Filling an empty spot below the very popular RS 660 in Aprilia’s lineup, the RS 457 takes the 660′s speed blueprint and distills it down to a smaller size that offers great performance while not exceeding the strict power/weight limits of Europe’s A2 tier license (where the majority will be sold). With its liquid-cooled DOHC eight-valve 270-degree parallel-twin engine pumping out 48 hp and 32 lb.-ft. of torque on a motorcycle that weighs just 386 pounds ready to ride, Aprilia obviously did its best to tip-toe on that limit in order to bring you one of the best-performing bikes in the class.
That engine comes with a full suite of electronic rider aids, with three levels of traction control, three engine ride modes, and two levels of ABS. One of the two ABS settings allows for the rear ABS to be disengaged, permitting rear end slides entering corners for the more skilled among us.
A quick scan of the chassis components shows that Aprilia wasn’t messing around in that department either. No cheap and easy to manufacture steel tube frames here; the RS 457 sports an aluminum twin-spar frame that uses the compact parallel-twin engine as a stressed member for excellent rigidity and less weight. Instead of some midsize twin front brake discs, Aprilia engineers saw fit to equip the RS 457 with a single large 320mm disc gripped by a four-piston caliper for less gyroscopic effect (meaning easier turn-in) entering corners.
Granted, all of this engineering prowess doesn’t come cheap; the RS 457 retails for $6,799 ($200 more for the MotoGP-inspired Racing Stripes livery), which is up to $1,000 more than some of the competition. But rest assured that when it comes to performance, you’re getting what you pay for with Aprilia’s new lightweight sportbike.
The 2024 Aprilia RS 457 is available in Opalescent White and Prismatic Dark for $6,799 and Racing Stripes livery for $6,999.
