Aprilia Concept RS 660 First Look

Aprilia has unveiled a new way forward in its sportbike design with the Concept RS 660 at this year's EICMA show. It's the result of extensive aerodynamic research and features a brand-new twin-cylinder engine and it's touted as being an "evolutionary step" in the expanding Aprilia range.

Aprilia has been well-known in recent years for powerful engines in V configurations, but this new Concept RS 660 runs by means of a 660cc Parallel Twin. The Italian company indicates that it's architecture was derived from the 1,100cc V-4 engine found in the Tuono V4 and RSV4 1100 Factory. It's a compact mill that allowed builders to keep the package as a whole quite narrow. The hope is that a sportbike in this configuration, and the likely more affordable price point than some of its current sportbike offerings, will bring Aprilia into a more competitive position in European, Asian and American markets.

The Concept RS 660 utilizes an aluminum frame with the engine as a stressed member. The swingarm is also aluminum, with a curved right arm to allow clearance for the muffler.

Wind tunnel testing and race experience has informed the shape of the machine, which makes use of variable downforce at the front to provide better stability during high acceleration. The rider triangle is designed to have a sporty feel, but the footpegs aren’t in a race position, and the handlebars are slightly higher than on a true-track weapon. The seat is designed to be nice and cozy too.

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This is due to the fact that Aprilia wants to appeal to the everyday road rider that may find themselves occasionally at the track.

With those technical bits aside, this bike looks gorgeous. The design team really hit the mark in my opinion. The fairings, color combinations, tank shape, tail section are sexy as hell. We’ll be waiting eagerly for more news from Aprilia on if or when this machine makes it to production. As of now, it’s only a representation of what the future may hold. If you’re listening Aprilia, don’t change a thing and get this thing on the line as soon as possible.