Track-ready performance was once primarily the domain of middleweight and liter-class supersport machines, but in recent years, sportbikes like the KTM RC 390 and Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR have delivered exciting levels of performance in smaller-displacement packages. Joining the pocket rocket ranks is the all-new 2024 Aprilia RS 457.
Related: 2022 KTM RC 390 Review | First Ride
Related: 2023 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR Review | First Ride
Inspired by the Aprilia RS 660, the new RS 457 is powered by a liquid-cooled parallel-Twin, presumably 457cc but Aprilia’s press materials don’t specify an exact displacement. The Italian firm, which notched a 1-2 finish in MotoGP at the Catalunya Grand Prix last weekend, says the DOHC, 4-valves-per-cylinder engine cranks out 47 hp in a bike with a dry weight of 350 lb.
Related: 2021 Aprilia RS 660 Review | First Ride
“In recent years, the Aprilia brand has seen an intense burst of renewal, also supported by continued progress in the racing world,” said Michele Colaninno, Piaggio Group CEO. “The recent introduction of the 660 family, with RS and Tuono first and Tuareg later, has expanded its target, creating a full and competitive range. We are now ready to take another step towards the future with an astonishing bike developed entirely in Noale, capable of stimulating and thrilling young people and opening up huge potential in new markets, near and far. It is a step closer to the globalization of a brand that has always had the perfect combination of technology, fun, and looking to the future in its DNA.”
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The Aprilia RS 457 is equipped with throttle-by-wire and has three ride modes that adjust power, torque, and traction control intervention. An up/down quickshifter is available as an accessory.
It has an aluminum frame that uses the engine as a stressed member of the chassis, and the swingarm is made of steel. Its suspension, a 41mm fork with 4.7 inches of travel and a rear shock with 5.1 inches of travel, offers preload adjustability front and rear.
Braking components are by ByBre, with a single radial-mount 4-piston caliper pinching a 320mm disc up front and a 1-piston caliper pinching a 220mm disc out back. Dual-mode ABS is standard, with the option of providing anti-lock braking at both wheels or at just the front wheel. The Aprilia RS 457 has 17-inch wheels front and rear, with tires in 110/70-17 front and 150/60-17 rear sizes.
The RS 457’s aerodynamic bodywork, LED headlight layout, and 2-in-1 exhaust with an underbelly silencer share design DNA with its larger Aprilia RS siblings. Behind the windscreen is a 5-inch color TFT dash and handlebar switches are backlit.
Aprilia has not yet released color options, pricing, or availability in the U.S. For more information, visit the Aprilia website.
See all of Rider‘s Aprilia coverage here.
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Source: RiderMagazine.com