Made-in-India Aprilia RS457 Sportbike To Be Showcased In Delhi Soon

Prior to the inaugural Bharat GP race at the Buddh International Circuit this month, Aprilia India is all set to showcase its first made-in-India motorcycle that it has been working on for the past six years: the RS 457. To be shown on September 20 in Delhi, the supersport was first shown to global audiences at the recent Misano GP in San Marino, Italy, grabbing a lot of attention, both online and in person.

Aprilia is one of the kings of the sportbike world. So, when we realised that its Indian bike project had transformed from a small 150cc motorcycle to a thoroughbred 400cc+ machine, we were pretty excited. And judging by the raving international reviews of the RS 660, we can only expect good things from the RS 457.

The Aprilia RS 457 is a stunner, no doubt about it. It's like a mini-me version of the RS 660, following the same sleek sport bike design that Aprilia introduced with its bigger sibling. One glance and you'll notice the sharp twin LED headlamps that give it that aggressive look. The bodywork isn't just for show; it's aerodynamically optimised, featuring clever scoops to help you cut through the air with ease. And of course, in true Aprilia fashion, the bike boasts a stylish tail section, and all the lighting on it is LED for that modern touch.

Now, let's talk about power. The heart of the RS 457 is a 457 cc twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. It's designed to produce the maximum allowable power for an A2 licence: 35kW or roughly 47 bhp. But here's the kicker; it's remarkably light at just 159 kgdry. We don't have the torque figures yet, but with its 270-degree crank offset, similar to the RS 660, you can expect impressive mid-range performance. Aprilia even offers the option of fitting a bi-directional quick shifter, and we're hoping it's the smooth, pressure-sensitive kind for those seamless gear shifts.

Aprilia didn't stop there; they loaded the RS 457 with electronic riding aids. You'll find three riding modes with independent power and torque curves, along with adjustable traction control settings. You can even turn off the traction control entirely if you're feeling bold.

This powerful motor is snugly nestled in an aluminum twin-spar frame, a signature Aprilia feature. The suspension is top-notch with a USD fork and monoshock setup that allows preload adjustments at both ends. Braking is equally impressive, featuring a 320 mm rotor up front with a 4-piston radial Bybre caliper, similar to the 390 Duke. The rear sports a 220 mm disc, and the standard dual-channel ABS ensures you can stop confidently. And let's not forget those slick 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in TVS ProTorq Extreme super grippy tires; they're the best choice for this class of motorcycles in India.

Now, it might look like a thoroughbred racer, but remember, the RS 457 is more of a sporty all-rounder than a track weapon. It's designed to handle daily riding scenarios comfortably, thanks to its slightly raised clip-on bars positioned above the triple clamp.

We expect this Italian to be a pricey number. Despite being made-in-India, we can’t overlook the kit it is packing and the premium quotient it will possess. Hence, an educated guess of Rs 4.25 lakh (ex-showroom India) would be digestible. Anything more and you start to enter the super pricey zone currently occupied by the Kawasaki Ninja 400. And let’s not even bring the newly launched Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR into the picture. But in order to know the prices, we will have to wait a bit longer, perhaps during the festive period. The direct rival to the new Aprilia bike is the KTM RC 390 and the soon to be launched new Yamaha R3.