Aprilia RS 457, A New Chapter In The Aprilia RS Saga

The RS 457 is a historic step for Aprilia and not only in technological terms.

The new RS is a genuine sports bike. Powerful and fun, with the best power-to-weight ratio in its class. It is easy and light, with sophisticated technical solutions and a racing line in pure rs style. Twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with four-valve and double overhead camshaft (dohc), aluminium alloy frame and a full electronic management package with ride-by-wire, adjustable traction control and three riding modes.

The RS 457 is a historic step for Aprilia and not only in technological terms. Indeed, Aprilia's new twin-cylinder sports bike appeals to new targets and markets to meet the growing worldwide demand for easy but fun, technologically and stylistically groundbreaking motorbikes targeting broad market segments.

The RS acronym represents sportiness according to Aprilia. These motorbikes are designed to amaze, with innovations derived from a long and successful racing history that has shaped Aprilia's unique motorbike culture. Thus, Aprilia became the dream of entire generations, indulging the passion of younger riders with extraordinary motorbikes. At the same time, Aprilia has been a leading player in the racing world, dominating the 2-stroke categories and, after reaffirming its technological supremacy by winning SBK competitions, it has also risen to prominence in MotoGP.

Now, Aprilia returns to its founding mission with a project for new generations of motorcyclists, pooling the knowledge accumulated on tracks worldwide.

Starting in 2020, the massive success of the Aprilia RS 660 has revolutionised the world of mid-range sports bikes, creating a new segment. The same winning formula is repeated with the Aprilia RS 457, which began as a completely new project, conceived and developed in the Noale HQ, where all Aprilias are created, including MotoGP bikes. The new Aprilia is the ideal link between the first 125 engines and the RS 660. It completes the RS family that includes the powerful V4 superbikes and, at its most technologically advanced, the MotoGP-winning RS-GP.

AN UNMISTAKEABLE STYLE FORMED OUT OF FUNCTION.
The new RS 457's styling follows the legendary RS range, the supersport bikes that made motorbike history, specifically following the revolutionary trail blazed in 2020 by the RS 660, the first bike to introduce the futuristic double front fairing, which also acts as a built-in aerodynamic appendage.

The result is a bike that expresses light weight and dynamism beginning with the slimmed down front end, characterised by the triple full LED headlight unit, an Aprilia signature stylistic feature, framed by the futuristic perimeter profiles with the built-in turn indicators. 

And it is precisely from the centre of its unmistakeable headlight unit that the double fairing develops through two profiles reminiscent of the MotoGP prototypes which were defined through numerous wind tunnel sessions and CFD simulations. In fact, on a small-engine bike, aerodynamics plays a crucial role, having to achieve efficient shapes whilst adopting contained surfaces in order to enhance the compact nature of the vehicle. RS 457’s double-wall fairings, characterised by a large air extractor and a particular aerodynamic appendage (nolder) that connects to the frame spars, contributes to increasing rider comfort, protecting against air pressure and deflecting the flow of hot air from the engine and radiator.

FROM THE TWIN-CYLINDER ENGINE, THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF PERFORMANCE AND LIGHT WEIGHT.
Aprilia RS 457 is built around a new and ultra-modern twin-cylinder engine, the displacement of which - 457 cc - gives its name to the new Italian sportbike as a testament to its central role in the project. The new unit is a liquid cooled forward-facing parallel twin-cylinder with double camshaft timing and four valve per cylinder, which reaches maximum power of 35 kW (47.6 HP) at 9,400 rpm, the maximum possible for a bike that can be ridden with an A2 licence, and torque of 43.5 Nm at 6,700 rpm, 82% of which is already available at 3,000 rpm. Record performance for a forward-facing twin cylinder of this engine capacity. This latest generation powerplant, compact and lightweight, also contributes to achieving a simply unbeatable weight/power ratio, a high-priority goal of the designers from Noale. In fact, the bike’s dry weight is 159 kg, which goes up to 175 when filled with fluids.

As happened with the RS 660, the particular layout of the engine was chosen to fully optimise light weight and compact dimensions, leaving great design freedom on the chassis architecture front. The engine also has a bearing function, providing the connection point for the swingarm in the rear area.

A COMPLETE ELECTRONICS SUITE WORTHY OF A TRUE SPORTBIKE.
The Aprilia RS 457’s electronic equipment is that of a true sports bike, designed for a wide range of bikers and entirely faithful to Aprilia tradition. The Ride by Wire system – which Aprilia was the first to introduce both in MotoGP with the futuristic RS Cube and in production with the Shiver – manages the engine with three Riding Modes that intervene on power and torque delivery and traction control, adjustable to three levels and that can also be disabled.

In the spirit of an adrenaline-charged riding experience which is simultaneously easy to manage, all the rider has to do is select the desired Riding Mode - using the button on the right-hand control block - to obtain the best engine management and traction control tuning.

The three Riding Modes are:

ECO: engine power output is progressive, whereas the traction control intervention level is medium (Level 2). Ideal for travel and daily riding.

SPORT: the ideal mode for sport riding, with more responsive and dynamic engine power output and less invasive traction control intervention (Level 1).

RAIN: riding mode designed for use in poor grip and wet asphalt conditions. Power output is extremely gradual, whereas the traction control is set to maximum (Level 3) for total safety in acceleration.

THREE DISTINTICTIVE COLOUR SCHEMES.
Aprilia RS 457 is available in three brand new graphic versions. The Racing Stripes livery masterfully blends black, red, and violet, reminiscent of the gritty Time Attack colour of the Aprilia RSV4 Factory superbike, as well as the colours of the Aprilia RS-GP machines which are protagonists in the MotoGP World Championship. Also clearly inspired by the racing prototypes are the Aprilia lettering that strongly characterises the front end, running along the winglets located under the headlight, and the red trim on the rear wheel rim channel. The other two-colour schemes, Prismatic Dark and Opalescent Light, are also extremely distinctive, matched with red painted wheel rims with numerous sporty details in bright red.