Aprilia RS660

Resting on an all-new technical basis and defined by the brand-new 100-bhp 660cc parallel-twin engine, a new generation of lightweight yet high-performance bikes is born, featuring sophisticated design and cutting edge technology.

After the arrival of the RS660 sportsbike in April 2021, we can expect an off-road Tuareg and Streetfighter versions based on this platform to follow in due course. It is fair to expect that this machine will be pitched into a higher price bracket than most middleweight machines.

The RS 660 offers first-rate technical content, honed from Aprilia’s competition racing experience, made available for street-riding fun. A perfect formula for maximum enjoyment, at a slender wet weight of 183 kilos, featuring a package of APRC electronic rider aids that would be at home even in superior classes.

The main features of the fairings speak typical Aprilia sporting parlance, and are characterized by a triple LED headlight assembly, equipped with perimeter Daytime Running Lights positioned around the two main headlights, making the RS 660 immediately distinguishable in any lighting conditions.

Direction indicators are integrated into the DRL profiles making the front end even more compact. The lighting system is equipped with several features to make riding even safer: thanks to the presence of a twilight sensor, the dipped beams are switched on automatically, while the self-cancelling turn indicators flash in the event of emergency braking. Finally, thanks to the cornering lights function, a pair of additional headlights in the parabolas illuminate the inside of the curve, increasing visibility when taking bends.

The seat-footpeg-handlebar triangulation welcomes riders of all stature, according to Aprilia, offering comfort and spaciousness, with a posture that is neither heavily-loaded onto the handlebars, nor with legs excessively bent due to highly-placed foot-rests.

Aprilia claim that the seat features very comfortable padding and is tapered at the sides to facilitate the resting of the feet on the ground which allows easy manoeuvres from a stationary position. A pillion pad is positioned on the tail while a single-seat tail comes as an optional extra.

The 15-litre capacity petrol tank is designed to enhances the compactness.

In the traditional vein of Aprilia sports models, the RS 660 has also been designed to facilitate the fast, easy removal of any surplus elements when used on the track, such as mirrors, passenger footrests and license plate holders.

The frame and swingarm are both die-cast aluminium, featuring unique characteristics within their class. The chassis dimensions favour agility: thanks to its 1370 mm wheelbase and the 24.1° inclination of the steering head, the RS 660 boasts exceptional handling capabilities, combined with all the precise features and sensations that characterise the front end of classic Noale-produced motorcycles.

The frame is made up of twin lateral beams bolted into the steering head area and, to the rear; the engine is maximized as a load-bearing element and contributes to forming a compact, lightweight yet rigid structure. In order to make the frame even lighter and more essential, the swingarm is pivoted directly into the engine: this is a monobloc element characterized by its considerable length, useful for having optimum traction and asymmetrical arms – a typical technical choice in the history of the Aprilia RS. The particular mounting of the adjustable shock absorber allows for excellent progression even without the insertion of any linkage, thus reducing even more precious weight.

In designing the frame, Aprilia designers paid particular attention to the area of ​​the steering head to ensure the necessary sturdiness for both road and track use, while keeping the turn radius very low to facilitate everyday riding use.

The chassis is completed by an adjustable Kayaba fork with 41 mm upside-down stems and a braking system made up of, a pair of 320 mm diameter steel discs, at the front and a pair of radial mount calipers and a radial master cylinder on the handlebars both manufactured by Brembo.

This is a 660 cc parallel-twin cylinder unit, a highly compact latest-generation engine derived from the 1100 cc front-banked V4, whose line it follows in both concept and measurements and sports a Euro 5 homologation.

This configuration was chosen for its compactness and lightness. An engine with reduced horizontal and lateral dimensions allows great design freedom both for the arrangement of fundamental parts such as the intake and exhaust. As far as the chassis is concerned, the engine also features load-bearing functions, while housing the swingarm to its rear.

The front-leaning configuration affords the rider more comfort, thanks to the greater heat dissipation and leaves the designers plenty of freedom to exploit the space. Furthermore, the engineering lends itself to superior cooling, helped also by the ingenious double-walled fairing system which aims at accelerating the air flows passing through it. With the same objective in mind, long exhaust manifolds were engineered to funnel flows into a single-piece tailpipe with a asymmetrical split outlet, all fully positioned beneath the engine, with the added advantage of superior weight distribution and a lower centre of gravity.

The new Aprilia twin-cylinder is the result of experience gained developing the extremely powerful engine that equips the RSV4 and is therefore based on a background of highly efficient and technical trials: the cylinder head, combustion chambers, ducts, cylinders and pistons all derive from the V4. Likewise, it features an 81 mm bore – as in the 1078 cc V4 – with a 63.9 mm stroke. The decision to take advantage of the V4 technology guarantees top-class performance, while taking into consideration the high piston stroke speeds relative to its displacement size. Naturally, all engine components, including castings and molds, have all been designed and developed from the ground up.

The new engine has the crankcase split horizontally into two pieces with the cylinders integrated into the upper crankcase to reduce overall dimensions to render the structure more robust. The cylinders are offset from the crankshaft to minimize internal friction during piston thrusts.

The hollowed camshafts of the 4-valve-per-cylinder twin-shaft are side chain driven. The mechanically operated oil bath multi disc clutch has a built-in assist and slipper system. Wet sump lubrication involves an oil sump protruding downwards and crafted around the intake port, in order to best gather the lubricant in every type of riding phase, even when the bike is at its maximum inclination or during periods of braking and acceleration.

For a parallel-twin of this displacement, the performance obtained is impressive and comparable to that of a much higher cubic capacity two-cylinder: 100 hp at 10,500 rpm, with an extension capacity that allows the limiter to be moved up to its 11,500 rpm threshold. The maximum 67 Nm torque is offered at 8,500 rpm, with 80% of the torque available from 4,000 rpm, and 90% at 6,250 rpm.

In addition to performance and lightness, another aim of the project was to obtain from the engine the same character and grit typical of V-twin cylinders. To this end, valve timing with connecting rod pins arranged at 270° were chosen. Combustion is thus asymmetrical and offset by 270° to obtain irregular bursts which perform and sound similar to a V-twin. Furthermore, this type of configuration allows, by means of a single countershaft, easy balancing of the alternating forces of first and second order.

The injection system includes a duo of 48 mm-diameter throttle bodies, with intake ducts of varying lengths to optimize delivery at high and medium speeds.

The performance of the new engine is guaranteed by electronics directly loaned from the Aprilia V4, including Ride-by-Wire with multi-mapping, an electronic accelerator, for the subtle management of subtle, yet progressive acceleration, even at low revs and optimal consumption.

The RS 660 is equipped with a six-axis inertial platform which, thanks to the built-in accelerometers and gyroscopes, is able to recognize the condition of the bike with respect to the road; it records and processes inputs deriving from the rider and sends the data to the control unit which intervenes seamlessly in the control parameters.

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– ATC: Aprilia Traction Control, adjustable traction control characterized by fine and high-performance intervention logics

– AWC: Aprilia Wheelie Control, adjustable wheelie control system.

– ACC: Aprilia Cruise Control, maintains the set speed without using the throttle control.

– AQS: Aprilia Quick Shift, the electronic gearbox, for high-speed changes without easing off the throttle or without using the clutch, also equipped with a downshift function which allows downshifting without touching the clutch. Thanks to the software offered among the original accessories it is possible to reverse the gearbox for track use without the need to replace components.

– AEB: Aprilia Engine Brake, the adjustable engine brake control system for the deceleration phase.

– AEM: Aprilia Engine Map, various forms of mappings available to change the character and the way engine power is delivered.

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The Aprilia RS 660 adopts the advanced multi-map Cornering ABS, to ensure maximum safety on the road, without detracting from its sporting performance. The system, with extremely low weight and dimensions, is able to optimize braking and ABS intervention when cornering, thanks to a special algorithm which constantly monitors various parameters such as lateral acceleration, the pressure exerted on the front brake lever, the angles of lean, pitch and yaw, modulating the action of the brakes for an optimized combination of deceleration and stability.

Aprilia has developed five Riding Modes, not merely to maximize the riding experience in different riding conditions, but also to simplify life on board. Riders are only required to choose which Riding Mode best suits their needs to automatically obtain the best set-up regarding traction control, wheelie control, engine braking, ABS and the other tweakable parameters.

There are three Riding Modes for road use:

Commute, for everyday riding;

Dynamic, for sports riding on the road

Individual, which allows for complete customization of electronic controls.

There are two Riding Modes designed for on-track use:

Challenge, suitable for on-track racing sessions capitalizing on the full potential of the RS 660

Time Attack, a system that allows more adept riders to fully tweak the electronic setup.

Electronic settings are easily managed by a user-friendly four-button control on the left-side electric switch block with quick commands for managing cruise control and traction control.

The full-colour TFT dash boasts exceptional display capabilities for its various parameters. The two selectable Road or Track screens (both with automatic night or day backlighting thanks to the twilight sensor) correspond to the same number of indices represented.

A further option is the Aprilia MIA, Aprilia’s multimedia platform that allows you to connect your smartphone to the bike extending yet more the range of instrumentation functions. The Aprilia MIA system offers a connection protocol that minimizes smartphone battery consumption and includes both the infotainment system for managing voice commands, calls and music via intuitive controls located on the handlebars and the navigation function. It is thus possible – once the destination has been entered into the smartphone – to view the directions directly on the dashboard. The Aprilia MIA app also allows any routes travelled to be recorded and the data, which is gathered by means of the geo-referenced telemetry function, can subsequently be analysed directly in the app.

The Aprilia RS 660 colour range features the funky new Acid Gold, which most suitably reflects the dynamic, young character of the RS 660, enhancing even more the design features of the new Aprilia.

The Aprilia RS 660 is available in two other graphic variations: Lava Red is clearly dominated by colours that hark back to Aprilia’s great sporting heritage. The combination of purple and red is a tribute to the RS 250 in the 1994 Reggiani Replica version, the last true sports bike of the two-stroke engine era, still cherished by motorcyclists and highly sought after by collectors. The second, an Apex Black graphic is characterized by a total black look, which has also long since become part of Aprilia’s sporting history, which help the multiple bright red references to stand out considerably.

Aprilia RS660 Specifications

Aprilia RS660 Images

Source: MCNews.com.au