When the news first broke out that Aprilia was making a sub-500cc motorcycle, fans were eager. Fast forward to September 2023, Aprilia finally showcased the RS 457 at the Indian GP and later launched it for Rs 4.10 lakh at IBW. While some thought it was expensive, especially given KTM’s pricing in India, a few thought it was okay, while some wanted to ride it before concluding — including me.
Media ride dates were finally set and the venue was the famed Kari Speedway in Coimbatore. It was my first glimpse of the RS 457 in person, and I was pleasantly surprised with its compact, yet big bike looks.
Aprilia RS 457 first ride review: Design and impression
Based on an aluminium twin-spar frame like its older siblings, the Aprilia draws a lot of design inspiration from them with its twin headlight and DRL setup, short rear section, an under-belly exhaust, and colour combinations. The motorcycle looks and feels big, yet is compact and proportionate.
Swing a leg over and you know that the RS 457 means business. The clip-ons are wide, but not set aggressively. The foot pegs are set towards the rear and high but offer enough room to move around. Saddle height again is not an issue and the motorcycle feels narrow between the legs, offering enough confidence to the rider.
Aprilia RS 457 first ride review: Ride and handling
Push the start button and the 457cc in-line twin comes to life in a vibey way, something that caught me off guard. However, a few minutes later, I was completely fine with it and the twin actually gives off the larger V4 vibe, but without a bank of cylinders. The vibes disappear as soon as the motorcycle builds some speed and the six-speed gearbox is slick and precise.
On the handling front, the RS 457 is sharp and leans into a corner without hesitation and stays planted. The suspension does a good job in this regard and they can be finetuned as the front and rear have preload ajustability.
On the electronics front, the RS 457 gets four levels of traction control and the ABS can be turned off. Riding on the track with the least intrusive setting, one can hardly feel the nannies intruding, however, dial it up and one can feel the intrusion, although not that hard. The RS 457 also gets ride modes and we left it on the Sport mode for the entirety of the test.
What’s our first impression?
To sum it up, the Aprilia RS 457 feels well put together and the switchgear, although simple, feels good. The TFT dash is clear and crisp while exploring the menu and toggling through settings is pretty straightforward. The power delivery is linear and won’t scare a new rider stepping into this category.
That said, a quickshifter is something the motorcycle misses out on, as it can add so much to the RS 457’s character. It is, however, available as an accessory. Also, just 15 minutes into the track day saw the brakes fade, stealing confidence from the rider. This is something that Aprilia should look at. Overall, the RS 457 is a good package and if you’re interested, we strongly recommend you take a test ride first before making the bookings.