A new sports Aprilia, the RS 457

The manufacturer is renowned for its racing DNA and its love of the track. Moreover, the victory of Aleix Espargaró in MotoGP in Barcelona is still hot, and Aprilia seems to want to take advantage of it to present its new sports car: the RS 457. A motorcycle which aims to seduce a new generation like the RS 125 and RS 250 seduced those who grew up in the 90s and 2000s. This new RS, which was only a rumor until now, is establishing itself as a real sports car, powerful and fun, with the best power-to-weight ratio in its category. It is light with 175 kg (in running order), equipped with sophisticated technical solutions borrowed from the higher categories, and displays an aggressive design typically RS.

“We are now ready to take another step into the future with an amazing motorcycle, entirely developed in Noale, capable of stimulating and enthusing young people and opening up enormous potential in new markets, near and far.“, announces the big boss of the Piaggio group, Michele Colaninno who certainly looks towards Asia which adores the small “exotic” displacements.

A real RS

The RS 457 was designed to become the bike of choice for young riders around the world. And Aprilia’s history tends to give them the edge in this segment

Beneath the fairings, the RS 457 hides a liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine, four valves per cylinder and a double overhead camshaft (DOHC). The RS 457 also benefits from a comprehensive electronic package, including ride-by-wire electronic management (introduced by Aprilia in MotoGP), adjustable (and disconnectable) traction control and three riding modes. However, the quickshifter is optional.

A motorcycle that is intended to be light, offering the best power-to-weight ratio for a motorcycle accessible to A2 license holders. Its aluminum alloy frame ensures optimum rigidity, a legacy of Aprilia know-how acquired in competition. The 41mm inverted fork offers 120mm of travel and is adjustable for preload, as is the monoshock mounted directly to the steel swingarm at the rear, offering 130mm of travel. The braking system includes a 320 mm front disc with a ByBre 4-piston radial caliper. At the rear, the caliper brakes a 220mm steel disc. Everything is assisted by a two-channel ABS system with dual mapping, on both wheels or only on the front wheel. Equipment worthy of a great sports car or a premium motorcycle.

In terms of ergonomics, the half-handlebars located above the upper steering plate offer an ideal compromise between sportiness and driving comfort.

Look racing

The design of the RS 457 remains faithful to the legendary RS lineage, with a characteristic double crown and a silencer under the belly. The RS 457 sports a fully LED front headlight, taking up the light signature of other Aprilia sports cars such as the RS 660, while the front indicators are integrated into this light signature. The dashboard is a sleek and practical 5-inch color TFT display with backlit controls. Note the homage to MotoGP with the mustaches under the headlights at the front.

The RS 457 is positioned on a sharp market of small sports cars, alongside the KTM RC 390, the new Kawasaki ZX-4R or the Yamaha R3. With 47.5 hp of maximum power, it is aimed directly at A2 license holders, thus offering an interesting alternative in this category.

We don’t yet know its price and availability, but Maverick Vinales and Aleix Espargaró seem happy to have piloted it!