on-track riding experience for those who wish to sharpen their skills. It’s definitely a unique piece of equipment, which is why we got intrigued when they called us up to have a go at it.

Pre-loaded with all the data collected on all the MotoGP tracks worldwide, the Aprilia Moto Trainer is fitted with the Aprilia RSV4 1100, the flagship superbike model that’s available here in Malaysia. Together with the guidance from the head of Motoplex PJ and experienced rider, Idon Pang, we jumped straight onto this very expensive simulator to experience it first-hand.

For beginners, the Aprilia Moto Trainer has been set to develop one’s throttle and brake control, as well as lean angle. It can help to train other aspects with the additions of active suspension and more, but that will be fine-tuned for more experienced riders in the near future. Pang gave us a short but complete brief on how it works before telling us to give it a try for ourselves using the Sepang International Circuit as the main guide.

The display showcased an on-board video feed of a MotoGP rider and we tried to react as precisely as we could according to what we see on the screen. After a few laps, Pang then debriefed us on our performance by comparing our data and graphs collected by the rig against the pro rider portrayed on the on-board video feed. Very technical stuff, this.

If you think that this is easy as playing one of those games at the arcade, you can’t be more wrong. The sensations and pressures put on your body are actually like handling a bike while riding on the track (minus the rumbling of the engine and strong winds) which not only helps to improve one’s throttle and brake management but also physically train your body to be strong in certain occasions, like when you’re on full lean at the corners. Very physically demanding, but in a very good way.

In other words, the Aprilia Moto Trainer allows you to actually train safely, develop your riding skills, and get familiar with any MotoGP track just with a few clicks on the simulator. As of now, the simulator is only on a ‘by invite’ basis, and you can book a spot by contacting Motoplex Petaling Jaya for more details. If you’re a track day rider or someone who plans to get into track day riding, this is definitely the safest and smartest way to start your exciting journey.