Rennie Scaysbrook | October 30, 2024
There are very few things I enjoy more than rounding up 1000cc sportbikes on bikes half or even less than half their size. I’ll take going fast around a corner rather than gassing it on a straight any day, and today happens to be a good day as I’m doing said rounding up of those big bikes on the marvelous Aprilia RS 457 at Laguna Seca.
Big man, little bike. Doesn’t matter, the RS 457 still makes rounding up big bikes easy. Unfortunately for America’s racing youth, the RS rocks up right when the MotoAmerica Junior Cup is dissolved in favor of MotoAmerica’s Talent Cup on Kramers for next year, but don’t let that put you off.
With its styling reminiscent of the larger RS 660, the 457 uses a, you guessed it, 457cc parallel-twin engine producing 47 horsepower and 32 ft-lb of torque. This engine only has to push a claimed wet weight of only 385 pounds.
The engine is a solid performer, but the chassis is the star of the show. This is a proper cast aluminum twin-spar frame in the same guise as the RSV4, not a spindly tubular steel unit like many of the other class competitors.
Couple that with 41mm forks and a shock, both preload adjustable, and you’ve got a bike that offers a perfect blend of track performance and real-world usability, with some added Italian flair.
Chassis architecture is almost identical to the RS 660 with the shock acting directly off the swingarm. At Laguna Seca, the RS 457 is a playful dance partner. Its 47 horsepower isn’t going to scare too many people, but the rate of turn with the chassis means you can hammer through the corners, using exceptional roll speed to outgun riders too timid to get on the throttle with their 1000cc beast.
ByBre produces the single four-piston monobloc front brake caliper and disc setup, which provides plenty braking power for the admittedly very small chassis. At 6’1,” I’m too big to properly fit on the RS 457—with its seat height of 31.5 inches, it’s a bike designed for first-timers and smaller riders, so if you’re 5’10” and under, you’re in luck.
In terms of technology, the RS 457 delivers a ride-by-wire throttle with three riding modes, adjustable traction control, and an optional quickshifter. The RS also features a five-inch TFT display and smartphone connectivity via Aprilia’s MIA system, enabling riders to integrate their phones for navigation and media control (something I didn’t do during my test at Laguna). On the aesthetics side, there’s full LED lighting, making it a bit of a step-up in terms of fit and finish from some other smaller capacity sportbikes.
That’s some pretty luscious paint for a junior bike. The RS draws inspiration from its bigger siblings, the RS 660 and the RSV4. The little brother has a pointy front fairing, integrated winglets (because you apparently need them on a bike with 47 horsepower), and a sleek, minimalist rear design.
While the 457 can’t and won’t hold a candle to Aprilia’s greatest-ever road-going sportbikes (in my opinion) in the RS 125 and RS 250, it does provide a gateway into the Aprilia brand for sportbike juniors that were not available for a very, very long time.
It’s a real shame we probably won’t see these bikes in a racing series in America because they are superb little machines designed by one of the few companies left that goes racing to sell products.CN
The RS 457’s engine is a solid performer, but the chassis is the star of the show. 2024 Aprilia RS 457 Specifications
| MSRP | $6899 |
| Engine | Parallel-twin, 4-stroke |
| Valvetrain | 4-valve, DOHC |
| Displacement | 457cc |
| Bore x stroke | 69 x 61.1mm |
| Cooling system | Liquid |
| Max power | 47 hp at 9400 rpm |
| Max torque | 32 ft-lb at 6700 rpm |
| Fuel injection | Electronic fuel injection system, twin 36mm throttle bodies |
| Transmission | 6-speed |
| Electronics | Three Riding Modes, ABS, Traction Control |
| Chassis | Cast aluminum twin-spar |
| Front suspension | 41mm inverted fork, adjustable spring preload |
| Rear suspension | Monoshock, adjustable spring preload |
| Front brake | Single 320mm disc, ByBre 4-piston radial monobloc calipers |
| Rear brake | Single 220mm disc, ByBre single-piston caliper |
| Wheelbase | 53.1 in. |
| Seat height | 31.5 in. |
| Fuel capacity | 3.4 gal. |
| Weight (curb) | 385 lbs. |
