Where traditionally a bike like this would feel right at home. But instead, we're gonna be checking out the RS660, out there, on the roads.
Let's hit it! To
drive home the point of this being a road-focused machine, look no further than
Neutral. Rejoice! You can find it quite easily! On an Aprilia! While the engine
is running. By far the best feature of this bike! And yes I did hit neutral
going from 1st to 2nd a few times but that was with me shifting manually. Use
the quick shifter boys and girls and you’ll be fine. The slipper clutch on the
RS 660 is another example of this bike's intentions. It’s light and engages
predictably and works great in slow-moving traffic. The reach doesn’t feel like
a stretch either which is great as unfortunately, it’s non-adjustable which is a
pity. The mirrors work, They are very vibey but offer some good
adjustment. They are placed far forward so tweaking them on the move isn’t the
easiest. It’s a sports bike so be prepared to look around your elbows a bit,
especially if you’re a larger rider. They can be folded forward for tight
filtering or track duty.
The turning circle isn’t bad at all so tight
maneuvering doesn’t feel intimidating. If you are a bit shorter, however, it can
feel tall, especially when trying to back it up. The light weight of this bike
makes moving it around the garage a snap. The kickstand is super easy to find so
you can pop it up and down without any hassles. It also doesn’t lean excessively
so it’s easy to get off the stand or park in a tight spot. The switchgear looks
flimsy at first glance, but actually, they work pretty well. On the left, we
have the trigger, cruise control switch which also doubles up as a
traction control up-down switch in race mode, menu navigation buttons, and
sometimes self-canceling indicators & horns. On the right, we have the daytime
running lights button, starter/kill switch, and mode selector. Logical layout.
Solid feel. Intuitive to use… Very un-Italian…
Another striking bit of styling
is the lights on the RS 660. They look great and work even better! While the sun
is out, the daytime running lights make sure other road users can’t miss you. At
dusk, a twilight sensor automatically switches on the low beam lights. The main
beams do a super job of illuminating the road ahead with the bright casting a
narrow beam of light straight down the road extending your vision further into
the night. And finally, the cornering lights that light up the inside of the
corner when leaning even slightly. It’s not distracting and helps so much! The
LED indicators and brake lights all add up to make nighttime riding just that
little bit safer. Italians do styling the best there’s no arguing it and the RS
660 is an excellent case in point. Every line and every angle is gorgeous.
Every
little swoop and curve is absolute perfection. And in this Lava Red color
scheme, it’s all on full display like a majestic little peacock. The silver
frame and swingarm are structural yet sculpted. Those textured black panels add
small visual treats. These elegantly designed lights both front and tail. The
subtle, integrated aero and those rear fins. It’s so pretty,
we’ll even forgive
the stupid little asymmetric bump on the front fairing to accommodate the cruise
control switch. This has to be one of the most beautiful motorcycles we’ve ever
had the privilege of riding! In the menu, you’ll find 5 rider modes split
between 2 vehicle settings. The first is Commuter. Self-explanatory. Easy going
throttle with all the electronic aids turned up for maximum safety in
slow-moving traffic and rainy conditions. Dynamic is on the opposite end of the
scale. Snappy throttle and less electronic interference give you a good glimpse
into what the RS 660 is capable of. And lastly, you have an Individual.
Everything is adjustable to tailor the bike to your exact riding needs. Using
Dynamic as a default, it picks up speed so much quicker than you’d expect with
torque coming on nicely from around 6 or 7000 RPM. This thing is such a grin
maker! But that’s just road mode… Dive into the vehicle menu and you’ll discover
Race mode! Offers 2 further options Challenge, the pre-set, ready from the
factory race set up, and Time attack, where faster lap times become the name of
the game. Everything can be disabled and configured. You even have the option to
change mapping and engine braking! Rear ABS is disabled, and traction control
and anti-wheelie get turned all the way down in both race modes by default. All
told, that’s some high-end electronics in Aprilia’s entry offering…
The big
question though is power. Is there enough of it? And after spending a lot of
time in the saddle of the RS 660 I can without a doubt say yes. 100 HP is enough
for everyday use be it long-distance riding, commuting, or even hitting the
twisties. Big power is awesome but you always have the sense it’s trying to kill
you. This doesn’t. It’s nothing but pure riding bliss from start to finish. The
standard Euro 5 compliant exhaust lures you into a false sense of security when
you start it up. It’s only once you near 7000 RPM that you realize this is
essentially half a V4, with some clues to the bloodline becoming audible. Take a
listen to this… Aprilia does gearboxes like no one else! It feels sublime from
1st to 6th with their brilliant quick-shifter. The Star Wars-looking shift
lights can be configured to a limit of your choice from the menu. It makes a
farty noise when upshifting at around 8000 RPM that never fails to put a smile
on your face. And what’s more, it sounds and feels stupendous when using the
auto blip downshift. Seriously, who needs a clutch when you have this? The
brakes work great! The lovely initial bite gets better the more you squeeze.
We’d expect nothing less from Brembo. The rear brake has a weird positioning to
it though. It works fine I just kept stepping on the arm instead of the lever
itself. A nice safety feature is Emergency hazard lights that come on under
heavy braking. This can be turned off from the menu should you wish.
The RS 660
is happiest when being thrown from side to side. It handles so sweetly partly
because it’s so light but credit must also be given to the overall chassis
design. It feels so well balanced with the center of gravity down low. It is
susceptible to crosswinds pushing you around the highway though. There’s no
semi-active suspension but adjustments can be made in terms of compression,
rebound, and pre-load. As standard, the RS 660 is not too stiff. In short, when
it comes to handling, the 660 is such a peach.
183 kg wet makes for an agile
little thing whether it’s hunting apexes or rolling it around the garage. Not
the ideal tire in the wet or slippery conditions but everywhere else it gets
hot, sticky, and grippy enough to deal with even the tightest of highway
onramps. the screen with your Aprilia electronics settings is displayed
prominently below it. Adjustable Engine mapping, 3 levels of Traction control, 3
different engine brake settings, Anti-wheelie control, and Switchable ABS. the
choice for 2 up riding there are some definite highlights for passengers.
Firstly, the suspension is very compliant making life a bit more pleasant for
pillions. The seat is also pretty soft and comfy so that’s great. What’s less
great is the fact that your legs are all tucked up, you’re perched high on the
seat, crouched forward in a very uncomfortable yoga pose. Manageable for like 20
minutes but not much more after that.
Credit to the RS 660 though, even with a
passenger on board, it doesn’t lack in power at all. As far as luggage is
concerned, there isn’t any as standard, but remove the pillion seat and you’ll
discover some handy luggage attachment points. I wasn’t expecting that. Also,
the under-seat storage space is bigger than you’ll find on most sports bikes.
The fuel tank holds 15 liters and after some *ahem* enthusiastic riding we still
averaged 5.6L/100km or 18km per liter. All told, that gives you a theoretical
range of 270 kays between fill-ups. That’s pretty incredible!
Beginner-friendly?: Not really. It’s an awesome step-up bike but as your very
first set of wheels, there’s a lot that could go wrong if you aren’t careful.
Not to mention expensive to repair should you bin it. It’s however a great
option for someone who’s returning to riding or scaling things down from the
mega horsepower widow makers. This is a great motorcycle for just about anyone.
Aprilia was so confident in their new machine that the switchgear,
LED
headlights and most of its electronics were developed for the 660 first and then
made their way to their flagship RSV4! Their little bike is leading the way! We
honestly believe more manufacturers will be keeping a close eye on this new
category that Aprilia has pioneered because it is undoubtedly the future of the
600’s and the future is looking very bright indeed!
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