- RS457 production begins at the Baramati plant
- Priced at Rs. 4.10 lakh (ex-showroom)
- Official pre-bookings open
The production of the much-anticipated Aprilia RS457 has commenced at Piaggio’s Baramati plant. The motorcycle was launched in India on 8 December during the India Bike Week and the deliveries are scheduled to begin from 1 March.
The RS457 has been pegged at Rs. 4.10 lakh which places it in between its closest rivals in the pricing spectrum. It goes up against the KTM RC 390, Kawasaki Ninja 400, and the Yamaha YZF-R3 which are priced at Rs. 3.18 lakh, Rs. 5.24 lakh, and Rs. 4.66 lakh, respectively (all prices are ex-showroom, Delhi). Notably, the RS457 is Aprilia’s first-ever made-in-India motorcycle which will be exported as well.
Powering the motorcycle is a 457cc, parallel-twin cylinder engine with liquid cooling and a six-speed gearbox accompanied by an assist and slipper clutch. It produces 46.9bhp and 43.5Nm of peak torque while a bi-directional is available as an option. It rides on 17-inch wheels that are suspended by upside-down forks and a monoshock with preload adjustability at both ends. Braking is handled by a single disc front and back with dual-channel ABS.
The design of the motorcycle is inspired by the bigger RS offerings in Aprilia’s line-up. The front gets a sinister-looking, split-LED headlamp housed in a beautifully crafted angular and layered fairing. Sitting on top of the exposed aluminium chassis is a sculpted fuel tank and a sharp tail accommodating a split-type seat. Further, the feature list includes full LED illumination, a five-inch TFT to toggle through rider aids like engine maps, traction control, ABS, anti-roll system, and three riding modes.
