When the Aprilia RS 660 concept was debuted at last year’s EICMA show, what we saw was actually three thing. One was a new engine platform, based around a parallel-twin engine that is basically an RSV4 motor cut in half. Another was a middleweight supersport model based on that new twin-cylinder engine, and the third was an active aerodynamics concept.
Our Bothan spies tell us that the active aerodynamics package is destined for the next generation of the Aprilia RSV4 superbike, which we expect to see in 2021 when the Euro5 regulations first come into affect. They also told us that the Aprilia RS 660 was the first model of a new platform, which we would see debut for the 2020 model year.
Now with Aprilia talking to our colleagues at Moto-Station in France, we get confirmation that the Aprilia RS 660 will debut as a production model later this year, at the EICMA show in Milan, which is held in November.
We should remember too that the Aprilia RS 660 was caught testing on the track late last year, with two trims of the bike on display – one was a race version, and the other a street version, and they both looked ready for primetime.
Built along the RSV4 architecture, we would expect the Aprilia RS 660 to post some big power figures, and come with a robust suite of electronics. 100hp on tap could be the ticket, and it should be easy for Aprilia to graft its APRC electronics suite onto the super-twin.
Cost is the big talk at this point. Will this be a $10,000 machine, and really give the rival 600cc supersport and 650cc super-twin bikes a run for their money? Or, will this be a more premium bike that will go against twins like the Ducati SuperSport?
Time will tell on that one, but our indications from Noale is that this is a bike that is coming to market with a price point in mind.
Set for global distribution, and said to be the basis for at least a few models, it should be easy for Aprilia to get very aggressive with its pricing structure for these “660” machines.
Keep your ears out though, we have only a matter of months before this bike debuts, and more details are surely going to drop between now and then.
Source: Moto-Station
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