THE APRILIA MOTOGP RIDERS ON THE TRACK WITH THE RS 660
ALEIX ESPARGARÓ, BRADLEY SMITH AND LORENZO SAVADORI EXCEPTIONAL TESTERS IN MISANO FOR THE NEW APRILIA RS 660, JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE PRODUCTION STARTS
THEIR UNANIMOUS OPINION: NEVER RIDDEN SUCH AN AGILE AND FUN STREET SPORT BIKE BEFORE
Misano, 17 September 2020 – Just a few days ahead of the second MotoGP race to be held in Misano this weekend, the Aprilia Racing riders were on the track as exceptional testers for the anxiously-awaited Aprilia RS 660, the new, medium engine capacity sport bike which will go into production from October.
Aleix Espargarό, Bradley Smith and Lorenzo Savadori were sure not to miss out on the chance to put one of the most anxiously awaited bikes of the season through its paces.
It only took a few laps to bring out a unanimous opinion: RS 660 is another masterpiece from Aprilia in terms of the quality of the chassis architecture and engine performance, capable of providing just as fun a ride on everyday streets as on the track.
Aleix Espargarό said: ”It’s extremely stable and the engine really pushes hard. I really liked the quick shift feature.” A smiling Bradley Smith commented: ”After the first two corners, you have total confidence. It’s incredible how you can push hard straight away.” Lorenzo Savadori added: “More than anything, I was astonished at the comfort. I discovered a sport bike that was unexpectedly comfortable.”
RS 660 marks the beginning of a new era for Aprilia and is the first model of a new generation of lightweight and high performance medium engine capacity bikes, supported by the electronics and technology of the Aprilia Racing department. Aprilia RS 660 is the answer to the demand of new generations of riders for a fun, easy and satisfying bike, capable of thrilling on the road as well as on the occasional track day, and it interprets the sport concept based on new standards, focusing on the outstanding weight/power ratio of 169 kg for 100 HP.
The new aluminium twin spar frame uses the engine as a bearing element and is an excellent example of Aprilia’s proverbial ability to build superb chassis architecture. Aprilia RS 660 is built around a new engine – a compact and lightweight parallel twin with dual overhead cam distribution and 4 valves per cylinder derived from the front bank of the 1100 cc V4, which it follows in terms of concepts and measurements. Also racing-derived and at the service of both daily and sport riding are the active APRC electronic controls, with highly advanced operating strategies thanks to the use of the electronic Ride-by-Wire accelerator and the six-axis inertial platform.
The on-board electronics are completed by five Riding Modes, designed to maximise the riding experience even in extremely different conditions of use, the advanced multimap Cornering ABS system and the digital colour TFT instrumentation. Aprilia RS 660 will also be available with a 95 HP engine that can be reduced in power, ideal for novice riders.
