Aprilia’s all-new RS660 supersport spotted testing

- Aprilia RS660 spotted testing near Noale, Italy

- It was scheduled to make its public debut on 9 May at Mugello

- Likely to be launched in India after its international debut

A new spy image indicates that Aprilia was testing its middle-weight supersport, the RS660, before the COVID-19 pandemic brought all operations to a grinding halt. The source of the spy shot reveals that the motorcycle was out on test in February 2020 near Noale, Italy. What’s further interesting is that accompanying the RS660 test mule was a Honda CBR650R, perhaps for a comparison of performance and other characteristics.

The RS660 test mule looked ready for production with well finished body panels and cycle parts. The absence of any test equipment on the bike further confirmed of the bike being road-ready. However, the paint job on the bodywork and the exhaust canister appeared incomplete. Aprilia might have been carrying out the finals tests before the RS600’s scheduled public debut on 9 May, which has now been postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak. 

Aprilia had unveiled the production-spec RS660 at the 2019 EICMA where it created a lot of buzz with its smashing design. The sleek LED headlamp with geometric LED DRLs sit flush in the fairing with edgy lines all over. The muscular fuel tank gets deep recess for a firm knee grip while the compact seat blends into the tapered tail. More fascinating than the stunning design is its light kerb weight of 169kg which gives it an incredible power to weight ratio. 

Speaking of power, the Aprilia RS660 makes around 100bhp from its 660cc, parallel-twin motor. This powerplant clings on to an extremely light aluminum frame and swingarm. Making the overall package further desirable is the impressive electronic wizardry comprising of a six-axis IMU with traction control, wheelie control, engine brake control, quick shifter and five riding modes.

The Aprilia RS660 is likely to be launched in India after its international debut but the timeline is not known yet. It will go head on against the Japanese supersport, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R.

Image Source – Apriliaforum