Spotted with multiple improvised equipment, Aprilia’s new naked bike is still several months away from reaching production stage
Aprilia recently launched the RS 457 at India Bike Week at a starting price of Rs 4.10 lakh. Even though many international markets are yet to get the RS 457, a new naked Aprilia bike has been spotted overseas on road tests. From the images, it appears to be the naked version of the RS 457.
Aprilia 457 naked bike details
From the round headlamp, it is clear that the naked Aprilia 457 will have a neo-retro profile. But much of the skin is missing, making it difficult to carry out a detailed analysis. Equipment such as the front USD forks appear to be borrowed from RS 457.
However, the naked model has the USD forks in golden finish in comparison to black coloured units used with RS 457. The cast aluminium alloy wheels and the 110/70-17 front & 150/60-17 rear tyres are the same as RS 457.
Same is true for the braking setup that has 320 mm and 220 mm discs at front and rear. Then, there’s the 457cc, in-line two-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. It generates 47.6 hp of max power and 43.5 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 6-speed gearbox and comes with ride-by-wire tech.
Different chassis and swingarm
Talking about some of the unique aspects of RS 457’s naked sibling, the bike uses a steel frame. In comparison, the RS 457 has a dual beam aluminium frame. The relatively simple tubular steel frame will be adequate for the naked version. It remains to be seen if the bike’s weight is increased with the use of a steel frame. But the naked version won’t have the fairing, which will help reduce weight. For reference, RS 457 has a wet weight of 175 kg.
At the rear, the naked bike has a different swingarm in comparison to RS 457. The change has been necessitated, as the rear suspension is mounted on the right side. It is not centrally placed, as is the case with RS 457. Essentially, utilizing a decentralized spring strut instead of the conventional central spring strut.
The naked version of Aprilia RS 457 will have a comfortable riding stance. The test mule reveals that the optimal positioning of the foot pegs is currently being evaluated. It is evident from the perforated plates being used for mounting the foot pegs. This allows easy adjustment of the foot pegs, as needed. There is various other makeshift / WIP equipment being used such as the fuel tank and exhaust. The front section is also WIP, evident with the exposed wires, nuts & bolts and mounting brackets.
Aprilia naked 457 launch and pricing
In its current format, the naked Aprilia 457 will take several months to reach near-production level. In 2024, Aprilia is likely to focus exclusively on the RS 457. In that case, the naked version will only be launched in 2025. Pricing will be approximately the same as that of RS 457.
Source
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
