At the 2018 Auto Expo, Aprilia showcased two new motorcycles - the RS 150 and the Tuono 150. The two motorcycles were scheduled to go on sale shortly after, but their launch was postponed and it was to take place sometime this year. However, on the recently held digital launch of the Vespa Racing Sixty, Piaggio confirmed that the 150cc motorcycle platform has been put on hold.
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Aprilia RS 150 and Tuono 150 launch put on hold
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New 300-400cc models in the pipeline
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Production to begin only after 2-3 years
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, because Aprilia had hinted that it was still judging market interests when it revealed the two motorcycles. The brand also mentioned that the bikes may run larger-capacity engines than what were displayed at the 2018 Auto Expo. Piaggio India’s MD and CEO, Diego Graffi, mentioned that the brand is evaluating a 300-400cc Aprilia motorcycle.
Little else was said on what the upcoming models will have to offer, but he did confirm that the project was still in the early stages and that production is about 2-3 years away. The upcoming Aprilia will take on other similar displacement models in our market like the TVS Apache RR 310, the Honda CB 300R and KTM’s 390 platform. We also know that the bikes will be made in India and this should allow the Italian manufacturer to price them competitively.
Ved Janve
Stephen Raj Antony
