The highly-awaited Aprilia RS 457, a contender in the league of Kawasaki Ninja 400, KTM RC 390 and Yamaha R3, has been officially revealed. This superbike, carrying the illustrious heritage of the Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aprilia, is set to roll off the assembly line right here in India, at the Piaggio’s plant in Baramati, Maharashtra.
It has got a sporty vibe going on. Up front, it flaunts a twin-pod LED headlight cluster and some aerodynamic panels. When you hop on, you'll be greeted by a 5in TFT colour instrument cluster, illuminated switchgear, ride-by-wire tech, and a three-level traction control system. From the side, you can see that this bike means business – it's got a sleek fuel tank and a race-inspired split seat setup that makes it look like a solo rider's dream machine.
Under the hood, you'll find a 457cc liquid-cooled parallel twin-cylinder engine. The bike boasts double camshaft timing and four valves per cylinder, cranking out 48 horsepower. Thanks to its 270-degree connecting rod assembly, it's got a throaty, sporty exhaust note.
The Aprilia RS 457 has a dry weight of 159 kg and a slightly heavier curb weight of 175 kg. Up front, it's equipped with 41 mm USD (Upside Down) front forks that provide a 120 mm of travel and even allow for preload adjustments. At the rear, you'll find a preload-adjustable monoshock suspension, mated to a steel swingarm, offering 130 mm of wheel travel.
For Braking duty, up front, you've got a 320 mm disc, clamped down by a high-performance ByBre radial-mount 4-piston calliper. At the rear, it's equipped with ByBre calliper brakes paired with a 220 mm steel disc. And just to make sure you stay rubber-side down, there's a two-channel ABS system onboard with dual usage modes. To keep it all rolling smoothly, the bike rides on 17in rims, shod with 110/70 tire up front and 150/60 at the rear.
You can (most likely) see the RS 457 strutting its stuff on the Indian MotoGP stage later this month, marking its debut on home turf. While it's safe to assume that it won't come with the same budget-friendly price tag as the KTM RC 390, there's a silver lining. Since it's proudly made in India, Aprilia has the potential to offer it at a more competitive rate compared to rivals like the Ninja 400 (₹5.2 lakh, ex-showroom, India).