A NEW ITALIAN TWIN

With incredible punch to launch you out of corners, an SWC-derived chassis built for stiffness and a compact nature which makes it one of the smallest in its class, the Aprilia RSV4 is an amazing machine – but it’s also too powerful, too expensive, too cramped and too much for most people.

So maybe cut out a couple of cylinders, adapt the design to suit a wider range of riders and build it at a reasonable price to increase sales? Enter the RS 660.

It’s Aprilia’s re-imagining of what a middleweight sports bike can be, but it’s interesting Yamaha had a similar idea with the R7 (the two bikes were announced so close together it’s unlikely one is a response to the other).

Not only that, we’re getting two versions – the full power RS 660 and a LAMs approved model. Pricing varies a little depending on where you live, but a little under $21,000 ride away for the full power or $500 less for the LAMS version puts the new machine in the premium mid-range pricing area but nowhere near open class sportsbikes.

The design philosophy attempts to wrap serious performance in a practical and beautiful package. We’ve seen it before in Supersport 600s, which were sporty and yet somewhat practical in the 1990s before turning into racing specials … then losing relevance as open-class sportsbikes became easier to ride with good traction control and engine maps, taking away the advantage of the smaller engine. The 600s are extremophiles – everything