Aprilia's newest addition to the range - the RS 457 - is coming in hot with incredibly attainable pricing
It's fair to say that the LAMS sport bike market is heating up with a bunch of very appealing new, and more importantly, very affordable bikes hitting the market this year. The newest of which is Aprilia's stunning RS 457.
We've known the RS 457 was on the way for a while now, with a brand new 457cc parallel-twin in a chassis that evokes all the sportiness Aprilia is known for, it would've been mental to not include it in the local lineup where LAMS bikes are by far the volume sellers for most manufacturers. Now we know not just that the RS 457 is coming, but Aprilia Motorcycles' New Zealand distributor Salero Holdings has just confirmed local pricing.
To sum it up, it would appear it is now pretty darn attainable to put an exotic Italian sports bike in your garage.
Set to arrive in New Zealand dealerships in the latter half of September, the new RS 457 will enter the market with a price point of $10,590 plus on roads for the bike in the Opalescent White and Prismatic Dark colour schemes.
The premium Racing Stripes colour comes in at just $400 more at $10,990 (plus on-roads), and as a special introductory offer, Aprilia New Zealand will throw in a free Quick Shifter Kit for the first 10 Racing Stripes RS 457s sold.
Specs-wise, things are pretty appealing with the RS 457 putting down both a decent peak power figure but also tipping the scales at an approachable 175kg.
That peak power figure from the 457cc twin comes in at 35kW / 47.6hp which is backed by 43.5Nm of peak torque, 82% of which is already available at 3,000rpm.
Cradling that sweet parallel-twin is currently the only aluminium frame in the class which Aprilia says forms a compact, lightweight and stiff structure. In the suspension department, Aprilia has given riders preload adjustment at both the 41mm fork and rear monoshock, meaning getting the bike setup for the rider is one step easier than the bikes in the class which offer no adjustment.
Braking comes in the form of a 320mm front disc clasped by a ByBre radially mounted 4-piston caliper while at the back is a 220mm disc and ByBre Caliper.
With tech becoming increasingly important, especially with younger customers, Aprilia has gone all out with the RS 457 with one of the most comprehensive tech suites in the class.
Power delivery is tailored for the situation at hand via a ride-by-wire throttle and three riding modes, while rider aids come in the form of Aprilia's adjustable ATC Traction Control system, switchable ABS braking and an optional Quick Shifter.
Keeping the rider informed is a 5-inch TFT display which is controlled by what Aprilia claims are "intuitive handlebar controls". Not only is the screen easy to read and full of info, but owners can also spec it out with the Aprilia MIA multimedia system which brings phone connectivity and more to the experience.
With the first batch of RS 457s expected here in September, summer is starting to look pretty good for buzzing about our favourite backroads on some approachable sports bikes.
