Aprilia’s pedigree for producing sporty machines is nothing short of legendary. With the growing popularity of the middleweight segment, Aprilia wants a slice of this pie with the upcoming RS440. The Italian brand has teased the upcoming superbike on its social media handles ahead of its global debut on 7 September 2023.
Aprilia RS440 teased: India launch on cards?
Aprilia has been working on the RS440 for a very long time but there were no solid updates regarding its development until now. A couple of months back, a test mule of the upcoming sports bike was spotted on foreign soil. Not only abroad, a prototype of RS440 was recently spied on Indian roads a few days ago.
This confirms that Aprilia is planning to launch the RS440 in India sometime in the future. Currently, Aprilia has listed six models in the India website– all of them scooters. The company previously sold motorcycles like RS660, Tuono 660, RSV4 1100 Factory and Tuono Factory in our market. However, these models didn’t make the transition of the BSG phase 2 norms.
The Italian superbike brand is looking to re-enter the Indian motorcycle market with the RS440. The bike is likely to be manufactured in India at Piaggio’s plant in Baramati, outside Pune in Maharashtra. Keeping in mind Aprilia’s brand value, the RS440 is expected to priced at a premium over similarly specced rivals.
Aprilia RS440 teased: Styling & specs
Going by the recent spy shots and teaser, the RS440 borrows its looks from the bigger and more powerful RS660. The silhouette is almost identical to its elder sibling with a completely faired body with a sleek and sharp front fascia featuring split-LED headlights. Besides the front face, the side panels, its tapered tail section, split seats, an underbelly exhaust and the exposed frame are also reminiscent of RS660.
The India-spec model will also feature a massive saree guard. Like a typical sports bike, the RS440 will get sporty ergonomics with a forward-leaning stance courtesy of rear-set footpegs and a low clip-on handlebar, pulled towards the rider.
In terms of specs, RS440 will be powered by an all-new 440cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine that should develop around 45 bhp. This motor will be paired to a six-speed gearbox, accompanied by a slip and assist clutch as well as a quick-shifter. The fully-faired machine could clock a top speed of around 180 kmph.
As for hardware, the RS440 will be based on a twin-spar aluminium frame that sits on upside-down front forks and a rear mono-shock. Braking duties will be carried out by a single front and rear disc with dual-channel ABS featuring radial brake callipers. The RS440 possibly rolls on 17-inch lightweight alloy wheels wrapped in road-biased tyres.
