autoX Awards 2024: Aprilia RS 457 Performance, Quality and Value for Money Ranked

autoX Awards 2024: Alright, it’s time for an honest confession. We all knew the Aprilia RS 457 would slug it out for the ‘Best of 2024’ honour, but we weren’t quite ready for it to wipe the floor with its rivals. Just look at the difference in points compared to the next ‘Best of 2024’ award winner. The RS 457 is miles ahead – impressively, in almost all of the departments.

Credit where it’s due – Aprilia has absolutely knocked it out of the park with the RS 457. You see, the RS 457 is not just a winner but a product that has also redefined the segment. For the first time in India, we have a global-standard twin-cylinder motorcycle that’s made locally. And, the icing on the cake is that it doesn’t cost a bomb – you don’t have to break the bank if you want a world-class supersport twin anymore.

In the very first interaction with the RS 457, the jury was completely hooked on to it. Be it its eye-catching design, on-the-money sports bike proportions, racy paintwork, or immaculate fit-and-finish, the Aprilia is hard to fault when it comes to its appearance. And, then, the moment you fire its glorious parallel-twin motor, you can sense there’s a lot to unpack here in terms of the overall visceral experience.

Headlined by a 457cc parallel-twin motor with a 270-degree crank, this Aprilia supersport sounds more like a big V-twin motor. That noise…well, it kind of sets the mood. On the move, the twin motor is a monster. Torque pours in thick right from 3,000rpm, and the motor is extremely rev-happy. The throttle response is snappy, and in terms of performance, you won’t find any complaints – except for the fact that it buzzes a little at high rpm. However, we would classify these as ‘good vibrations’, as they are a part of the riding experience rather than being a nuisance.

Then comes the sharp handling. At the BIC, the RS 457 felt at home immediately. When it was pushed to the limit, it didn’t disappoint. As you can see, its lap time was nearly two seconds faster than all of its direct rivals. Simran believed that its explosive power delivery and aggressive geometry / quick turn-in help the rider to extract the maximum performance from the motorcycle. He did, however, say that it does feel a bit twitchy at times, albeit not to the point where it feels out of control. Let’s just say that it keeps you on the edge. The braking performance, too, was excellent, meaning Aprilia has fixed the gremlins that we faced during the first ride event back in January.

What’s more, the RS 457 comes laced with modern rider aids, including adjustable traction control, three riding modes, a quick-shifter (optional), and a colour TFT display. These features aren’t just functional but also make the RS 457 the best-equipped motorcycle in its segment. Not to mention, it’s the most affordable motorcycle in its class, making it the bargain of the year.

Also Read: Aprilia RS 457 Review: The Hype is Real!

We can’t praise the RS 457 enough, for it is the best motorcycle that was launched in the Indian market in 2024, as adequately reflected in our scoring sheets. It might have taken Aprilia a fair bit of time to put their first made-in-India sports bike on sale, but it was well worth the wait. We doff our hats – or helmets – to Aprilia for nailing the sports bike brief with the RS 457. They have simply exceeded our expectations here. Kudos, once again!

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