Italian performance bike manufacturer Aprilia is gearing up to ready their Aprilia RS 660 which had debuted as a concept last year at the EICMA show has been spotted testing at the Imola Race Circuit in Italy.
The Aprilia RS 660 is expected to get advanced new features which will then be carried over to the next generation RSV4. The RS 660 will be based on a new platform with a parallel twin engine which will be derived from the RSV4 1100. The bike is also rumoured to get active aerodynamics, a feature which will be seen on the next generation Aprilia RSV4 expected to be launched in 2021 when the new Euro5 regulations are enforced.
This is not the first time Aprilia RS 660 has been caught testing, it was last year when we saw the middle-weight sports bike being tested on the track.
Though engine specification and output figures are scarce and assuming that they will be kept a secret up until the launch, we can safely speculate them to be around the 100+ BHP mark. The RSV4 derived engine could also house Aprilia APRC electronics on the bike.
The RSV4 1100 available for sale in India is powered by an longitudinal 65° V-4 cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder 1,078cc (999.6cc) engine with a maximum power of 217 HP at 13,200 RPM and maximum torque of 122 Nm at 11,000 RPM coupled to a 6-speed transmission and a wet multiplate mechanical slipper clutch. The fuel delivery is through 4 Marelli 48-mm throttle bodies with 8 injectors and latest generation Ride-By-Wire engine technology and three different selectable engine maps – Track, Sport, Race. The maps can be selected with the bike in motion. Other features include APRC System (Aprilia Performance Ride Control), which
includes Traction Control, Wheelie Control, Launch Control, cruise control and speed limiter, all of which can be configured independently.
The Aprilia RS 660 is expected to be unveiled at the upcoming EICMA Motor Show which will be held in November with production model to be launched later in 2020. According to sources, the bike is likely to cost around USD 10,000. The Aprilia RS 660 is set for global distribution, but we think it will not make it to the Indian market.