ITALIAN STALLION

Testing the Aprilia RS 457 at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore was a perfect way to explore the capabilities of this latest sub-500-cc sports motorcycle to be launched in India

-  Azaman Chothia

THE APRILIA RS 457 IS ONE OF THE MOST AWAITED sports bikes in our market. I have been eager to get my hands on the bike ever since it was unveiled and that is especially because of its sleek styling. I love how Aprilia have replicated the looks of the larger RS 660 and the RSV4. It is a great motorcycle to look at from any angle-it gets those iconic Aprilia LED headlights, a well-sculpted tank, and a sleek rear end. The standout feature on the RS 457 is the use of a twin-spar aluminium frame; componentry we usually see on larger-displacement sports bikes. There are three unique colour options on offer: Prismatic Dark, Opalescent White, and Racing Stripes. The overall fit and finish of the bike is good. It gets a five-inch TFT that has more than adequate information and the switchgear is user-friendly to operate and has good tactile feedback.

The Aprilia RS 457 is a compact and lightweight motorcycle, just as sports bikes are meant to be. It has a kerb weight of 175 kilograms and a seat height of 800 millimetres. It is obviously going to suit shorter riders better but I don't think taller riders would be uncomfortable astride it either. As I swung my leg over and headed out of the pit-lane, I quite liked the riding position of this motorcycle. The reach to the clip-on handlebars is not as aggressive as something like the older KTM RC 390, but slightly more forward-set than bikes like the Yamaha R3 or the Kawasaki Ninja 400. The foot-pegs are set higher up and towards the rear. With the well-sculpted tank, I was able to lock my leg while leaning into corners and, overall, the bike possesses good ergonomics, considering this it is going to spend a lot of time on public roads. Over the short duration that we spent on track, I did like the comfort offered by the seat as well.