Aprilia RS660 was seen only in leaked patent drawings until it was unwrapped last year at the EICMA show in Milan, Italy. Aprilia had also planned to offer test rides of the Aprilia RS660 at the Mugello race track in Italy during the Aprilia festival in May but due to the COVID-19 outbreak pandemic, has forced plans to be postponed indefinitely.
Now, the Aprilia RS660 has been spotted out in the open, believed to be before the pandemic outbreak, sans camouflage and without any test rigs, leading us to believe that the spied model is fully production-ready. The spied motorcycle seems to have non-pigmented body panels, without any colour or graphics and the keen-eyed would also notice the exhaust covers have not been installed on its mid-ship exhaust system.
In terms of its design and styling, the Aprilia RS660 draws its inspiration from the elder sibling the Aprilia RSV4 and comes with a fully faired aerodynamic bodywork, triple LED headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, layered side fairing with aero ducts, bubble windscreen, step-up seats with a raised tail section, LED tail lamps, chiselled fuel tank, clip-on handlebars mounted on top of the top steering plate allowing a less aggressive rider’s triangle. The bike also features a 5-inch colour TFT instruments screen with smartphone connectivity and self-cancelling turn signal indicators as well as cornering lamp function.
Powering the Aprilia RS660 is a 100 bhp parallel-twin-cylinder engine that is said to be derived from the big daddy Aprilia RSV4 1100. The 100 bhp of power has to move only 169 kgs of weight giving the Aprilia RS660 a substantial power to weight ratio. The Aprilia RS660 also employs an impressive electronics package with a 6-axis IMU, cornering ABS, traction control, bi-directional quick shifter, cruise control, engine braking control, riding modes and wheelie control.
The middle weight super sport motorcycle is expected to reach Aprilia dealerships as soon as the health situations normalise.
Aprilia RS660 on the left with Honda CBR 650F on the right