EASY STREET

EASY STREET

Aprilia's RS 660 is meant to be swift, secure, and fun. Does it deliver?

BRUNO DEPRATO

It was nice going back to Aprilia’s Noale factory, located in the beautiful countryside north of Venice, Italy. Last time I was there, I took apart and analyzed the mighty RSV4 1000 engine. Even during this post-lockdown period, the factory is still very much alive, particularly in the racing department, where I am not admitted. But there, the Aprilia people were hard at work on the latest evolution of their MotoGP bike, featuring a V-4 grown from the previous 72-degree vee to a full 90-degree vee, which ensures superior balance in primary and secondary order, for a higher mechanical and organic efficiency.

But as much fun as snooping around the MotoGP department would be, it’s not why I hopped on a train from Milan to Noale. No, what I came to see, and more importantly ride way ahead of production, was the Aprilia RS 660. This all-new bike and multirole engine platform is a daring attempt by the Italian company to reinvent the sport motorcycle in order to attract a new generation of enthusiasts by offering an affordable, light, compact, crisply styled, easy-to-ride, high-performance middleweight machine.

That is a huge pack of virtues loaded onto a single bike, and it represents a strong part of Aprilia’s strategy to address the progressive decline in popularity that motorcycling suffers among younger people.

The basic concept is centered around the old rule that lightness is a safe and rational way to obtain exciting performance, even from a claimed 100 hp engine. The engineering department knew the RSV4 1,000 to 1,100cc V-4 would be an excellent base to work with in the effort to extract a lightweight, compact engine that would produce high performance at an accessible cost. Experiencing this engine on the road, and in the all-new sporty chassis that carries it, was my highly anticipated reason to visit.

Aprilia has demonstrated time and again a special touch for designing sportbikes. Its motorcycles are typically compact, tidy, and elegantly aggressive. The RS 660 is all that and more. The lines are fluent, muscular, and lean. Every detail participates in its overall design with harmonious coordination, and the result is compelling, assisted also by restrained graphics that underline that clean shape underneath.

The front view is aggressive, with the combined lines of the double fairing and the elaborate design of the LED headlights that further focus the nose profile. The headlights are also part of the electronics suite. How so? Cornering lights and automatic high beams switch off to combine maximum illumination without blinding oncoming drivers.

The fuel tank is also elegant and compact while being nicely integrated with the rider seat. Passenger accommodations? I would call this bike a “single and a half,” meaning it is quite comfortable for the rider and only good for short two-up rides. The attraction of the RS 660 is that a passenger might decide to ride their own because the bike feels so light and easy to handle from the moment one gets in the saddle. The seat’s 32.5-inch height provides an easy reach to the ground, even for below-average-height riders. But most important is that the distance to the footpegs is ergonomically excellentcompact, not compressed.

Also ergonomically attractive are the clip-ons mounted above the top triple clamp for an easy, in-command reach. The rider triangle is laid out well, so getting perfectly settled and in control of the Aprilia RS 660 is instinctive and user-friendly.

The bike is a natural for teaching the subtle art of sport motorcycling.

In fact, during all my time testing motorcycles, I have to say this is one of the best ergonomic combinations I’ve ever experienced on a stock bike. I would sit on this bike parked, just because it feels so nice. But the ride is a huge bonus. Steering is quite light, yet the front wheel is solidly in contact with the road, thanks to the excellent weight distribution, which is well-biased to the front. Also at play is the downforce generated by the double-fairing design. The resulting feeling of absolute control is exceptionally reassuring.

The engine is generous, with torque over a wide range of revs, responding smartly from 4,000 all the way past 10,500, though never in an overly aggressive way. The RS 660 doesn’t need extreme engine tuning to deliver strong performance, thanks to the excellent power-toweight balance of the whole package. The torque curve made for an easy life while cruising through traffic in town, with good engine response from as low as 3,000 rpm. On the open road, this translated to strong acceleration and a fast run-up to well past 100 mph. Those high speeds were pretty effortless, to the point that I had to keep an eye on the large TFT dash display so I didn’t surpass the limits of safety, given the back roads and traffic I was navigating. Through it all, the smoothness provided by the twin balance shafts helped make the bike feel deceptively quick.

Steering response remained sharp and neutral at any speed and on any kind of road. Fast bends, tight turns, and sequences of esses were all negotiated with absolute elan and a feeling of total security. No need to swing your body from side to side to force the bike into a proper lean angle; just give light input on the bars, and the front-end response was immediate and accurately aimed at your chosen line. The chassis tuning of the RS 660 is truly exceptional.

The twin front Brembo discs have a comparatively easy job stopping the RS 660, even late braking aggressively into a corner, thanks to the bike’s light weight and precise handling. In fact, the RS 660 worked so well on the road, it made me miss an adequate track session. The bike is a natural for teaching the subtle art of sport motorcycling. Aprilia is already planning a Sport Trophy race series for beginners and amateurs. The prototype I tested didn’t even have the celebrated Aprilia electronics suite operating, and I couldn’t have cared less. But production models will offer a complete range of electronic rider aids to support maximum safety.

At the end of my 100-mile ride, mostly over back roads, one consideration came to mind: I did not want to get off the bike, and that was not only because of its great global performance quality, but also its superb ergonomics. An average ride on a sportbike always demands its toll in terms of cranky joints and sore wrists, but on the RS 660, even the cable-actuated clutch feels pleasantly light. Next time, once at the factory gate, I would turn around and ride it from Noale back home, 200-plus miles away. You never want to get off this lean, devilish beauty.