As it gears up for a launch expected in September, the Aprilia RS 440 has once again been spotted testing, this time without any camouflage.
- Sharp bodywork with fairing-mounted mirrors
- Twin-spar aluminium frame, USD fork, monoshock
- 440cc parallel-twin likely to produce over 40hp
The removal of camouflage and the presence of well-formed bodywork with logos and badges confirms that the bike is moving closer to production. However, the test mule appears to be carrying data-logging equipment, indicating that this is still a work in progress.
Nevertheless, there are a number of new details to be observed in these latest images. At the front of the sharp fairing sit a pair of slit-shaped LED headlights with what appears to be a pair of small air intakes underneath each one. Between the two headlights is a central lamp that will likely house the high beam, as seen on the larger RS 660 and RSV4.
The front fairing acts as the base for the mirrors, and then flows nicely into rather expansive side fairings that cover a large portion of the forward flanks. What this means is that we can’t really see much of the engine, aside from the clutch cover. The design of the clutch cover isn’t shared with any other current Aprilia bike, and it appears to be a noticeably smaller clutch than you see on the RS 660. We do know that this is likely to be a 440cc parallel-twin motor, derived from the larger 660cc parallel-twin in the RS 660. Expect liquid-cooling, DOHC architecture and 4-valves per cylinder. If these specs hold true, the Aprilia should be able to cross the 40hp mark quite comfortably, and sit in the ballpark of the Kawasaki Ninja 400 (45hp).
Holding everything together is a neat-looking aluminium twin-spar frame, suspended on an upside-down fork and a monoshock. We see 17-inch wheels and a single disc brake at both ends, with the front calliper being a radially-mounted unit. Just aft of the clutch cover are what appear to be nicely machined rearsets, and the clip-on handlebars seem to have very small risers, if any at all. Overall, these spy shots paint the picture of a fairly aggressive seating position, hinting at a bike with rather serious intent. There is also a rather sizable step up to the fairly roomy-looking pillion seat, and the short, sharp tail section gels well with the overall aggressive design.
Another theme here is premium-ness, with the alloy swingarm, aluminium frame and neat rearsets, all looking very classy and high-spec. An underbelly exhaust exit also ensures an overall clean and uncluttered look. Considering everything we see here, it’s unlikely that the Aprilia RS 440 will be able to match something like the single-cylinder KTM RC 390 (Rs 3.18 lakh) for price, even though it will be manufactured in India at Aprilia’s Baramati plant. However, at the same time, it should be more affordable than the Kawasaki Ninja 400, which comes to India as a CBU and is priced at a steep Rs 5.19 lakh (ex-showroom, India). You can expect an official launch at around the Rs 3.5 to 4 lakh mark, and it should arrive in September, around the time of the Indian MotoGP round.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
