A few years ago, Aprilia introduced the RS 660, which has been selling extremely well, particularly in Europe. A mid-displacement parallel-twin sport bike, it was followed by the naked Tuono 660.
Now, Aprilia introduces a smaller, lighter parallel-twin in the form of the RS 457 shown.
With 457cc, a claimed 47 horsepower and 350 pounds of dry weight, this looks to be a nimble, entertaining mount.
The engine is a stressed member in the aluminum twin-spar frame, and the fork and shock are adjustable for spring preload.
The wheel sizes are designed to keep the bike light and nimble, with a 110/70-17 front tire and a 150/60-17 rear. A single 320mm front brake rotor is squeezed by a four-piston caliper.
It is an Aprilia, so we are not surprised that it has relatively sophisticated electronic aides. Three-level traction control and three riding modes operate through a ride-by-wire throttle. A modern 5″ TFT instrument display is featured.
No other specifications are available as of this writing, and the pricing and availability information are yet to be announced.
Price will be higher than the CF MOTO 450R SO MY MONEY would be for the Chinese until its time foe a real bike 1000cc
I wonder if CF Moto engines is KTM of previous generation. And if those things built in China… Those guskets. It is up to you.
Rumor has it the CFMoto 450 engine was a shared platform with KTM that they canceled. Would’ve been a “490” series of bikes. Every other CFMoto engine that’s shared with KTM are current gen alongside them.
CF MOTO 400NK RIGHT NOW is on fire in PHILIPPINES..So this 450R will rock and will do what the 457 will do for less $
I suspect this is a bit de-tuned. I would like a naked version or an adventure bike. I have purchased several motorcycles because they are so well constructed my Guzzi Mandello V100 is one of these. Lots of us are aging out and light weight, great chassis, great brakes, build quality is the way to our hearts. Good on Aprilia. I hope they succeed.
I like it, but I’d put a Super Single kit on my CRF450L first and have a much lighter bike with similar power.
You will have 10+ fewer HP than this A2 version of the 457 and it won’t likely be “similar” (a vibrating single vs. a smooth twin). If this thing gets a separate US tune, it’ll be a lot more than +10hp from the CRF. If you convert a CRF you purchased new, you’ll probably be into it for ~$12+ too.
General consensus seems that it’ll be a pricey little bugger. I’m not a HP freak, but a sub-50HP, 390# wet, 450cc bike should do quite a bit better than that. But what do I know? I’m just the guy with money burning a hole in his pocket waiting for the right bike to come along.
If you like this bike style, want more HP and have money to burn, the RS660 is waiting for you.
Suzuki GS500 makes 46HP and weighs 375lbs. This bike has been around for a couple of decades possibly more. seeing this new bike is slightly, slightly improved in those 2 catagories, well of course all the other bits like wheels, brakes frame, suspension, styling are all better newer, yes. But saying this new model is, well new, that’s about all. its not ground breaking in either HP or weight. It would still be a small gutless little bike, for those of us who have ridden bikes all our lives. Maybe the new TFT display will be able to keep you amused, when you stop. Now that I have said all that, its probably a nice entry level bike, but at what price?
Agree completely. Does one buy a bike just for the looks? Price?
What’s groundbreaking (assuming it’s what they’ll deliver) is that all of this bike’s qualities are built around a power plant that isn’t 100+hp. Right now most bikes in this power range are built with lowest cost possible everything. While It will make 47hp in England, just like the larger Honda cb500r and every other bike made to get under the A2 licensing threshold, it will almost certainly make more here. If they’re getting 100hp out of the 660 twin I’d bet this will make 60+ without A2 restrictions in place.
ROFL! Uh “of course all the other bits like wheels, brakes frame, suspension, styling are all better newer, yes”
BY A KENTUCKY MILE OR TEN. The GS500 is your benchmark because of power and weight?
FROFL!! ROFK!! OMG!!!!!!
Maybe you should stop rolling on the floor, read the article again and then see how joe’s comparison is apt. “Better to keep your mouth shut and let everyone think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt…”
According to the all knowing Wiki, the GS500F was some 443 lbs. wet. This bike is 390 and the 47hp is the A2 license figure which will undoubtedly be a bit or a lot more with a tune. Some progress has been made 😀
What a silly comparison, did you forget the GS is air cooled? Apples and oranges, except for a Suzuki simp.
The GS500F (the one with body work) weighs 425-440lb. At that weight it still has a wheezy air cooled engine (40hp at the wheel), flexy steel frame and lowest common denominator suspension and brakes. Even if a number or two on the spec sheet line up, there will be no comparison in the riding experience these two bikes deliver.
While not “ground breaking” in some of the more developed markets (Asia, Europe), it’s been a long time since offerings like this (RZ350, VFR500) reached the US. The 47hp figure is how it will be delivered in Europe where there is a license tier that requires this threshold not be broken. It’s possible the US could get a higher performance tune.
This bike was designed for markets with tiered license systems. So they limited it’s power. Otherwise a guy could point out that the the VF500F is now forty years old and it made 68hp. It did weigh considerably more however.
What Joe is pointing out is something that has bothered me for decades. The street bike industry will not sell a truly light weight bike at any price. That there are 35 year old bikes that are the same power and weight as a new bike is a sign of some serious stagnation going on. I for one would expect a premium tiered license bike to weigh 300 pounds or less. The limit is on power. So make the bike light. So it is written in The Holy Book of DUH!
We’ve been through this over and over again Mick. The industry doesn’t make lighter street bikes for a good reason. They can’t. It *cannot* be done at a price anyone would pay. If it could, it would.
Dirt bikes are not street bikes.
Finally, a premium low displacement bike. Aprilia has figured out what others haven’t; not every rider needs 100+ hp and that there is a market space for reasonably powered and priced motorcycles with premium features and technology.
Yes, that is exactly where this bike will succeed. A premium lower hp bike.
I don’t see turn signals – front or rear. No passenger foot pegs visible either. I’m not sure there is a kickstand either – all the shots show a stand. Is this a track only bike? Also, there is a plate frame tucked way back under the sub-frame. I doubt this is legal, even though may people mod their bikes to do this.
These characteristics adds confusion on what this bike is intended for. Street? Track?
And there are no mirrors as well. Even if there are kind of plugs in places where they can be mounted.
From their website: The full LED front headlight features the signature lighting style of the latest Aprilia generation, complete with integrated turn signals
If you just click on the link in this article and scroll to the bottom you’ll see all that street stuff.
It looks a lot better than a 400 Ninja or an R-3. If it’s $6500 who wouldn’t buy it?
Looks aside, if the bike does not perform any better than the 400 Ninja is the extra $1,100 worth it? Different strokes for different folks, to me performance over rides looks. Is the front suspension and added electronics worth the extra money? I would wager this being an Aprilla that the asking price is in the $7,000+ range.
This bike should outperform a Ninja 400 in all the same ways a RS660 outperforms a Ninja 650.
This truly is a silly question. The performance of ANY motorcycle is 95% dependent on the capabilities of the rider. A good rider is much faster on a 30 year old Ninja 250 than an average rider will be on this bike, or a RS660 or a Ninja 1000 for that matter. Don’t kid yourself.
And you might also say the inclinations of said rider. Almost all of my bikes are capable of more ‘performance’ than I routinely make use of, riding within my concept of safe limits. Then again, just looking at this Aprilia tells you all you need to know about the intentions of the manufacturer and the likely aspirations of the owner!
I think that’s going to be a pricey “beginner” bike. It certainly looks expensive – should give a lot of pride of ownership, I’d have a hard time keeping my eyes off it if it was in my garage.
This bike is gorgeous! I would be very interested in a Tuareg version of this. Keep in mind that this bike’s power is deliberately limited to meet requirements for certain countries. Considering how much power Aprilia V-4s have, it wouldn’t be out of the question to be able to nearly double the power available. And imagine a Trofeo track version of this sport bike. Yes, please.
A shootout with the Kawasaki Ninja 400 would be interesting. Why? The Ninja claims 45 hp and 27 pounds-feet torque. It weighs around 365 pounds wet. The Aprilla 47 hp but weighs probably 390 wet. Tongue is more important in acceleration than hp and is not listed.
It obviously is not as sophisticated as this Aprilla, bare bones electronics and no adjustable forks as examples. To me it’s all about performance including cornering ease. Interesting entry.
The British report the wet weight at 385 pounds. That’s about 1.5X a 450 motocross bike or 72 pounds more than Aprilia’s own SXV 550 from 2008. Just for kicks I looked up a 1974 Honda CB 450. It weighed 449.7 pounds wet.
As usual when the street bike industry says something is light weight you have to be very selective about what you are comparing it to.
Say it with me, Mick:
Dirt bikes aren’t street bikes…
Dirt bikes aren’t street bikes…
Dirt bikes aren’t street bikes…
Dirt bikes aren’t street bikes…
Dirt bikes aren’t street bikes…
To Mick’s credit, if you are talking about performance in certain street situations (tight fast fun backroads), a dirt bike is leagues ahead of nearly all street bikes.
Yes but Mick’s purpose in life is to remind us how steam trains are way better than Diesels.
Sorry Dave. That’ll never happen. Dirt bikes are motorcycles. They are a measure of what can be done on a premium motorcycle that is for sale every day to the general public. And the SXV 550 was street legal. KTM makes street legal dirt bikes also. Before all the dirt bikers, even the two stroke guys, had to pay for the Formula One engine programs for those rediculous four strokes. Dirt bikes used to cost as much as bargain street bikes. Now they cost over $10k pushing them into the premium catagory. I’m sure you know just how happy I am having to fund bikes that I have no interest in buying.
I didn’t call this particular bike a premium bike. A few of the other guys did. So it obviously provides the illusion of being a premium bike. Things like adjustable spring preload isn’t really adjustable suspension. Even if the suspension is adjustable doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s premium suspension. One of the things you get on a dirt bike is suspension that street bikers can only dream of. Yamaha came out with speed sensitive suspension in 2007 for dirt bikes. The technology hasn’t made it to street bikes yet for instance.
“Yamaha came out with speed sensitive suspension in 2007 for dirt bikes. The technology hasn’t made it to street bikes yet for instance.”
Speed sensitive suspension has existed on street bikes since long before Yamaha marketed it on their dirt bikes.
And again, “Dirt bikes aren’t street bikes…”
Ever wonder why that Aprilia SVX failed? Why the used market is so full of SuperMoto conversions? They kinda’ suck to ride for more than 1/2hr.
The SXV failed due to reliability issues. In their zeal to make the engine as compact as possible the made the cylinders and rods shorter than was practical.
A far as supermotos go. You’re talking to the wrong guy. I sold my 916 Ducati in 2000 and built a supermoto with the proceeds. My current front line bike is the same make and model in a 2003 flavor. I just gifted a friend a supermoto kit for the 690 Enduro that he wasn’t riding very much. I just returned from Minnesota where I was riding it around a bit while I was adjusting the speedo, which is possible on the 690.
None of that matters. If you are trying to tell me that a supermoto is less comfortable than the above bike. You are going to have a very tough sell indeed. Ride a supermoto with a custom seat and get back to me on that one.
“Ride a supermoto with a custom seat and get back to me on that one.”
I have. It was ok for about 1/2hr, then wind blast, vibration, chassis vagueness/flex coordinated together to make it a lot less fun than it seemed in that first 1/2hr. I am an avid cyclist for decades so I don’t need much to be comfortable.
I have never heard of anyone breaking a SVX engine in road riding conditions but then it’s a rare bike, very likely for reasons other than those you cited.
Power (yes, the horse kind) to weight is what determines acceleration. Torque on its own is a meaningless value. You must have missed all the previous conversations where I point out that a rider on a bicycle can crank out more torque to the crank than a Harley without breaking a sweat. How much acceleration does that give you?
On that, I wonder if the engine is a ground up restricted design. If the engine gnomes know they only need a little more than 100hp per liter out of a smaller displacement engine they can set the sights on a fatter power curve. When people mention torque, they are more often than not referring to how much power an engine makes at low wnd middle rpm. If an engine has steep power curve and a torque peak at 12000rpm, people are going to say that it doesn’t have much torque.
I just read a review of the ZX-6R. While whining about the new, smaller, cam signing of about 1000rpm early they mentioned the ZR-4RR being electronically restricted simply by signing off 5000rpm before redline. That would be quite frustrating. If Aprilia were to start off with 47hp as a goal they could give the engine a longer stroke and a proper cam profile to make a really fat and punchy 47hp more akin to a big single than a traditional high revving sportbike power profile.
All good points. We think the Honda CB500r engine is designed this way (500cc meant to make not much more than 50hp). Another possibility is that this engine is bored/stroked from a design optimized for smaller displacement so the bike can easily be converted to run with the popular lightweight class for bikes like the R4, Ninja 400, etc., similar to how they slotted the RS660 in with otherwise inferior machines in the existing supertwins class.