Aprilia RS660

Just as everyone else finally knocks the supersport 600 on the head, along comes Aprilia with the RS660. In truth, it’s not and was never meant to be described as a supersports bike — a 100bhp parallel-twin doesn’t compare with a 125bhp inline-four in terms of performance. Instead, the RS is more of a super-supertwin; a softer, more useable and road-friendly sportsbike with enough go to be seriously fun but not so much to make it hard work or to become intimidating.

The motor is the front half of an RSV4, stroked out, with a 270° crank and making bang-on 100bhp. So clearly it’s not the fastest, most aggressive motor in the world — that’s what supersport 600s were making 25 years ago (although they felt fast at the time).

But it has a sporting intent, partly because it comes in a classically Aprilia ally beam frame with well-spec’d springy bits... that turn out to be a bit on the soft, springy side.

The riding position is also semi-sports — high, wide bars deliver a relaxed riding position. Electronics are full factory, with eight-stage traction control, engine modes, anti-wheelie, engine-brake control, cornering ABS — it’s got way more assists than rivals such as Honda’s £8049 CBR650R.

But it costs a lot more too — at over ten grand, it’s basically the same as KTM’S 890 Duke R; also parallel-twin, making 122bhp, which comes on superior suspension and only slightly less than a Street Triple RS which is much more powerful and better equipped. So, the RS660 isn’t the return of the supersport class so much as a mid-priced middleweight that forgot about the mid-priced bit. It’s too expensive.

the the RS660 be Will re-birth of sporty middleweights?