Motorcycle specifications ApriliaRS 125 2018 Sport & ados

noale's little sports car is back to its former glory: RS. From the days when its 2-stroke single mewed out speeds worthy of much larger machines. However, don't expect to find an engine with a cylinder with holes; at the heart of the aluminum perimeter frame is still a 15-hp valve block.

with its RSV4 profile, the 125 RS remains one of the most attractive 1/8th-litre sports bikes on the market. Versions since 2013 have added an extra sporty touch, with a sweet racing flavour, as well as an optional shifter; the rider will be able to shift gears on the fly, just like in competition. The RS is almost practical, claiming to be able to carry the equivalent of a 6-inch tablet. A USB port can be fitted, always handy for recharging a smartphone.
2017 shortened its name, but brought some new features. Let's move on to the redesigned dashboard and Euro4 compliance, and concentrate on the brakes. For now, you can count on ABS. Aprilia has also worked on fully integrating the exhaust system, which has been tucked away at the bottom of the fairing.

genesis: this Aprilia RS 125 is truly an RSV4 Replica. And we're not exaggerating. Aprilia's sporty 125 is a true clone of the former Superbike champion. Headlights, fairing, rear mini-strapontin and shortened butt, fuel tank and airbox cover, inverted forks... It's all the same. A bike that all youngsters will want to own, and not just them.

Compared to the old RS 125, it's a completely different generation. Today, the RS is cleaner, consumes less fuel, requires less maintenance, and commands a less toxic price. Where's the wolf? In the engine. Gone are the ringlinglin , the smoke and the tearing vocals. In there lives a modern block with fuel injection, double ACT and 4 valves. What does that mean? That means.... This generation of Aprilia 125 sports bikes is powered by a 4-stroke engine. Economy and the environment benefit, and the talent of the group's engine designers should make it fun to use. But no more crazy performance. Like all 4-strokes of this displacement, we're only entitled to the legal maximum, i.e. 15 horsepower. But don't worry: the engine claims to be much more available than most of the mills in the segment, with minimal vibration and reliability to match.

But don't worry, you'll be able to get the most out of your grinders with the chassis underneath. First of all, an aluminum perimeter frame with spars incorporating reinforcing ribs. A 41-mm fork in the noggins, inverted for rigidity. Braking is right up there with the 125s: a 4-piston radial caliper on a 300 mm-diameter wave disc. The racing spirit is present throughout, with an asymmetrical swingarm, a low-slung exhaust to lower the center of gravity and clear the rear end, and digital instrumentation modelled on that of the V4 hypersport. With tires scarcely wider than an iPhone (*), the machine twirls from one bend to the next with the speed of a beep-beep chased by a coyote.
Once you've put it on the stand, the hardest part will be turning down the invitations to ride offered by owners of R1s, CBRs and other hypersports, as many would swear they're looking at an RSV4 RR.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos

* Lengthwise, the iPhone. These aren't bike wheels, either....