The right-hand parabola at the tight and technical Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore is my favourite corner, but in this particular instance, I dread going around it. Earlier in the day, I had very cockily arranged to sit pillion on an RS 457, piloted by Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia’s MotoGP test rider). I told him to gun it for three laps and the sheer thrilling madness that encompassed those laps is not a memory I’ll soon forget.
But how did I end up sitting behind Savadori? Well, Aprilia India has finally decided to leverage its sporting history and move beyond its mainstream image of just being a scooter maker by hosting its first-ever Racers Days in India. This is an Aprilia owner’s event, which has been around for many years overseas, and has been hosted at hallowed circuits such as Mugello (Italy) and COTA (Circuit Of The Americas), among others. While Racers Days is open to everyone who owns any Aprilia two-wheeler (from the humble SR 125 to the mothership RSV4), the RS 457 is the only machine that can be brought to the event, as of now.
Aprilia chose 11-time national champion Rajini Krishnan’s RACR academy to impart track riding experience to the attendees at this event. Rajini and his fellow instructors ran a tight ship, and we managed to cram in a total of nine sessions over the two days. This included learning everything from the basics of track etiquette to body positioning, throttle and brake control, and much more.
This was my third time at a racetrack and it was the one where I’ve progressed the most. What gave my learning curve a big boost were two things. The first was that RACR’s instructors and sometimes even Savadori himself would be on track and impart their tips lap after lap. Secondly, Rajini took us on a track walk before day two began, helping us find the correct line through each corner and giving us his valuable insights.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t praise the RS 457 for how well it masked my amateur riding over these two days. I could be in the wrong gear and the torquey twin-cylinder motor would lend a hand. I could pick the wrong line and the communicative, quick-steering nature would help out. No matter the mistake, the 457 was able to cover it up.
While Racer’s Days was primarily a two-day riding school, there were a couple of other events to keep Aprilia owners interested. On the sidelines of all the track action, Aprilia set up a dedicated area where attendees could enjoy an unfettered MotoGP screening. On the second day, John Abraham joined us for the main race screening and he even went out for a few laps on the track!
All in all, I’d say this event has been a resounding success because it has left me with lasting memories and helped me grow as a rider. The pillion laps with Savadori was an adrenaline rush like nothing else to date and the coaching from the RACR instructors was invaluable. The cherry on top is that the all-encompassing Ultimate Aprilia Racer Package is priced at just Rs 19,200. For that, Aprilia owners can get the full Level 1 and 2 training from RACR, enjoy the pillion laps with Sava, and get access to the MotoGP screening, which, all things considered, is a steal.
Of course, if you find that too steep, there are more affordable ways to attend Racers Days. In fact, you don’t even need to be an Aprilia owner to attend this event; you can just soak in the experience with an off-track pass.
All of this is positive to see from Aprilia, and with the RS 457 (and its future derivatives), the company is on the right track to establish itself in India as a maker of desirable, sporty bikes. Grazie Mille & Forza Aprilia!
