Rubber-burning horsepower and unlimited funds make for wicked sportbikes, but it isn’t everything when it comes to having a seriously good time, and the 2021 Aprilia RS 660 is a prime example. It’s a motorcycle that represents a balance of performance and practicality. Engaging engine performance, nimble handling, a relatively low seat height, and roomy ergonomics make the 660 as much of a ripping sportbike as it is an everyday machine.
And although it isn’t built for cutthroat competition, it has enjoyed success in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup championship, taking several victories to date. As part of an Aprilia Racers Days event at Ridge Motorsports Park in the Pacific Northwest, we had the opportunity to sample the RS 660 on the racetrack for the first time.
--
All we have ever wanted are motorcycles with mass horsepower and racing-derived technical excellence. These wishes have driven manufacturers down the roads of potent open-class literbikes, homologation-special superbikes, and race-replica machines—nowadays often with 190-plus claimed horsepower. But maybe we’ve asked for too much?
Sure, rubber-burning horsepower and unlimited funds make for wicked sportbikes, but it isn’t everything when it comes to having a seriously good time, and the 2021 Aprilia RS 660 is a prime example. It’s a motorcycle that represents a balance of performance and practicality. Engaging engine performance, nimble handling, a relatively low seat height, and roomy ergonomics make the 660 as much of a ripping sportbike as it is an everyday machine. And although it isn’t built for cutthroat competition, it has enjoyed success in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup championship, taking several victories to date...
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/2021-aprilia-rs-660-mc-track-review/
Videography/edit: Bert Beltran
Photography: Jeff Allen
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
And although it isn’t built for cutthroat competition, it has enjoyed success in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup championship, taking several victories to date. As part of an Aprilia Racers Days event at Ridge Motorsports Park in the Pacific Northwest, we had the opportunity to sample the RS 660 on the racetrack for the first time.
--
All we have ever wanted are motorcycles with mass horsepower and racing-derived technical excellence. These wishes have driven manufacturers down the roads of potent open-class literbikes, homologation-special superbikes, and race-replica machines—nowadays often with 190-plus claimed horsepower. But maybe we’ve asked for too much?
Sure, rubber-burning horsepower and unlimited funds make for wicked sportbikes, but it isn’t everything when it comes to having a seriously good time, and the 2021 Aprilia RS 660 is a prime example. It’s a motorcycle that represents a balance of performance and practicality. Engaging engine performance, nimble handling, a relatively low seat height, and roomy ergonomics make the 660 as much of a ripping sportbike as it is an everyday machine. And although it isn’t built for cutthroat competition, it has enjoyed success in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup championship, taking several victories to date...
Find out more: https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/story/reviews/2021-aprilia-rs-660-mc-track-review/
Videography/edit: Bert Beltran
Photography: Jeff Allen
Motorcyclist Shirts: https://teespring.com/stores/motorcyclist
Shop Products We Use: https://www.amazon.com/shop/motorcyclistmagazine
See more from us: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Hello everyone and welcome to a very special episode of MC commute where as you can tell,
00:05 we are not commuting, I'm in full leathers, we're at the racetrack.
00:09 We're here at the Aprilia racer day at the Ridge Motorsports Park in the Pacific Northwest
00:14 following the Moto America weekend, and we will be exploiting the performance of the
00:20 2021 Aprilia RS 660 that you see here behind me.
00:25 We've covered this motorcycle extensively, ridden it on the road a ton, but let's see
00:30 how she stacks up out on the racetrack.
00:32 We got a lot to talk about, let's go tear it up.
00:36 Alright ladies and gentle giants, the 2021 Aprilia RS 660 and we're here at the Ridge
00:43 Motorsports Park in Washington and it is about 105 degrees already at noon, so we're going
00:51 to make this quick.
00:52 We've already covered this extensively, but we'll go over it one more time.
00:56 This is an all new middleweight from Aprilia that takes a different stance at that category,
01:01 getting away from the inline four power plants that have traditionally ruled the class in
01:06 the last 15 to 20 years.
01:08 Now they're going to use that 659cc parallel twin engine that's derived from their 1100
01:16 V4 platform, and it takes a very sporty stance.
01:20 It's got these aerodynamic winglets, Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa 2 tires that give us an
01:27 abundance of grip.
01:29 So I'm going to get on this thing, I'm going to get out of the heat, get the wind blowing,
01:33 and we're going to take you out for a lap at the racetrack.
01:37 Uh huh.
01:41 Wow I love the sound of this machine.
01:44 Now we're on Aprilia's track package.
01:49 Now there's two riding modes.
01:51 You can see that we're in time attack here.
01:53 If we hold this button over here on the right, we also have time attack and challenge mode.
01:57 I'm going to leave it in time attack.
01:59 That's going to give us these preset settings of the Aprilia Performance Ride Control Electronic
02:05 Rider Aid Suite.
02:06 We're going to flip back here.
02:10 Let's see.
02:11 Oh, there we go.
02:13 Now you can see that we have rear ABS disabled.
02:15 We have our lap time function here that we'll take advantage of once we get out on the racetrack.
02:21 And you can see also down here that it's 104 degrees and I'm baking hot.
02:25 So we're going to get going.
02:29 This thing just sounds awesome.
02:32 Take a look back, make sure we can get on the racetrack.
02:35 Okay.
02:37 What an unbelievable sounding machine this is.
02:40 Now Aprilia decided to adopt the parallel twin engine based off of the V4 platform,
02:50 making a very versatile and usable machine thrown up on the motorcyclist dyno back in
02:57 our Irvine offices.
02:59 This produced 88.5 horsepower and about 45 foot pounds of torque.
03:04 Now to make a reference, that's about, I don't know, 15 less horsepower than a traditional
03:11 inline four 600 like the ZX6, the Honda CBR600RR or the Yamaha YZF-R6.
03:20 But as I mentioned, this is a very flexible, very versatile and very capable machine that's
03:27 very easy to utilize as part of this engine package.
03:39 Man, that sounds so good.
03:42 Aprilia has also fitted it with a, with its Aprilia Performance Ride Control Electronic
03:51 Rider Aid suite, which includes that bi-directional quick shifter that you can see here that I
03:57 am utilizing to row through this six speed gearbox.
04:03 It also comes with traction control, wheelie control.
04:06 We're just going to let that guy go as we talk to you.
04:10 Try and get out of the way of all these other folks.
04:14 That will help usher us through the corner and really extract the most out of this motorcycle
04:22 while also boosting our safety.
04:30 Man, the more and more that I ride this bike, the more that I appreciate it for what it
04:38 is.
04:39 Let's open this thing up, see how she sounds.
04:51 We're just cruising, we're going to let these guys go right now.
04:56 Take advantage of that Pirelli Diablo Rosso Forza 2 grip that's fitted OE stock to this
05:05 machine.
05:10 Very nimble handling chassis as well.
05:13 401 pounds fully fueled on the motorcyclist scales with KYB suspension front and rear.
05:25 That is spring preload and rebound adjustable.
05:29 Very neutral handling, well balanced package.
05:34 That really just gives you the confidence.
05:36 I have a lot of confidence just leaning this thing over.
05:41 Starting on my first laps here.
05:49 As we get around the Ridge Motorsports Park.
05:53 I have so much fun riding this bike.
06:03 Alright guys, we've done a couple cooler laps here.
06:12 Why don't we put this machine to the test.
06:17 Take a lap time, make sure these Brembo monoblock calipers bring us to a halt.
06:30 I love seeing the bi-directional quick shifter on machines like this.
06:35 We don't always need big RSV4 leader bike power to enjoy the enhancements that these
06:42 electronic rider aids suite.
06:44 Even though there's an argument that these middle weights don't always need it.
06:49 Alright guys, let's take advantage of this RS660.
07:06 Let's chase down Caleb DeCarol here.
07:09 He raced the Twins Cup at Moto America this last weekend and has a lot of experience with
07:15 this bike.
07:19 Man, so easy to hustle underneath you.
07:28 And so confidence inspiring.
07:36 And sounds wickedly awesome as well.
07:41 You can definitely have a thrill ripping this machine without being so scared or intimidated
07:48 like you might on the RSV4 or even a Tuono 1100 V4 for that matter.
07:59 Which really kind of justifies a prillious stance with this middle weight.
08:14 Let's get ourselves in.
08:21 Which if we go back to that, really allows us to boost confidence as a rider, hone our
08:33 skills without being intimidated by big V4 power.
08:39 I'm going to rip around this guy.
08:41 They've given us the opportunity to blow through the checkered flag here as a review of this
08:47 RS660.
08:52 We're ripping.
09:01 Using that lap time function.
09:07 You know what's also impressive?
09:11 Is how capable of a machine this street bike.
09:17 This is as a street bike, it has more relaxed ergonomics than it might a traditional super
09:24 sport might have.
09:26 Higher foot peg placement, higher bar placement, but it still allows you to hustle this underneath
09:33 us and be full of confidence doing so.
09:40 Man this is so fun.
09:42 These Brembo monoblock calipers bringing us to an easy halt going around the racetrack.
09:48 I've complained about them possessing a strong initial bite on the street, but with the added
10:01 pace and aggression on the track, they fit right in.
10:10 Man, this bike is so fun, it's so agile and so confidence inspiring.
10:23 And something that riders of most skill levels, at least less experienced or very advanced
10:35 can really enjoy and take advantage of, like I said, without being intimidated by the power
10:43 of a leader bike or growing tired of something of an ultra lightweight category.
10:49 This is an awesome track day weapon.
10:53 Let's open it up one more time as we go across the finish.
11:01 Yes!
11:02 Awesome.
11:03 What a blast this bike is.
11:12 Wow.
11:15 Alright guys, that's it for our hot laps aboard the Aprilia RS660.
11:27 I honestly had a blast on this bike ripping around with you guys.
11:34 It is a unique take on the middleweight super sport market.
11:40 As a parallel twin, it's not such an inline four, it's not such a screamer like the inline
11:46 fours, but that versatile engine package, that 659cc parallel twin derived from the
11:54 V4 power plant is a blast to ride.
11:58 It's ultra flexible as we've seen also in the Tuono 660, also in the upcoming Aprilia
12:05 Touareg 660, that adventure machine that the Nuwali manufacturer is producing.
12:16 Just a blast.
12:17 Super agile, nimble handling that boosts a lot of confidence even in stock trim, even
12:23 with those stock OE fitted Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa 2 tires.
12:29 An ultra comfortable machine as well.
12:34 We've tested this on the street, that relaxed ergonomics package proves well there, but
12:39 it also proves well in hustling this RS660 around the racetrack.
12:49 When I back up, I don't want to say ultra relaxed, not ultra relaxed, but relaxed in
12:54 comparison to a more sporty, complete super sport machine like an RSV4 or those inline
13:03 fours.
13:04 So, that's it for our time aboard the RS660 out here on the racetrack.
13:11 Let's get in, let's have a drink of water.
13:13 It is like literally 100 degrees out here and I'm burning up.
13:19 So I'm pulling into the pits.
13:23 Let's pull over here, shut this RS660 off, let it cool down and get away from wringing
13:33 its neck.
13:35 Man, what a machine this motorcycle is.
13:39 As we've covered, we've extensively tested this machine out on the street, out in the
13:45 real world situations, but bringing this motorcycle to a track day is an all new take at that
13:51 middleweight segment.
13:52 Yes, it's going to compare to new models like the Yamaha YZF-R7.
13:57 It's also going to compare to models like the SV650 or Ninja 650, but it's also going
14:02 to find itself a little bit in between those, between those 650s and also the inline four
14:08 600s that we've seen in the past, like YZF-R6, Ninja ZX6R.
14:13 This is a new take.
14:16 Priced at $11,499, it is relatively expensive, but again, it comes with a lot of unique features.
14:24 Aerodynamic winglets, a Prelia Performance Ride Control Rider Aid Suite, and that 659
14:31 CC parallel twin engine.
14:35 That said, this is an enticing package for those riders looking for an all around machine,
14:40 one that you could take out, ride on the streets, ride to work, ride the canyons, do whatever
14:44 you need to do in the real world situations, but also enjoy it over on the racetrack.
14:49 Get a true thrill out of this bike like you might on an RSV4, a liter bike.
14:55 This is super capable, super wickedly entertaining engine package with a nimble and confidence
15:01 inspiring chassis to go with it.
15:03 You have the electronic rider aid suite to give you a little bit more safety while also
15:08 just exploiting the outright performance of this machine.
15:12 All right guys, that's it.
15:14 So if you like this video, like it, comment.
15:16 We want to hear from you and subscribe to the Motorcyclist YouTube channel.
15:19 Head over to MotorcyclistOnline.com to read the full story and we'll see you guys next
15:24 time.
15:24 Bye.
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