EICMA 2018: Aprilia Concept RS 660 parallel-twin supersports showcased
Aprilia unveiled the 2019 edition of its flagship supersport motorcycle, the Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory. This motorcycle has received a number of mechanical tweaks. The details of which can be read here. In addition to that, Aprilia also presented the Concept RS 660 which is the Italian motorcycle manufacturer's interpretation of a middle-weight supersports machine. While this itself is an amazing news, the bigger update is that Aprilia plans to target Asian markets with the production version of the 660 supersports bike. Being one of the most important two-wheeler markets of the world, we are sure India will play a big role in Aprilia's plans.
Powering the Aprilia Concept 660 Supersports is an all-new parallel-twin engine that has been developed from taking the front half of the Aprilia RSV4 1100's unit. From the looks of it, it can be seen that the new engine is a complex and compact unit. In fact, the overall construction of the motorcycle is so compact that the engine acts as the stress member of the chassis. The rear swingarm has been pivoted inside the crankcase while the engine is positioned inside the twin-spar aluminium frame at the rear of the heads and also with the top of the rear of the crankcase.
The right arm of the swingarm has a curved shape in order to all the exhaust terminal to pass. The particular mounting of the shock absorber allows outstanding progression to be obtained without using linkage, thereby cutting down on weight and making it a cleaner package overall.
It is already known that Aprilia knows how to make a dynamic chassis setup. As seen from the images, it can be seen that the riding position in relatively comfortable compared to the larger Aprilias which are more track-centric. This one also gets clip-ons positioned on the triple clamps. The fairing design has been done to channelise the air flow properly. Aprilia also mentions that the concept comes with active aerodynamics which can be seen with the multiple vents on the fairing. This will not help cool the engine in a better way but also offer more comfort to the rider.
The concept offers a comfortable riding position, thanks to the large saddle located on the sleek tail fairing, footpegs that are not too high, and a pair of semi-handlebars mounted on top of the upper steering yoke. The result is a saddle-handlebar-footpeg triangulation that is sporty yet comfortable, to the advantage of riding pleasure and comfort.
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