‘The CBR looks majestic in early spring sunshine’
‘The RS660 has a fatter midrange and an RSV4 yowl’
20 years on and the UK supersport market is all but dead, with only the Yamaha R6 clinging on as a trackonly model. Something clearly needed to change, and it looks as if the answer was hiding in plain sight all along. Enter the Aprilia RS660…
New old ideas
Adopting a 20-year-old recipe for success, the RS660 combines a 99bhp parallel-twin with RSV4inspired styling, without the uncomfortable riding position. There are roomy, wide bars and lower pegs and the whole thing is wrapped in a gorgeous RS250 replica paintjob. Yours for £10,150, it is the spiritual successor to the CBR600s of the early millennium. But why spend just over ten grand, when tidy originals can be had for the price of a modern-day PCP deposit? To find out, we’ve brought along a 2001 CBR600F Sport for a back-to-back test.
Old but gold
Finished in strokes of red and black reminiscent of Joey Dunlop’s 2000 Formula One TT-winning SP-1, the CBR looks majestic in the early spring sunshine. Purring through its standard Euro1 can, you’re immediately drawn to its angry-eyed twin headlights and dual boomerang air-scoops. Closer inspection reveals part-digital instruments, a remote adjuster on the shock and underseat storage. There’s no electronic witchcraft to worry about and everything still works as it should. This particular bike bears the odd scratch, but it’s far from outgunned.
Modern interpretation
By contrast, a flick of the Aprilia’s key reveals a full-colour TFT dash, with optional mobile connectivity. Simply navigated and easy-toread on the go, there are options for riding modes, traction control, anti-wheelie and more, thanks to a clever onboard six-axis IMU. Add to this a delicious combination of adjustable gold USD forks, full LED lighting and MotoGP-inspired winglets and the RS stands out like a bike costing double its £10,000 ticket. Barking through its twin exit underslung exhaust like an MT-07 on steroids, it’s a bike you can’t help but admire and there’s even room under the seat for your sandwiches!
It’s not perfect though and annoying features let the side down. Take that lip on the left side of the front fairing - moulded to prevent the chunky switchgear from fouling the steering - I’d expect to see this on a trackday hack, not a brandnew motorcycle. Then there’s the bulging shoulders on the 15-litre tank, which clash with your wrists during U-turns. These are minor points though and the proof will be in the riding.
Instant familiarity
First up is a stint on the CBR and despite an aging rear shock trying its best to bounce you out of the seat over the harshest bumps, you feel instantly at home. The handling is predictable, and it holds a line nicely once tipped in, aided by modern Pirelli Rosso Corsa 2 tyres, which warm up quickly and provide plenty of feedback.
As a cheap introduction to sportsbikes, it makes perfect sense and would be an excellent allrounder for someone looking to spice up their commute and let off some steam at the weekend. Spend a few quid extra on suspension improvements and it would happily take on the odd trackday, too. Jumping off the Honda onto the Aprilia reveals a remarkably similar set up, only more refined. With a 10mm taller seat, setback pegs and wider bars, the RS feels closer to what we now consider a standard supersport but remains comfortable and forgiving doesn’t use your spine as an auxiliary shock absorber. Also wearing a 400-mile-old set of Rosso 2s and armed to the back teeth with electronics, the RS encourages more enthusiastic riding from the outset and delivers more effortless thrills on the chilled