First Ride: Aprilia RS125
Designed, developed and (mostly) built in Italy, Aprilia has launched its new Euro 4 125cc sportbike, aimed at younger riders, commuters, and all-round enthusiasts of smaller capacity machines. Aprilia thinks that the bike is one of the best on the market in terms of design, construction and technical features – and after being lucky enough to ride one out on a track in Germany; I’d be inclined to agree.
The new 2017 Aprilia RS125 is inspired directly by Aprilia’s flagship superbike, the RSV4. Like its big brother, the RS125 is equipped with a sleek, aerodynamic fairing, a triple headlight, and a unique aluminium frame. And, let’s be honest, it looks awesome.
Superbike styling and technology
The Aprilia RS 125 looks like it’s designed for the track. It has forward mounted semi-handlebars, setback footpegs, a saddle-fuel tank, and a racing inspired exhaust. It’s equipped with solid upside-down front forks, while the rear suspension comes in the form of a racing-derived monoshock (which is sadly, nonadjustable). The braking system uses a 300mm disc on the front and a 220mm disc on the rear, assisted by Bosch single-channel ABS and traction control.
The riding position encourages you to get tucked in and lean over the tank – and it feels really capable when being thrown into corners at speed. The ABS assisted brakes are more than capable of slowing you up, safely, and quickly too when you need them.
Engine
The beating heart of the Aprilia RS 125 is a modern 125cc single-cylinder, DOHC four-stroke, four-valve liquidcooled engine. It offers enough grunt to get the bike up to speed pretty quickly, even if you do have to be quite aggressive with the throttle and gears. It’ll sit quite comfortably at 60mph, and is capable of getting up to around 75mph, so should be perfect for the city, out on country roads, or even on the track – but I wouldn’t fancy being near a motorway on one.
Equipment
Even the instruments are racing inspired: from the analogue rev counter to the multi-function digital display, which allows you to flick between multiple readings (including a 20 lap stopwatch). The bike also offers connectivity between the bike and your smartphone, with the help of an additional Aprilia accessory. The latest version of the RS125 also boasts (according to Aprilia) the largest storage compartment in the 125cc motorcycle market, a space that can hold and charge a 6in tablet.
Should I buy one?
Although not the most comfortable motorcycle on the market, if you have an A1 licence and you’re yearning for a sporty motorcycle that will allow you to build confidence out on the road, you should definitely test ride the new Aprilia RS125. It’s available in three designs; Silver Speed, Black Speed and a limited edition Aprilia racing colour scheme too.