The New Aprilia RS 457 Is Here To Set The Sport Bike Segment Ablaze

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The RS 457 is Aprilia’s first 400-500cc sport bike in a long time, and there’s plenty to be excited about

If you’re in the market for an entry-level sport bike, you’ll be surely spoiled for choice. But all the key players have remained more or less unchanged in recent years, and it’s high time someone else matches up to them. Lucky for you, Aprilia is here to do just that. After several sightings, the Noale Factory has finally taken the wraps off its all-new small-capacity sport bike, the RS 457. It checks all the right boxes and aims to disrupt its rivals–Japanese, Chinese, or European. For good reason too, as it bears the company’s auspicious ‘RS’ acronym that has given us popular offerings like the RSV4 and RS 660.

The 2024 Aprilia RS 457 Looks Charming

The spy shots of the RS suggested it’d take aesthetic inspiration from the middleweight RS 660. And we’re happy to report that’s indeed the case. Up top, the 457 features Aprilia’s signature triple-pod LED headlight with integrated DRLs and LED turn signals. The setup is bejeweled into a muscular headlight cowl, flanked by edgy fairings. Just like the 660, the latter follows a ‘double fairing’ design to help channel air more effectively. Of course, it looks smashing too.

Right behind the fascia lies a brawny fuel tank. It has no shortage of cuts and creases while looking sufficiently large (capacity is unknown for now). This is followed by a sleek tail, replete with an RS 660-like LED light. All this is brought together by a smoking livery. It blends three shades (red, black, purple), reminiscent of the RSV4 1100’s Time Attack colorway. We also dig the unique ‘Aprilia’ badged lip under the headlight (inspired by the RS-GP race bike) and red rim stipes up top.

The 2024 Aprilia RS 457 Comes Loaded With Technology

Like the design, the RS 457 promises to woo you in terms of features. You get a five-inch TFT instrument cluster that lets you access traction control and ride modes via backlit switchgear. The traction control has three settings (plus off), while there are three ride modes that vary the power and torque delivery. Even the dual-channel ABS has two modes – both enabled or front enabled, rear disabled. All-LED lights and ride-by-wire are standard too. What’s missing, meanwhile, is smartphone connectivity and a quickshifter–both being accessories.

What about ergonomics, you ask? Well, the 457 seats you on a split-saddle (height yet to be announced). This is partnered by a clip-on handlebar (mounted over the triple-clamp) and slightly rear-set footpegs. The pillion saddle appears quite small, though, so don’t expect much from it. Aprilia claims the riding posture is the best compromise between sportiness and riding comfort. While we can’t confirm whether it’s the ‘best’, the spy shots showed a fairly sporty position.

The 2024 Aprilia RS 457 Has An All-New Twin-Cylinder Engine

Under the skin, the RS 457 employs an all-new 457cc parallel-twin engine. It boasts a double-overhead camshaft, liquid cooling, and an underbelly exhaust, all of which help it produce 47 horsepower. Though the RPM and torque aren’t out, we’re happy to report the output is more than all the big players, such as the 43-HP KTM RC 390 and the 45-HP Kawasaki Ninja 400. Whereas, it’s right on par with the Honda CBR500R. The only motorcycle that still has an edge over it is the CFMoto 450SS with its 50 horsepower figure.

2024 Aprilia RS 457 Performance

Engine	457cc, parallel-twin, DOHC
Power	35kW (47 horsepower)
Torque	NA
Transmission	Six-speed

And things only get better. In a sea of trellis frames, Aprilia has built the baby RS around an aluminum perimeter chassis. It’s derived from the RS 660 and uses the crankcase as a load-bearing element. This is suspended by 41 mm upside-down forks and a monoshock (both with preload adjustability), housed onto 17-inch alloy wheels (with 110/150-section rubber). Braking is via a 320 mm disc up top and a 220 mm disc outback, both bit by ByBre calipers. All these limit the dry weight to just 350 pounds (wet lies at 385 pounds). Considering the heft is on par with the KTM and Kawasaki, this should have a better power-to-weight ratio.

The Aprilia RS 457 Will Debut In America Soon

Aprilia USA has yet to put a price on the RS 457. But we do know it’ll debut here as part of the company’s 2024 model lineup. We expect it to retail at around the $6,000 mark. If so, it will be right in the ballpark of the $5,699 Ninja 400, $5,899 RC 390, and the $5,500 450SS, while undercutting the $7,299 Honda CBR500R by a sizable margin. You should also expect a Tuono 457 and Tuareg 457 to follow later.

Speaking on the matter, Michele Colannino (CEO of Piaggio Group) said, “In recent years, the Aprilia brand has seen an intense burst of renewal, also supported by continued progress in the racing world. The recent introduction of the 660 family, with RS and Tuono first and Tuareg later, has expanded its target, creating a full and competitive range. We are now ready to take another step towards the future with an astonishing bike developed entirely in Noale, capable of stimulating and thrilling young people and opening up huge potential in new markets, near and far. It is a step closer to the globalisation of a brand that has always had the perfect combination of technology, fun, and looking to the future in its DNA”.

Continue exploring the article at this link : https://www.topspeed.com/the-new-aprilia-rs-457-is-here-to-set-the-sport-bike-segment-ablaze/

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