Aprilia RS 660

[BrassMan]

MrGman said:

BrassMan said:

Squinting at the pictures, the pimpy suspension, huge amounts of carbon and so on, I'd guess about the same price as a Street Triple R? Hardly anyone will spend £9K+ on a 660 twin, however much of a road razor it is, so Aprilia will need to drop the spec quite a long way to price it to sell in sufficient numbers.

9k?? I’d have two if they were that much, I doubt the final bike will be that well species if it’s made, if it is the same spec then I’d expect 12k+

You're probably right, but £12K puts it opposite the R6 and just below the 959 Panigale which starts at £13,995. Most guys who aren't god like will get more out of this, but that's not the point of these things.

[Dick Seaman]

Mr Pew said:

Esceptico said:

That's interesting. A local dealer has a 2006 CBR 600RR and I am quite tempted. How long have you had it? Good experience?

I've had it 3/4 years now, my first bike. done everything on it.. Euro trips and trackdays and its never skipped a beat. I could upgrade but I really don't see the need to, perfect for me.

I could have written that, except I've only had mine two years. One big Euro trip, one trackday, 12,000 miles ridden, 2006 CBR600RR. My first bike too. Easily fast enough for the road, fast enough to be fun on track, especially for a beginner. Performed faultlessly, love it.

[Shadow R1]

Perhaps look toward the Paton, as to who Aprilia are aiming this bike at.

http://www.paton.it/en/paton-s1-r-lightweight-3/

[Steve Bass]

It's showcasing the next gen RSV4 look.
600 class is dead and Aprilia is a niche manufacturer as it is. They need this in their line up like a fish needs tits.

[BrassMan]

This looks similar and might make it somewhere near production. Most of the bits already exist so it should be priced somewhere near the current 701, but would it sell?

[CaptainSlow]

BrassMan said:

This looks similar and might make it somewhere near production. Most of the bits already exist so it should be priced somewhere near the current 701, but would it sell?

Jesus that's ugly.

[Kneedragger95]

CaptainSlow said:

Jesus that's ugly.

Personally I beg to differ. I'd certainly buy one, price permitting of course.

[Krikkit]

Considering how much it'd be up for I'd want more than a recycled single from KTM with some retro bodywork.

[BrassMan]

It's feeling like a grey period for sportsbikes. There are tremendous litre bikes, but nothing below them. The 750s are gone. The 600s cost as much to develop and manufacture as the 1000s, but they sell for less and everyone wants to jump to the end game. 400s have become A2 compliant, which isn't going to blow anyone's skirt up . The 250s were killed off by emissions laws.

Small run machines like the RS660 won't be any cheaper to develop and get type approval for, so it will either need to sell in big numbers or be impractically expensive.

The 701 uses mainly existing parts, so isn't a big risk to release and most of the problems should have been ironed out. I'd guess £5-600 for the fairing, ~160kg with no fuel and a claimed 74bhp, which sounds like fun anywhere but a motorway.

[srob]

BrassMan said:

It's feeling like a grey period for sportsbikes. There are tremendous litre bikes, but nothing below them. The 750s are gone. The 600s cost as much to develop and manufacture as the 1000s, but they sell for less and everyone wants to jump to the end game. 400s have become A2 compliant, which isn't going to blow anyone's skirt up . The 250s were killed off by emissions laws.

Small run machines like the RS660 won't be any cheaper to develop and get type approval for, so it will either need to sell in big numbers or be impractically expensive.

The 701 uses mainly existing parts, so isn't a big risk to release and most of the problems should have been ironed out. I'd guess £5-600 for the fairing, ~160kg with no fuel and a claimed 74bhp, which sounds like fun anywhere but a motorway.

Sports bikes aren’t in a grey period, they’re done. Who wants a 200bhp bike on roads that are becoming more and more policed in a time when we all rely on our licence to keep our jobs?

The 1000 market is hanging on purely because those that still want them have deep enough pockets to pay the ever increasing price of the things.

The world’s screaming out for fun ways to not lose your license. I asked on here many years ago (10+) whether a bike version of a Lotus Elise (lower power, good handling yet feeling ‘special’) would work. This bike looks just the thing to find out

As for 74bhp not being enough on a bike on a motorway, eh?! There’s still quite a few cars on the road with about that power and people cope on motorways!

[rodericb]

srob said:

Sports bikes aren’t in a grey period, they’re done. Who wants a 200bhp bike on roads that are becoming more and more policed in a time when we all rely on our licence to keep our jobs?

The 1000 market is hanging on purely because those that still want them have deep enough pockets to pay the ever increasing price of the things.

The world’s screaming out for fun ways to not lose your license. I asked on here many years ago (10+) whether a bike version of a Lotus Elise (lower power, good handling yet feeling ‘special’) would work. This bike looks just the thing to find out

As for 74bhp not being enough on a bike on a motorway, eh?! There’s still quite a few cars on the road with about that power and people cope on motorways!

There have often been models to cover that "Lotus Elise" segment Ducati 750/900SS, Laverda 750, Yamaha SZR660. Ten years ago was probably a quiet time for that niche though - go back ten years before that and there was a good choice of bikes. This new Aprilia looks ace. If they could lump it with half of the power of the current RSV, so 100 horses, it'd be great. If it had 74hp it would want a heap of torque and I don't think they'd get anything decent out of a 660cc twin....

[jason61c]

I dont' think sportsbikes are done, they're getting there though.

2 local dealers said this is the first year they've seen sportsbikes sales drop, also interest in them dropping from footfall. All seems to be supernakeds etc.

[knitware]

jason61c said:

I dont' think sportsbikes are done, they're getting there though.

2 local dealers said this is the first year they've seen sportsbikes sales drop, also interest in them dropping from footfall. All seems to be supernakeds etc.

I think the naked's and big tour bikes are so easy to ride and live with now it suites most occasions, apart from one, the sheer madness of 14k rpm.

I had this delivered yesterday. I rode the new GS 1250 and it's beautiful, serine, quick easy to ride but...

[Volant]

If Aprilia get it right, I’ll buy one.

I have a sports bike shaped hole in my life. I’ll still keep my KTM 990 SMT for commuting, when I need a top box, B road blasts.

I didn’t think I’d miss my 675R as much as I do. I moved from litre bikes to that, and it was a great move.

Between very young kids and my track day friend emigrating (extreme measures to get away from me, I thought) I rarely do track days any more, went from half a dozen a year to one every few years. Along with having the young kids and finding it hard to justify two bikes, I sold the Daytona.

I don’t enjoy litre sports bikes on the road. People here will scoff, but I don’t care. I have a 15 year old mx5 that’s more fun on the road than the Z4M, M3 etc I had before. It’s dog slow, but it handles fantastically. And critically, I LOVE thrashing it, which I couldn’t in faster cars without feeling guilty or being a bit dangerous. Same with my bigger sports bikes (and even the Daytona to a degree) - I’d get home feeling sick to my stomach with guilt and hoping for no court summons.

It’s not even just about legal/illegal speeds. I really really enjoying wringing something out through the gears. How often can you do it with 200bhp?

However, I miss the purity of focus, the design of a sports bike. No compromise. Even though 99% of the time the SMT is a better road bike.

So no super naked for me. They’re great, but I don’t WANT one. I want a sports bike.

But what? I’m considering another 675R. Waiting in case a 765 Daytona comes out, although I fear a bit too quick. 959/899? MV Agusta F3? Also considering, but same issues really.

I want a bike that handles incredibly and has a purity, an honesty. Which I can thrash. And if the components are good enough, I’m willing to pay.

I even considered the Norton’s superlight but I couldn’t spend so much money on something that I (personally, we’re all different...) don’t like the look of.

At the moment I’m considering ZXR400s and NC30s. They won’t lose money, but they’re old tech now. A long way behind something like my Daytona was, despite being lighter.

I acknowledge I’m very very niche. Which means Aprilia won’t sell many, and it could well lose then a lot of money.

But if it’s good, if it’s high spec, if they can manage to make a parallel twin interesting, if it’s dripping in high quality suspension and brakes, it has a killer chassis and not a reworked commuter geometry (I don’t care about electronic ‘tech’ - although modern world means it’ll probably have it)

Then I’ll buy one, ‘almost’ regardless of cost.

(Cue people telling me the throttle works both ways on a 200bhp bike...)

Edited by Volant on Sunday 13th January 11:47

[Volant]

Also to add, if this is a second bike used for a couple of thousand nice miles a year, it’s important it’s an object of desire. I won’t use the word exotic, but it’s to be different, interesting.

So as fantastically capable as a few year old jap 600, or GSXR750 is, they’re not right for me, at this stage.

[mak]

Volant said:

If Aprilia get it right, I’ll buy one.

I have a sports bike shaped hole in my life. I’ll still keep my KTM 990 SMT for commuting, when I need a top box, B road blasts.



It’s not even just about legal/illegal speeds. I really really enjoying wringing something out through the gears. How often can you do it with 200bhp?

However, I miss the purity of focus, the design of a sports bike. No compromise. Even though 99% of the time the SMT is a better road bike.



I want a bike that handles incredibly and has a purity, an honesty. Which I can thrash. And if the components are good enough, I’m willing to pay.

Edited by Volant on Sunday 13th January 11:47

You need one of these

[Volant]

Ha!

I have considered one. I think they’re beautiful, and having had a very quick ride on one, I adore the weight, the geometry.

When I talk about ‘purity’ and ‘focus’ - that’s it. A road going racebike. Chassis derived from gp tech. Amazing.

But having never had a 2 stroke, I’m a bit intimidated. I also assume most have had a hard life?

Re the 660, I really really hope it’s a modern day reincarnation of the RS250. In reality I fear it’ll be a cbr650/er6f commuter rival

[mak]

Volant said:

Ha!

I have considered one. I think they’re beautiful, and having had a very quick ride on one, I adore the weight, the geometry.

When I talk about ‘purity’ and ‘focus’ - that’s it. A road going racebike. Chassis derived from gp tech. Amazing.

But having never had a 2 stroke, I’m a bit intimidated. I also assume most have had a hard life?

Re the 660, I really really hope it’s a modern day reincarnation of the RS250. In reality I fear it’ll be a cbr650/er6f commuter rival

Honestly, If you get a nice one there no trouble at all, I have stuck 2500 miles on mine, fill up with 2t oil and go. Plenty of pull below 6k and pure bliss after 6k without the insane speed of a modern litre bike, it handles and brakes like a modern sports bike without the weight .

Then there's the down side to it, if you do actually find a nice one ( most original low mile uk bikes are not for sale) will you actually wont to use the thing or just keep it for show

[jason61c]

knitware said:

I think the naked's and big tour bikes are so easy to ride and live with now it suites most occasions, apart from one, the sheer madness of 14k rpm.

I had this delivered yesterday. I rode the new GS 1250 and it's beautiful, serine, quick easy to ride but...

What model is that? Looks lovely.

Some great offers on the newer fireblade sp1/sp2, lots of massive discounts because of all the issues they seem to be suffering with.

[Ho Lee Kau]

Volant said:

... (and even the Daytona to a degree) ...

... I really really enjoying wringing something out through the gears. How often can you do it with 200bhp?

To a degree?
Daytona has 123hp. How many gears can you wring out before it is way into illegal territory?

I have D675, it is fackin' fast!

One can keep/reach a bit higher rpms on a bike like D675 compared to a 1L sportsbike, true, and it does not accelerate as fast and as effortless as 1000cc in-gear, but D675 is overkill for the road as well. Let's be honest, ALL 600cc supersports are.

And that Aprilia, if it comes out, will be just as fast (or faster) than D675.