Aprilia’s RS 660 represents the cutting edge of the new generation of middleweight sportbikes, where more accessible performance has replaced the razor-edge/maximum commitment speed of the old 600 supersport machines. Don’t misinterpret that to mean that the Aprilia is some fat and lazy motorcycle; with its 649cc 270-degree parallel-twin engine pumping out 100 hp at 10,500 rpm and 49.4 lb.-ft. of torque at 8,500 rpm propelling a bike weighing just 403 pounds fully gased, the RS 660 has plenty of excitement on tap. It just doesn’t require expert-level hands to extract it, nor a horse jockey’s flexibility to ride it, with ergonomics that are much more palatable for everyday street use.
While the engine is all-new, it borrows heavily from Aprilia’s flagship RSV4 superbike powerplant, with the same bore size and very similar cylinder head design (almost as if you chopped off one bank of cylinders off the V-4). The die-cast aluminum twin-spar frame halves bolt together using the engine as a stressed member, and the swingarm pivots directly in the engine cases as well. Suspension is handled by a 41mm inverted fork up front and single rear shock, both adjustable for spring preload and rebound damping. And like the RSV4, there’s a full spread of electronic rider aids utilizing a six-axis IMU including traction control, wheelie control, engine-braking control, cruise control, different engine maps, bidirectional quickshifter, and cornering ABS with three levels.
All of these features come at a slight premium however. The RS 660 ranges from $11,549 to $11,749, making it significantly more expensive (some of its competition retails for more than $4K less) than its rivals. But in this case, you definitely get what you pay for.
The 2024 Aprilia RS 660 is available in Racing Black or Tribute livery for $11,549 and Acid Gold motif for $11,749. An upgraded Extrema version is also offered for $13,499 that includes racing exhaust, carbon front fender, single seat cowl, and reverse shift software.
