[Axe77]

Very well summarised Neil. Completely resonates with me overall. I don’t think they’ll be inclined or able to provide a super competitive “Made in India” price - don’t expect a Bajaj like pricing coup like the Speed or 390 Duke.

Its sitting in a bit of a clear niche not being a single cylinder but instead offering a 270 degree twin. I do hope they can get the balance between being pricey and therefore being niche vs being so pricey that it doesn’t move.

There will clearly be takers who’ll pay a premium for this and will also actively choose this over a Ninja 400. I’m just hoping they do manage to keep the price (well) below 5L ex showroom to be able to keep the interest real.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Coming to the pricing, my educated (??) guess is that the pricing is going to be around between Rs 4.5 - 5 L ex-showroom. Aprilia simply doesnt have the showroom span or service network to sell tens of thousands of RS 457 (and maybe even the Tuono 457) motorcycles each month. They arent going to see the economies of scale that say a KTM would with the 390 series or Kawasaki would with the 300 series. And Aprilia doesnt always play the aggressive pricing game in India or globally. There isnt anything wrong with their approach. Its just a function of their scale.

The bigger question is will the market accept a pricing close to the excellent Ninja 400 and well above the RC390? I think there is a clear space in the market for a gorgeous looking motorcycle like the RS 457 which comes with the promise of exciting performance. The KTMs, for all their explosive power and fun, are still big singles …

Would I pay a premium over the RC390 for an Indian made Aprilia RS 457? Simply put, yes.

———-

I’m curious to know is which dealers will be retailing these bikes. The current superbike dealer spread is virtually non existent. Equally, I’m not sure I’m happy with every run of the mill Aprilia dealer selling and servicing these bikes - nor might that be viable with the numbers that this bike could pull off. So the question is, what is the dealer shortlist going to look like for this specific offering. Hope the information feed comes soon enough rather than those trickle feed sort of launches.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by aniruddha_98

I saw some people saying that 270° parallel twin sounds most boring in this forum,

I guess you confused 270° with 180 parallel twins. The latter sounds boring, except at the highest rpms. Kawasaki parallel twins for example.

This will be an advantage for the Aprilia over something like a Ninja 400 or the single cylinder RC390, not a weakness

[e46]

Dears,

This question has intrigued me for years, maybe bike gurus here can clarify.

How could the "now axed" Benelli 302/250 sound so better and closer to inline 3/4 ones compared to other twins? Or at least it did to me, am sure others would have noted it too.

I liked it much more than the R3, Ninja 300 or even 650. It had a deep sound in it.

Sorry for asking a bit OT question.

[SnS_12]

Displayed at Bharat MotoGP

[Samarth 619]

Originally Posted by aniruddha_98

I saw some people saying that 270° parallel twin sounds most boring in this forum, so I tried to find a vehicle within similar engine, and that's CFMoto 450. Another 270° parallel twin bike which is getting some attention in the west. And the engine on RS looks like a downsize version of Rs660, which also has 270 crank some character. Attaching a few clips of both bikes below for reference. If RS457 sounds anything in between, it'd be a great product

I had a couple of doubts though, if someone could answer, it'd be great.

1. The a 457cc parallel twin mill's power is restricted by A2 licence, so do you think this bike might have great tuning potential with simple mods like a piggyback ecu, aftermarket exhaust and Inake?

2. Anyone has any idea about seat height? Has aprilia revealed anything?

I did not mean that the 270* sounds boring, please note that I was referring to the opinion w.r.t. the common customer in India, who subjectively identifies the big bikes more with the equal-firing order sound, something like Daytona 675 or TNT 300.
That said, yes, I should've chosen my words better. Will take this as a feedback.


A2 license in general had been achieved using various means. Sometimes, Suzuki 650's used factory restrictor kits which were removable once the learner achieved a full licence. Other means included rev restrictions and all.
I do think this engine has huge potential in general, but one must be careful to choose the mods carefully and from reliable brands like Akra, and all. It does look fit to me to touch 52-54 bhp at least, with parts off the shelf..

[VijayAnand1]

I feel it certainly resonates the suo moto ethos with what they actually intend to do here in India and if this launch is a precursor of anything to go by, Aprilia and its incongruities glaringly come to the forefront. With current sales pitch of their scooters facing severe headwind, coupled with sub-par reliability and parts availability, back-up and the ever scanty showroom diaspora, Aprilia has a lot left to offer and inquisitively needs to re-check its priorities for the long term.

The cheapest twin, the RE 650 has spoiled the legacy for everyone. With its torque curve, 270 deg bang for buck and pipe friendly moans, it's become the quintessential poster-child of the moderan era. Now, barring the Ninja 300s 400s, 650s and all the others in between, the RS457 in my books isn't going to be reining superiority over its other brethren here in India.

This little Aprilia sincerely is late to the party by all means. With its current avatar, the RS457 should have been in the markets right when the Ninja 400 was launched in India. Look around, Kawasaki is still the book-keeper of the upper segment, launching everything they can, whenever they can and if there is a manufacturer in India that deserves a solemn oath of applause, it would undoubtedly be the Kawasaki.

They took the effort, they piggybacked with the available partners, helped expand up their expertise and here they are, still firing on all cylinders, all green and mean and then came the Yamaha R3, the silent kid that sent shivers down every enthusiasts' spine.

Here's my take. Aprilia if anything to go by, should price this bike in and around 3.9L to 4.3L ex-showroom for it to garner some decent interest.
The fact that they still haven't announced the price tells how rickety, still Aprilia is when it comes to delivering.
The 457 will punch above its weight, shall pump upwards of 55 to 60 hp with respect to the mod friendly environment it would be subject to eventually. Simply put, at the end of the day, it's heart over mind and the value proposition it brings to the table. Consummating this would be a hard decision considering the plethora of options currently on offer, at least here in India, both new and used. Would I spend my hard-earned cash on this? Well, maybe not. Why? Not because I don't want to but sincerely because it doesn't deserve so. Would I love to love this bike and feel what she has to offer viscerally? A resounding yes!

What a cornerstone of a year this has been. Still the likes of updated R3, RE450 and if Rahul Bajaj's words are to go by, the biggest Pulsar ever.. so much key and anticipated launches around the corner. 2023 has turned out to be the single most stupendous year for us bikers as a whole.

With all due respect, I sincerely wish Aprilia the success they deserve with this one.

Cheers!
VJ

[Waspune]

Getting an out and out Italian motorcycle (even if it’s made in India) at around 5 lacs is a big deal IMHO! We have only found pseudo Italians at around this price point till now.At present the cheapest Italian that can be bought in India would cost north of 10 lacs (Ducati Scrambler).

Performance wise it’s supposed to have the best power to weight ratio in the A2 category. So that’s covered as well. It looks great too, like an Italian should!

All in all, it seems to be a great offering from the house of Aprilia! I hope they get the Tuono 457 and the Tuareg 457 as well at a later date.

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by e46

Dears,

This question has intrigued me for years, maybe bike gurus here can clarify.

How could the "now axed" Benelli 302/250 sound so better and closer to inline 3/4 ones compared to other twins? Or at least it did to me, am sure others would have noted it too.

I liked it much more than the R3, Ninja 300 or even 650. It had a deep sound in it.

Sorry for asking a bit OT question.

The 302s had a 360 degree crank. They sound quite a bit nicer than regular 180 degree crank parallel twins. Another one with similar setup is the old BMW F800 platform. The 250s were single cylinder bikes though.

[Cresterk]

If it is priced anywhere close to the ktm 390s, I think most people will stretch to buy it just so they are not associated with the "colourful" image of KTM owners in India.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Cresterk

If it is priced anywhere close to the ktm 390s, I think most people will stretch to buy it just so they are not associated with the "colourful" image of KTM owners in India.

I am expecting it to be about 150,000 INR more than its KTM rival.

[Nilesh5417]

These look really well done and absolute eye candy. The RC390 has just way too many cuts and creases and lacks that visual finesse. Not sure if i saw the typical Italian "finish" on the RS457 though - it looked well done but nothing standout. But this is a twin and IMHO won't be near the KTM pricing. Wish they had turned it on..was hoping to see the screen and hear the motor.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

These look really well done and absolute eye candy.

I can’t wait to see these in person - from whatever pics and videos I’ve seen that white one was the standout looker to me.

Just curious since you’ve seen them up close - which one looked better - the white one or the all black? And the alloys - are they orange or red? I can’t make out definitively from any of the pics.

Thanks much.

[Nilesh5417]

Originally Posted by Axe77

I can’t wait to see these in person - from whatever pics and videos I’ve seen that white one was the standout looker to me.

Just curious since you’ve seen them up close - which one looked better - the white one or the all black? And the alloys - are they orange or red? I can’t make out definitively from any of the pics.

Thanks much.

I loved the white esp since it's not a color you see often on 2 wheels. The alloys are actually red.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

The alloys are actually red.

Great thanks. I was hoping as much. Just that specially against that very bright red paddock stand, the alloys looked a very different shade.

[Viju]

That is the best looking small capacity fully faired motorcycle I have seen in a decade at least! Wow! Nothing crazy, just clean lines. Looks like the designers took their own sweet time with the chisel, and wanted to create a design that won't look outdated in two years time. Lovely!