It’s been a while since we’ve heard about Aprilia developing a small-capacity platform for its RS and Tuono platform. However, according to recent media reports, it won’t be a 125-150cc bike but rather a 300-400cc one to rival the KTM RC 390 and the TVS Apache RR 310 in India. In a recent media interview, Diego Graffi, chairman and MD, Piaggio India, indicated that Aprilia is working on such a platform. While the RS 660 is also expected in 2021, the 300-400cc segment is a fiercely competitive one today.
With the KTM 390 siblings and the TVS Apache RR 310 doing fairly well in India, Piaggio wants a piece of that cake. Thus, Diego has also confirmed that Aprilia has dropped the development of the entry level 125cc bikes to enter this segment. If the bike is manufactured domestically in our country, it could also be exported to international markets, taking the same route that the BMW G 310 R did. He also told the media that even though the mini ADV segment is quickly gaining traction, Aprilia will stick to its roots, making it quite evident that the new bikes we will see from the Italian manufacturer will be either the RS or Tuono, or both, since they are established brands under the Aprilia umbrella.
Since this platform has just begun development, we don’t expect to see it anytime before 2022. Also, how Aprilia prices these motorcycles will also play a big role in their success or failure since India is one of the most price-sensitive markets, where the value-for-money factor rules most purchases.
Meanwhile, the arrival of the RS 660 is imminent, with pictures and videos cropping up quite often. The bike doesn’t have much competition in India, apart from the Kawasaki ZX-6R and the Honda CBR650R, which means it could possibly do well.