BIG TEST: APRILIA’S RS660
Italy’s high flying middleweight tackles 1000 miles of UK tarmac.
The decline in the popularity of sportsbikes is a chicken and egg story. Did sportsbikes lose popularity because they became ever more track focused, chasing ultimate performance at the expense of all-round ability? Or did they become more track focused because a changing (but significantly smaller) market demanded it? Whatever, the new Aprilia RS660 seems like a breath of fresh air – the first middleweight sportsbike in years that’s been designed with the road rider in mind. A spacious riding position for ordinary humans, accessible performance, but in an exciting and all-new light weight package that’s bristling with attitude and technology. We tested the new bike on the road, mixing fast scratches on twisting local runs with longer jaunts that included dual carriageway tedium and long stretches in the saddle. And we took it to Cadwell Park where our tame racer Peter Boast ragged it in the fast group to find whether the new machine’s road civility would cost it time in the trackday GP.
This is what we reckon…
Engine and transmission
The RS660 engine sounds and feels great. The noise of the sucking and blowing is harsh and suggestive, and the way the revs build and drop make for a compelling riding experience. It’s an engine that is rich in visceral feel that encourages an enthusiastic right wrist while also being on the right side (just) of civilised. You don’t just hear it, you feel it too – the vibes through the tank as the revs hit 7000 are enough to tell you that everything’s working, but are never intrusive. The 660 has the same Italian magic that makes a Fiat feel more sporty than a Ford.
On our dyno it is delivering a very impressive 91bhp at 11,750 rpm, and a rich 47.8 lb.ft of torque at 8750rpm. On the road, while propelling a 180 kilo bike, that makes it highly entertaining. Proper go, and that glorious induction bark starts at 7000rpm; there’s a temptation to short shift with the revs below 10,000 because that’s what sounds best and where you can best exploit that torque. You certainly don’t need to be tip-tapping around with the gear lever to maintain decent progress, though you need to drop out of top for fast A-road overtakes.
On track it’s a different matter according to test rider and racer Peter Boast, who took it for some fast laps of Cadwell
Park and came back gushing. ‘Man, that is so fast,’ he enthused, ‘but you do have to rev it.’ In fairness he was hustling the bike along in the company of litre sports bikes so that’s understandable. ‘You need to be up at 9-10,000 and more to make it really sing, but that quickshifter is so good that it’s easy enough to do it, and it’s really smooth. If they let these race in the Minitwins class at the TT it’s going to be a game-changer.’
The engine layout is the ubiquitous mid-capacity liquidcooled parallel twin with 270° crankshaft, dohc and eight valves. There are reasons for the popularity of the layout: it’s versatile; easy to package; efficient and cheap to make. The same engine also appears in Aprilia’s Tuono 660 semi-naked and there’s an adventure bike expected imminently.
The Aprilia power unit is significantly more potent, and feels more entertaining, than others in this capacity class. Compared with Yamaha’s benchmark CP2 engine, used in the MT-07, Tracer, Ténéré and the R7 (see p8), the Aprilia gives away 30cc, but has 5mm shorter stroke (81 x 63.93mm compared with 80 x 68.6mm), has a significantly higher compression ratio (13.5:1 compared with 11.5:1) and much bigger throttle bodies (48mm compared with 38mm). The result is an extra 20bhp. The implications for long term durability remain to be seen, but shouldn’t be an issue. As Boastie found at Cadwell, the gearbox is crisp and accurate and the quickshifter (a standard fitting on the RS, but an extra on the semi-naked Tuono 660) is slick and accurate, encouraging rapid-fire upshifts.
Handling and ride
On my first rides on the RS I was turning in too early, then having to pick the bike up mid-corner for realignment. That’s what happens when you get back onto a lightweight bike. It has fastish steering but, once used to that rapid turn in, it’s accurate and stable too. Planted? Maybe not quite, but the Pirelli Diablos never suggested cause for concern.
For the road, and with a rider of average weight, the suspension’s fine – firm without being jarring and a decent compromise between sporty feel and ride quality. A brisk jaunt along familiar, twisting and empty Lincolnshire B-roads reveals the true joy of the RS – the balance of the package. Low weight and excellent chassis dynamics make up for any lack of quality in the suspension. It’s responsive and easy to turn, effortlessly cornering with fluid arcs.
‘If they let these race in the Minitwins class at the TT it’s going to be a game-changer’
‘Confidence is everything’ explained Bike’s quick and experienced deputy editor Mike Armitage, ‘and the RS660 gives me loads. There are other more focused race reps with superior outright handling, but the feel through the Aprilia’s front end and the action of its forks gives me oodles of confidence, wet or dry.’
On track Boastie was less complimentary about the rear suspension. ‘Poor,’ opined the Lincolnshire legend after a concentrated track session at Cadwell. ‘Turning at the bottom of The Mountain the shock is in all sorts of bother – wallowing and uncontrolled.’ To be fair Boastie was bothering fast group riders on 1000cc superbikes, and the bottom of Cadwell’s Mountain is a stern test, with combined direction and camber change. It’s also worth noting that although Peter was complaining, and the Pirellis were scuffed right to their edges, nothing seems to have touched down on track.
However, there’s no doubt that the suspension is a compromise, and a lack of damping adjustability on a ten grand bike is a fair complaint. Piaggio are tight lipped about the prospect of a Factory model with fancy suspenders, but surely one is on the way.
Electronics
You get a load of superbike standard electronics with the RS660 and, even for this aging luddite, they are relatively easy to understand and access, providing varying levels of traction and wheelie control plus cornering ABS and engine braking variation.
The modes are structured into road and track options with road settings offering Commuter, Dynamic and a personalisable ‘Individual’ option too. Frankly, you don’t buy an RS660 to potter about in commuter mode, so I spent most time in Dynamic, which is a decent compromise though Mike complained that anti-wheelie and traction control were still coming in too early. Time spent adjusting those facets in the Individual set-up delivered a perfect compromise between show-off and safety.
For track use there is also Challenger and Time Attack modes with lap timers, pit lane speed limiter and other toys, and with the safety nets removed. All these options are accessible through four-way switches on the left cluster, and a single button on the right.
Road riders will get more benefit from the excellent, average-speed-camera-defeating cruise control.
‘There are more focused race reps, but the feel through the Aprilia’s front end gives me oodles of confidence, wet or dry’
Controls and comfort
Sure, the Aprilia is tech laden, crisp, perky and sweet handling. But for road riders, and especially those who are bigger than a typical jockey and less flexible than a tantric yoga devotee, the riding position is a revelation too. Praise the lord, here is a high tech sportsbike that is hours in the saddle comfortable. Confidently, this is a bike that can deliver far more than track outings and Sunday rides. Never mind the nonsense of vanning bikes to Spanish trackdays, you can ride this one down there.
I’m 5ft 10in and not very bendy, with the aches that arise from old impairments and advancing years. But, I was blown away by the comfort of the RS which allowed me to rattle off easy three hour runs without a twinge.
You need to adopt the sportsbike crouch, with horizontal lower arm and the fuel tank embrace but peg, bum, wrist ratio is ideal for avoiding neck aches.
Except… ‘The pegs are too low’
‘For road riders, less flexible than a tantric yoga devotee, the riding position is a revelation’
observed six-foot Boastie at Cadwell. ‘It’s comfy, but I couldn’t pressure the pegs properly to get it to turn, and I had my bum on the pillion seat on the straight to get properly tucked in.’ Still, at least he used the pillion seat. Mrs W wasn’t prepared to test the accommodation for its intended function.
The dash is basic but didn’t cause irritation, switchgear is logical though the dip switch is easy to accidentally activate and the cruise control is user friendly.
Practicality
The riding position is the biggest step towards practicality, but there are other nice touches too. Remove the pillion seat to utilise a handy luggage rack, fold the mirrors conveniently away for storage (but watch them blur at high rpm), use the cruise control to save your licence from average speed cameras and, get this, enjoy 70mpg economy.
During speed testing the RS’S thirst was quenched at 45mpg, but on the road it was usually delivering in mid-sixties, with one 120-mile round trip providing a measured 70mpg without trying. Typically the fuel light comes on at 150 miles, but the 3.3 gallon tank should provide an almost 200-mile range in regular use. Service intervals are 6200km (3850 miles) with valve clearance checks at twice that.
Quality and finish
After six weeks, 1000 miles, a few wet rides and three washes, we’ve nothing to complain about except that the lack of heel plates means that the painted swingarm is quickly scuffed.
The bare metal surfaces on the RS660, engine casings and exhausts, have a quality feel, but painted parts and plastics are slightly less convincing for a £10,000 bike. One suspects that fairing stickers might succumb to careless jetwashery. This is a bike that will require pampering to maintain its appearance, but it’s such a jewel that won’t be a hardship. ‘Can I have one with colour matched wheels and a polished swingarm?’ asks Mike, suddenly enthused about sportsbikes again.
‘Value? At around £10k it’s amongst some real quality machinery: Street Triple RS; MT-09SP; Duke 890’