The Aprilia RS 660 middleweight sportbike was
spotted testing.Sources report seeing one in street trim and another in race
trim. This is what we know so far. It is a parallel-Twin engine based on
the RSV4 but with the rear cylinder bank removed. We are curious to see how
Aprilia arrived at 660cc since half of 1078cc is over 500cc.
Aprilia claims the bike may do more than 100 bhp,
making the RS 660 a supertwin. The Noale-based manufacturer is aiming for a
lightweight and high-performance bike. It would be eligible for the Isle of Man
TT’s Lightweight TT class if the engine is below 650cc.
We also hope that Aprilia will include their APRC
electronic rider aids package on the bike. The question on everyone’s mind
is the price, of course. Will it be priced to compete toe-to-toe with the
current crop of 600s and 650s? Needless to say, there’s no point if the RS 660
costs in the regions of US$ 16,795 - US$ 19,195.
Another question is when will the RS 660 be
launched? 2020 is when Euro5 regulations are implemented, so it could be so.
Lastly, will Aprilia use the engine platform to build other type of bikes?
