Aprilia RS 457: Road Test Review

Styling and quality

I’ve a personal theory about all things Italian. I think it is hard to find a non-good looking Italian motorcycle in recent times and the Aprilia RS 457 is testament to that. In a word, it looks stunning.

From the shape of the front fairing to the cleverly integrated DRLs, the squinting LED headlights or beautifully styled side fairing that leaves a bit of the aluminum frame exposed, it’s almost as if the bike is showcasing it with pride. The front and three-quarter angle will have the supersport aficionado in you drooling.

The tail piece is another example of Italian design flair at its very best and I’m sure a lot of you, like me, are thankful that Aprilia hasn’t discounted comfort in the quest for aesthetics. The generous pillion seat is proof of that and we’ll get to it later.

In the ten days and 1,000km that we logged on the bike while testing it, there were no rattles, squeaks or parts that came loose. And mind you, we weren’t babying this..err..baby Aprilia. Those were hard, fast miles on the Aprilia and as far as build quality goes, the RS 457 wasn’t faulted.

The quality of most of the plastics, be it the fairings or the cladding around the crisp TFT instrument cluster was good. If I had to nitpick, I’d point a finger at the bolts on the clip-ons that are too crude to belong on a near Rs 5 lakh motorcycle. Ditto for the switchgear that’s too hard and plasticky. I’d let this pass, however, considering the other areas where this motorcycle delivers and how.

Ergonomics and comfort

Swing a leg over the firm yet well-padded seat of the motorcycle and you are greeted with a sense of space all around. You could be a six footer and still won’t feel cramped or someone who isn’t tall and will find the reach to the ground to not be a literal stretch. Eitherways, the reach to the wide handlebars isn’t too far forward and that also translates to more leverage while maneuvering the bike through tight spaces.

The footpegs, however, are rearset and the bend in the knees is sporty but not extreme. In all, given the way one is seated on the bike, there is no question that commuting, touring or hitting the race track with this bike is possible on the RS 457.

Performance and handling

The star of the show, undeniably, is the 457cc, parallel twin engine. With class leading power figures and oodles of low and midrange grunt, this engine offers performance and flexibility that’s unheard of in this segment. You could stick the bike in fourth gear at around 35-40kmph and the engine will not even whisper a complaint. That takes off a ton of effort while riding in slow moving city traffic as gearshifts are reduced to a minimum.

Switch the settings to an open road and the engine’s performance will entertain you. The RS 457 gathers speed rather quickly, contrary to what the linear power delivery suggests. Before you know it, the digital speedo has crossed over and deep into the other side of 100kmph.

Its predictable power delivery will also keep those graduating to such a bike from scaring themselves silly. Whereas the experienced hands will appreciate the effortlessness with which the engine sits at triple digit speeds without the intrusion of bothersome vibrations. The cherry on top is the engine’s 270-degree firing order that gives the bike a characterful and deep sound that everyone in the office loved.

Complementing the sweet engine is a smooth and precise six-speed gearbox but the lack of a quickshifter as standard is telling for a motorcycle this capable and at this price. Nevertheless, the ride and handling of the RS 457 makes up for the lack of this feature, especially the latter aspect.

The RS 457 has a preload adjustable USD fork and a monoshock and even in the stock settings and the ride quality was good for the most part. Yes, the suspension is firm but isn’t uncomfortable by supersport standards. The little tradeoff that you’ll make, in fact, will be more than worth it when you chuck the RS 457 into a corner. Here’s where Aprilia’s pedigree comes to the fore.

To put it simply, it is a combination of a talkative chassis, light yet connected front end and grippy tyres that makes the RS 457 an absolute hoot around corners. The precision with which it sticks to an intended line or allows you to make corrections mid corner, should you overcook it, are reasons to anoint the RS 457 as one of the best handling motorcycles, across segments. If you buy an RS 457 and don’t take it to the racetrack, you are doing both yourself and the motorcycle a huge disservice.

The brakes on our test bike were equipped with the optional, sintered pads and they were more than adequate to shed speed or bring the bike to a halt in an emergency. This is in contrast to our experience with the bike on the racetrack where the bikes had stock, organic brake pads and faded under repeated heavy braking. Long story short, please opt for the sintered brakes and the adjustable lever.

Features and technology

When you look at the feature list of the Aprilia RS 457 in relation to the competition, you’ll be blown away by the stuff that it packs. There’s three levels of traction control, ride modes and dual channel ABS with the provision to deactivate the rear ABS. The TC is refined and in the few times that I triggered it, the intervention was smooth. Even the ABS is well calibrated.

As for the TFT display, I like the layout, the use of colour and the ease with which one can navigate through the menus. It’s got Bluetooth connectivity as well, very much in keeping with the times.

Fuel efficiency

We put the RS 457 through the standard BikeWale fuel efficiency run and to the bike’s credit it returned a decent 23.4kmpl. With a 13-litre fuel tank, it translates to a tank range of a little over 300km. That said, expect to see sub-20kmpl if you go all throttle-happy.

Should you buy it?

It’s a question that’s lingered on everyone’s mind ever since the Aprilia RS 457 hit the market. After all it’s an all-new, sub-500cc supersport, made in India by a European manufacturer. If it were a Japanese motorcycle, people would have lapped it up without doubt. Such is the reputation of the Japanese. And despite the doubts and in the face of formidable competition from the Yamaha R3 and the Kawasaki Ninja 500, the Aprilia RS 457 has shone bright. So much so that it outsells them.

What’s worked for Aprilia is the commitment they’ve shown to the Indian supersport space. They’ve answered the need for a well-built, fast, engaging and absolutely entertaining motorcycle with the RS 457. Since it is locally built, unlike the CBU imported Japs, the price could’ve been a little lower but even at Rs 4.10 lakh, ex-showroom, the bike is terrific value. So, if you are in the market for a supersport at this price point, it simply doesn’t get better than the Aprilia RS 457.

Images by Kasutubh Gandhi