Aprilia RS 457
When I started out in motorcycling Aprilia made the tastiest low-capacity sportsbikes for youngsters with the Aprilia RS 125 and RS 250 models leveraging the Italian brands amazing success in 125 and 250 Grand Prix racing.
Aprilia are now set to produce a new modern dream machine for beginners with a new twin-cylinder RS 457 unveiled at Misano overnight.
The Aprilia RS 457 is powered by a state-of-the-art, liquid-cooled parallel-twin, DOHC four-valve engine producing the maximum 35 kilowatts (47 hp) allowed under the European A2 licencing scheme.
The Aprilia RS 457 is 159 kg dry and 175 kg wet which Aprilia claims to deliver the ultimate learner legal power to weight ratio.
While most motorcycles in this segment run steel frames the RS 457 employs an alloy frame with the crankcase of the engine serving as a load bearing element.
The 17-inch alloy rims are shod with a 110/70 front and 150/60 rear.
41 mm forks with 120 mm of travel handle the bumps up front while the rear shock swings a steel swing-arm through 130 mm and is also adjustable for pre-load.
The braking system features a 320 mm front disc with a ByBre radial-mount four-piston caliper.
At the rear, a ByBre caliper brakes a 220 mm steel disc. All this is assisted by a two-channel ABS system with the rear switchable.
The Ride by Wire system offers three riding modes that adjust both engine torque maps and traction control settings. Traction can also be deactivated and a quick-shifter is an optional accessory.
The full LED front headlamp incorporates the light signature typical of Aprilia’s larger super sports bikes, while the front turn signals are integrated into the front headlamp.
A five-inch colour TFT is featured and the switches are back-lit.
Australian arrival is expected from August 2024, with pricing to be announced closer to arrival.
Michele Colaninno – Piaggio Group CEO
“In recent years, the Aprilia brand has seen an intense burst of renewal, also supported by continued progress in the racing world. The recent introduction of the 660 family, with RS and Tuono first and Tuareg later, has expanded its target, creating a full and competitive range. We are now ready to take another step towards the future with an astonishing bike developed entirely in Noale, capable of stimulating and thrilling young people and opening up huge potential in new markets, near and far. It is a step closer to the globalisation of a brand that has always had the perfect combination of technology, fun, and looking to the future in its DNA.”
