Aprilia RS 457 Review: Is It As Good As It Looks?

Photography: Pawan Dagia

Accessible, manageable, relatively light and confidence inspiring. Those are some of the basic qualities any entry-level sportbike should have to make it appealing to a new breed of riders. On the spec sheet, the new Aprilia RS 457 seems to have all the above, yet with enough performance to make slightly more experienced riders find it entertaining as well. But the spec sheet is one thing, and how it rides, quite another. If there’s one thing which this new Aprilia doesn’t seem to lack is presence! Even from a brief glance that I had, the RS 457 certainly looks gorgeous.

The Aprilia RS 457 seeks to offer a thrilling yet forgiving ride experience to new riders. Is it any better than the others in its price bracket?

But is it about the bike’s performance, capability, dynamics and tech that matters to today’s young rider, or is it more than enough for design, styling and features to make a motorcycle appealing to new riders? Those are some of the questions I had in mind when I headed to the airport at an unearthly hour for some track time with the new Aprilia RS 457 at Kari Motor Speedway, almost 2,500 km south. Yeah, the things some of us must do to check out and review the newest motorcycles! 

Also Read: Aprilia RS 457 Launched In India At Rs. 4.10 Lakh

The Aprilia RS 457 seeks to offer a visually appealing package with user-friendly performance and stable dynamics.

The Made-in-India Aprilia RS 457

The premise of the Aprilia RS 457 seems to be to offer a motorcycle that has the visual appeal, user-friendly performance, lightweight design, comfortable ergonomics and stability and practicality for everyday use. The Piaggio Group’s basic idea for the RS 457 was borne out of the idea of analysing the potential in new and younger riders, as well as newer markets. So, the success story of the bigger Aprilia RS 660 in Europe was taken as a basic blueprint and in comes the Aprilia RS 457! 

The made-in-India Aprilia RS 457 doesn't skimp on quality or finish levels.

And to make it relatively affordable in the world’s biggest motorcycle market, it had to be made right here, in India. So, in the sub-400 cc sportbike segment, the Aprilia RS 457 is priced at Rs. 4.10 lakh (Ex-showrom), which could be seen as somewhat expensive, but more on that later. For India, the idea is to make it accessible and relatively affordable for anyone looking for a sharp and stylish entry-level sportbike. And if it’s presence one’s looking for, the Aprilia RS 457 seems to have it in dollops!

Also Read: All You Need To Know About Aprilia RS 457

The Aprilia RS 457 is a gorgeous looking motorcycle! It's well-proportioned, and looks good from every angle you look at it.

Aprilia RS 457 Design & Features

If there’s one thing that will immediately impress you, it’s the way the Aprilia RS 457 looks! Aprilia’s first made in India motorcycle certainly doesn’t skimp on finish and quality. It looks premium and well-finished with an upside-down front fork and a rear monoshock, both offering preload adjustability but no damping adjustment. The 17-inch alloy wheels are shod with grippy TVS Eurogrip Protorq Extreme tyres, and these are tyres which are pretty impressive when it comes to offering grip and confidence. 

The tip of the underbelly exhaust could have been given the brushed aluminium finish to go with the dual-beam aluminium frame and the steel swingarm, which has been given the brushed aluminium treatment.

Overall, if you look at it, the Aprilia RS 457 is well-proportioned, and from any angle you look at it, it’s absolutely gorgeous. The face with the three-pod LED headlight, MotoGP-style winglets, and the sleek tail section all come together to make a silhouette that is immediately likeable. From every angle you look at it, the RS 457 totally nails it in the design department. If I had to nitpick, the faux carbon fibre plastic panels are something which I’m not a fan of, and the exhaust tip could have had a brushed aluminium finish to it, to go with the aluminium frame, and the steel swingarm which is also finished to look like aluminium. And then, you could also argue that there’s no heel guard for a bike also designed for track use, but that is available as an accessory.

The 5-inch TFT console offers all necessary read-outs and has easily navigable menus to access the ride modes and other electronic rider aids.

But there’s more than just design where the RS 457 makes a strong impression. It’s loaded with electronics. There’s ride-by-wire with three riding modes (Eco, Sport and Rain), with all three ride modes getting full power, but throttle response toned down for each mode’s use. Then there’s three levels of traction control and you can switch off the rear ABS for track use.  A 5-inch TFT console offers all necessary read-outs and easy navigation through the different settings, as well as smartphone connectivity. 

Straight off, the Aprilia RS 457 makes its friendly personality obvious. Throttle response is gentle, but there's decently potent performance if and when required.

Aprilia RS 457 Performance

As soon as you get rolling, the Aprilia RS 457 will surprise you with its friendly personality. In numbers, the 457 cc, parallel-twin, four valve per cylinder engine puts out 47 bhp at 9,400 rpm and 43.5 Nm at 6,700 rpm. Those figures are more than both the Yamaha R3, as well as the Kawasaki Ninja 400, both of which are also more expensive than this baby Aprilia RS. But it’s not just about the engine’s output. The power delivery has been tuned keeping in mind the beginner sportbike rider. So, there’s no rush of performance which may intimidate new riders. The throttle response is gentle, the power delivery is mild and it’s not a bike that will scare you, if you’re new to such performance figures. 

Also Read: Aprilia RS 457 Specifications Comparison With Rivals

The torque is spread over a wide rev range, so there's enough pull, even at higher gears. 

But then, there’s enough performance when you need it, and it can be potent enough when you want it to be. There’s a surge of torque right up from around 3,000 rpm to around 7,000 rpm, so you always have enough torque when you open the throttle. What this means is that even at a higher gear, the RS 457 can pull cleanly from low revs, and this is something which should be beneficial out in the real world, in everyday riding conditions. On the straight of the compact Kari Motor Speedway track, the speedo showed me close to 160 kmph, but I was not glancing at it every single time to see how fast I was going. My concentration was more on slamming the brakes and downshifting quick to slow down to take on the chicane at the end of the straight. But more on that later.

Handling is the Aprilia RS 457's strong point. The chassis offers a level of stability and balance that is very impressive. Here's car&bike's Janak Sorap with the Aprilia RS 457 at Kari Motor Speedway. 

Aprilia RS 457 Handling & Braking

What is also very impressive is the way the RS 457 handles. The dual-beam aluminium frame offers a level of stability that is instantly likeable and confidence-inspiring. It handles beautifully, and you can throw the RS 457 in and out of corners without the bike feeling unsettled or surprise you. The chassis offers a level of stability and balance that is indeed very impressive. For anyone looking to start track riding, the Aprilia RS 457 is friendly, it’s got three-level traction control, dual-channel ABS, and the best part is its dynamics, where you will always feel in control, unless you do something with it which will get you into trouble.

What could have been better is the braking performance. After consistent hard braking, the bite of the front brake left a little more to be desired. Replacing to sintered brake pads could help in this regard.

The gearshifts are precise and slick, but a standard quickshifter could have certainly made the track-riding experience more enjoyable. It’s something which is available as an accessory on the parts list. What is also somewhat of a miss is a heel guard, again an accessory item, which I feel should have been standard fitment. The dual-channel ABS offers decent stopping power, but the feel and bite of the brakes could have been better. You can disable the ABS on the front wheel for track use, and it does somewhat improve the front brake bite, particularly when you’re trying to shed speed from over 150 kmph on the straight to take on the sharp left and right chicane. Instead of organic pads, sintered brake pads could have perhaps offered better braking performance. 

The Aprilia RS 457 offers a gentle and forgiving personality, yet with enough entertaining performance. Perfect for new riders.

Aprilia RS 457 Pricing & Rivals

Priced at Rs. 4.10 lakh (Ex-showroom), the Aprilia RS 457 has several rivals in the sub-500 cc sportbike category, including the updated Yamaha YZF-R3, Kawasaki Ninja 400, KTM RC 390 and the BMW G 310 RR and TVS Apache RR 310. From a price to performance value, even when looking at the more expensive Kawasaki Ninja 400 and the Yamaha YZF-R3, the Aprilia RS 457 certainly seems to offer very good value. You could argue that the KTM RC 390 offers a very good option as well, and at a lower price point, as well as the BMW G 310 RR and the TVS Apache RR 310. 

Where the Aprilia RS 457 scores over these rivals is its parallel-twin engine with power and torque output which is pretty much the best, even compared to more expensive rivals like the Yamaha R3 and the Kawasaki Ninja 400. The price tag of Rs. 4.10 lakh (Ex-showroom) may look a little steep, but considering the design, quality, kit and electronics you’re getting, it’s pretty much par for the course, for any parallel-twin engine sportbike in that segment and price bracket.

As a beginner-friendly sportbike which looks great, has friendly performance and confidence-inspiring handling, the Aprilia RS 457 totally nails it!

Aprilia RS 457 Verdict

The Aprilia RS 457 definitely has a lot going for it. For anyone looking at a sportbike which is friendly and accessible, yet offer decent performance and dynamics, this bike has it all. You can explore the sporty side of riding, improve your skills on a racetrack if you’re so inclined, and if you’re a new rider, you can get confidence before upgrading to something more performance oriented. And even if you’re new to the performance that the RS 457 offers, it won’t scare you silly, or intimidate you. Besides, there’s a wide enough safety net from the electronics to keep you safe. 

The Aprilia RS 457 is easily one of the best sportbikes in its segment and price bracket.

All these qualities – friendly and entertaining performance, intuitive handling and forgiving nature, should also translate out into the real world, on the street. In all, it’s strikingly beautiful, with a level of performance and dynamics which should keep you entertained as you get some more experience to climb up the ladder of more performance-oriented sportbikes. At first glance, the price tag may seem somewhat high, but in the ultimate analysis, the Aprilia RS 457 certainly makes a solid and strong case for itself. It could well be one of the best sportbikes in its segment and price range right now, and that is reason enough to give it serious consideration.

Aprilia RS 457 First Ride Photo Gallery:

Aprilia RS 457 Key Specifications: