Aprilia RS 457 to be Launched in India on December 8; Here's What to Expect
The Aprilia RS 457 supersport will be launched at India Bike Week 2023 on December 8 when the country's largest biking festival celebrates its 10th anniversary.
By Kanika Sachdeva
Last week, Aprilia India released a teaser on its Instagram page that its RS 457 supersport will 'make a grand stop' at India Bike Week 2023, the country's largest biking festival due to take place in Goa on December 8 and 9. This confirms that Aprilia, the sporty flagship brand for Piaggio Group, will launch the new twin-cylinder sportbike on the 8th of this month when India Bike Week celebrates its 10th anniversary. Officially unveiled for the Indian market on September 20, the Aprilia RS 457 is the first motorcycle from the brand to be made in India at Piaggio’s plant in Baramati. While the upcoming bike will go on sale on the said date, let's dive into some highlights.
As the name suggests, the new Aprilia RS 457, which has roots in Aprilia Racing's storied history, gets its power from a new 457cc, parallel twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with a 270-degree crank and double camshaft timing. Mated to a 6-speed gearbox, this engine is capable of belting out 48bhp and 44Nm of torque, thereby making the RS 457 the most powerful offering in the segment. On offer could also be a slip-and-assist clutch as standard.
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Aprilia RS 457: Suspension, Brakes, Wheels
This engine is fed via a 13-litre fuel tank and comes nestled in an aluminium perimeter frame, suspended by a 41mm upside-down front fork with 120mm of travel and a rear mono-shock with 130mm of travel, both of which are preload adjustable. Braking duties on the bike are taken care of by a 320mm front disc and a 220mm rear disc, both supplied by ByBre. For additional safety, a dual-channel ABS is offered. The bike rolls on 17-inch sports wheels wrapped in high-performance 110/60 front and 150/60 rear TVS Eurogrip Protorq Extreme tyres.
The Aprilia RS 457's dry weight of 159 kilograms (or 175kg weight when fully fuelled) makes a power-to-weight ratio superior to that of its competitors, namely the Kawasaki Ninja 400 (45bhp), the KTM RC 390 (44bhp and 37Nm), and the forthcoming Yamaha R3 (42bhp).
Aprilia RS 457: Design
The Aprilia RS 457 is designed and developed at the company's headquarters in Noale, Italy, with the Indian team providing developmental inputs. Drawing inspiration from the larger, middleweight RS 660, the Aprilia RS 457 features twin LED headlamps with built-in LED daytime running lights (DRLs) and turn signals, a muscular-looking fuel tank, a split-seat setup, a transparent visor, aerodynamic vents on the side fairings, clip-on handlebars, and rear-set footpegs.
Besides, the motorcycle bears crisp sharp cuts and edges on its body, adding to its aggressive appearance. Other bits are the signature double front fairing, underbelly silencer, and streamlined 2-in-1 exhaust system.
Aprilia RS 457: Features, Electronic Aids
The design is complemented by a 5.0-inch TFT display with smartphone connectivity, a ride-by-wire system with three riding modes, and a backlit switchgear. There are also three traction control settings available to riders, which can be turned off entirely. Upon launch, a quick-shifter will also be offered, but as an accessory.
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Aprilia RS 457: Expected Price
Given the fact that the RS 457 will be manufactured in the country, the Italian manufacturer is expected to offer an attractive price tag to ward off its closest competition – the Kawasaki Ninja 400 (Rs 5.24 lakh, ex-showroom). We expect the Aprilia RS 457 to fall in the range of Rs 3.30 to Rs 3.60 lakh (ex-showroom).
