After murmurs of Aprilia developing a new twin-cylinder sports bike going for a long time, the Italian brand will officially unveil the same today. The bike has taken the shape of the all-new RS 457 and is specifically targeted at emerging markets like India. More importantly, the motorcycle will be manufactured at Aprilia’s Baramati plant in Maharashtra.
Globally revealed more than a week back, the new RS 457 comes just ahead of the inaugural season of MotoGP Bharat. The motorcycle was initially rumoured to be named RS 440, in line with the larger RS 660, but instead it has been named RS 457, indicating a larger engine displacement. Let us look at what to expect from Aprilia’s latest sports bike offering.
Aprilia RS 457: Design, expected features
The new RS 457 is designed and developed at Aprilia’s headquarters in Noale, Italy, along with developmental inputs from the Indian team. In terms of styling, it shares a lot of similarities with the larger RS 660 including the fully-faired body, tri-LED headlamp cluster, an aluminium triple clamp, low-set clip on handlebars, air vents on the side panels for better aerodynamics, a raised tail section, split seats, and an underbelly exhaust.
Aprilia is expected to equip the new RS 457 with features like a 5-inch TFT screen along with a host of electronic aids like three switchable levels of traction control, backlit switchgear, ride-by-wire, all-LED illumination, Bluetooth connectivity, switchable rear ABS, and a quick-shifter as an option.
Aprilia RS 457: Hardware
Aprilia RS 457 is underpinned by a perimeter frame, with a bolt-on rear sub-frame attached to it. This platform sits on 41mm USD front forks and a rear monoshock with travel of 120mm and 130mm, respectively. Braking duties are handled by a 320 mm front disc with a ByBre radial-mounted four-piston calliper and a 220 mm rear disc with a single piston floating calliper, aided by dual-channel ABS.
The bike rides on 17-inch alloy wheels shod with 110/70 front tyres and 150/60 rear tyres.
Aprilia RS 457: Engine specs, expected price
Powering Aprilia RS 457 is a 457cc liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder, four-valve engine with a 270-degree crank and a claimed output of 47 bhp. This motor is paired with a 6-speed gearbox, although the company is yet to reveal its torque output. The motorcycle tips the weighing scales at 175 kg.
As for pricing, we expect Aprilia to offer the RS 457 at around Rs 4.50 lakh (ex-showroom). Upon launch, it will rival the likes of Kawasaki Ninja 400 and KTM RC 390.
