2021 Aprilia RS 660 Road Test Review

[@Sportwagenfreak1998]

One of the best reviews I've seen on this bike

[@devendra455]

Fun fact, haga translates to shit in hindi .

[@RickyJr46]

Wow, how unfortunate is that? The Finnish word for "horrible" is quite amusing too.

[@devendra455]

@@RickyJr46 what is it?

[@OsianLedger]

I got 1, and I agree with everything he said, fueling at low speeds is perfect, throttle response is always right there when u want it, 250 miles, absolutely no aching wrists, bum or knees. Amazing machine

[@dry509]

What about having to rev it to 8000? What is it like under that rpm? How many vibes and where?

[@alwaysup22]

Great review. This bike, while not perfect, checks a lot of boxes and I can't wait to get my hands on one.

[@rabbitez]

I really appreciate the way this video is produced, no shitty attempts at humour, no bullshit intro, just straight to the point. Exactly what I like.

[@jimpanzer07]

Great bike, got the Lava red one and my only real complaint is the engine vibration - it vibrates a lot as evident by the very large and heavy bar end weights. The bar end weights are almost twice as heavy as the one found on the smooth V4 1100 Tuono, will try and find a solution to that problem as the bike is super everywhere else!

[@ac.4ce442]

very true, please reply here and let me know if you found out anything

[@Blottski]

Definitely leaving a reply to see if you have any thoughts further to this. That and the weird brake squeel this bike seems to have - minor inconveniences for what looks to be my next bike!

[@timsgta]

Most gorgeous bike I've seen in many many years!

[@TK-cl1jm]

I will have this bike by next Spring. Definitely!

[@danielpena-un8vl]

Im getting one of this! forget the R7

[@tvbuu]

These look so clean

[@maexso_089]

Exactly what I said

[@bougelaal]

Let's be real bro, you ain't getting any of them 😂

[@Jesusprayerwarriorbw]

It's harder to choose than that. R7 is bulletproof! Aprilia is known for turning riders into mechanics. Lack of service locations & parts availability. I do love the riders triangle on the RS & electronics. The frame is better on RS but it has major kink in power right when u need it. Both are great bikes and Aprilia OVERSTATED the HP by 10 at the crank. Its 90 not 100 & at the wheel it's only 3-5 off from the R7.

[@Jesusprayerwarriorbw]

@@maexso_089 It's harder to choose than that. R7 is bulletproof! Aprilia is known for turning riders into mechanics. Lack of service locations & parts availability. I do love the riders triangle on the RS & electronics. The frame is better on RS but it has major kink in power right when u need it. Both are great bikes and Aprilia OVERSTATED the HP by 10 at the crank. Its 90 not 100 & at the wheel it's only 3-5 off from the R7.

[@SongJLikes]

The length of 1st and 2nd gears from the factory are nice for practical road/city riding

[@jaimescafegarage4111]

Great video I really like how you got alot of shots on how you look on top of it alot of it is looks and I was worried I would be to up right but it seems ok

[@ivanscicluna2988]

I have test drove the zx6r / rs660 and cbr650r. If your deciding between those bikes honestly here is my opinion, Rs660 same price as the zx6r and more expensive then the cbr650r. performance wise the rs660 and CBR650r are identical with the CBR getting an advantage over 160kmh. If you want a cheap fast comfortable bike and don't mind not having the 6 axis imu go for the cbr650r. Again if you don't mind missing out on electronics but want much better suspension, breaks and performance for the same price go for the zx6r I cannot justify a twin vibrating motorcycle, considering once honda and Kawasaki add 6 axis imu control to their 600's the rs660 will be completely looked over.

[@thenateos]

I agree for the zx6r but not the cbr650r. The Honda have a so linear and boring acceleration compared to the RS. What do you mean by "getting the advantage over 160kmh"? The RS have a very enjoyable extra juice over 8k rpm I didn't feel on the cbr650. But the Honda have is a nice looking bike and very confortable.

[@Farsightful]

@@thenateos funnily enough the honda is faster below 120 km/h and the rs leaves the honda around that speed.

[@knievel8727]

The Honda is not performance comparable being 50 pounds heavier. Weight effects performance everywhere.

[@Drjfever]

Great choice of helmet. Just bought a Haga myself

[@brucekendall52]

Outstanding analysis,thank you.

[@Verichai]

Wow, great review!

[@proka]

Really nice review!

[@johnswanson6790]

Awesome review. I’ve heard there is a flat spot in the power band, this the need to stay higher up in the rev range. I hadn’t heard about the limitations of the suspension. Overall, I feel this motorcycle will help to,further the trend away from grossly overpowered 200+ hp bikes that offer limited functionality anywhere other than bragging rights at the coffee shop. Now, if only Honda would come out with a mid range V4!!!

[@xJae14x]

You dont put the CBR650R that category?

[@johnswanson6994]

@@xJae14x Isn’t the 650R is an in-line 4? The Honda 800 was a V4 that was discontinued in the US some time ago.

[@xJae14x]

@@johnswanson6994 ah you’re right! I got It mixed up for a second.

[@IamTechNerd]

Superb review

[@leogarcia4438]

Excellent review

[@pnwet_rider]

Thoughts compared to Street triple rs?

[@MadChalet]

Good, insightful, commentary.

[@exothermal.sprocket]

And Yamaha drops the YZF-R7. Should be a great machine, albeit not as high strung and a bit more punch in the middle. And the CP2 motor is quite smooth in the lower 2/3 revs.

[@GrotrianSeiler]

Love this review. I would buy one. Need to sell something first.

[@uchihakaname5690]

review is awesome

[@PropertyJemberKota]

Beautifull bike, good review

[@oldschoolmotorsickle]

Nice bike; no doubt it will dominate MotoAmerica’s Twins class on the race track. But...before Aprilia can grab a significant piece of market share, it needs to expand dealer network and have bikes priced under $10K. The 660 Tuono is essentially an RS. To bring it for under &10K would require forgoing certain features (electronics and plastics), but would make the bike more accessible to more riders.

[@worldhello1234]

The electronical gizmos are the thing that makes it more accessible to most riders. ^^

[@oldschoolmotorsickle]

We heard Mr Gilbert opine that TC and etc. isn’t really required on an 88hp twin that delivers its power above 8000rpm. Nice? Yeah, but not strictly needed. Why not have an RS 660 with all the electronics and bodywork at the high end, and present the Toano as a leaner meaner (cheaper) Street brawler? The market will have the last word, but I project that the new Trident at $8K will outsell the entire 660 line by a huge margin.

[@SuperOrgazmatron]

I'm in a couple of weeks away from my lava red!

[@bangocat]

From my understanding of this bike it's not a direct competitor or the Japanese 600cc super sports, so not sure if the comparison is appropriate but otherwise a great review.

[@Blottski]

It's the only one you can really use these days I guess that's why. This bike is forging an all new (finally) category of sorta supersports where it seems like it's 85% of what a middleweight has on tap for power and excitement, without the compromises and lameness (too upright, not terribly sporty) that comes with the typical 650 type bikes.

[@paulcompme856]

This bike is blowing everything away. I actually blew away a Aprilia RSV4 at the track the other weekend and I did it on a stock bike on commute settings. There is not a better bike out there at the moment. Anyone want to race me around the track for 1000.00, I'll blow you away.

[@RicoRico1982]

Call it "Acid Gold" all you want, for me it's MUSTARD.

[@ajizax8044]

I have a 650 honda with 4 inline. Which is more powerful and nice engine sound. But this 660 twin cylinder has impressed me with the sound similar to v-twin. A very good job Aprilia.

[@PPMGunslinger]

could you tell me the exact honda model do you have? thanks

[@giray2529]

@@PPMGunslinger i advice you to switch to this bike immediately if ur budget is available.

[@kylekampa6721]

@@giray2529 switch to what bike?

[@kenrobertson7524]

You didn't realize that there is three power modes. That bike has 100 horsepower and 50 pound feet of torque. What power mode where you on?

[@nedis4]

Is it more fun or twisties than Street Triple R?

[@guccipanda..6348]

So it's more of a race and track bike?

[@Russell_and_Rosko]

So you’re saying if I grab this new bike I get half the power, it costs 3 times the price and what appears to be less excitement...(attempting to make a P-twin exciting?)...this is like FWD cars passing off as “performance” cars when the design is derived from an economical platform. You know a 15 year old R6, ZX6R or RR, 600RR, gsxr600 all give more everything. If you want ABS and more comfort get a 900 naked... This bike falls into a very weird category.

[@MrSileman]

Are you questioning the fact that a new bike costs 3 times more than a bike from 15 years ago? Meanwhile comparing to 600 supersports from 15 years ago that barely makes anymore power while being heavier makes no sense to me. Then again I'm trying to debate someone who's complaining about FWD performance cars just bc they're based on an economical car. Clearly you have never tried a ford focus rs

[@Russell_and_Rosko]

I don’t question healthy debate. No, just trying to understand why Aprilia put a parallel twin in this bike other than cost cutting measures. Coming from a performance standpoint. I will add that i’m restyling an older sport touring 955i triumph to look more sporty while staying comfortable, lightweightish and fun, close to this bikes ethos. I don’t doubt that this is a fun bike, it just sounds a little anemic.

[@MrSileman]

@@Russell_and_Rosko now I understand your point, I myself am convinced the current engine is the way it is because of cost cutting measures as it's just a stretched version of half their v4. It makes sense they do this as the other components are a bit more premium so who knows how expensive this bike couldve been with a completely new engine.

[@Russell_and_Rosko]

@@MrSileman Very cool, thanks for the response. The “tooling” involved in casting the engine block will be different for the P-twin, but marketing an entry level bike to aspiring riders as something that shares components with the flagship model is enticing (I imagine the cylinder head is close to the v4 design but with completely different intake/exhaust port volumes and totally different cam profiles...so not exactly what they’re pushing on us). Marketing/advertising imo is most responsible for the lack of understanding. The team that markets these bikes are different than the engineers. A natural byproduct of this segregation goes anywhere from mild embellishments to outright fabrication of performance numbers.

[@MrSileman]

@@Russell_and_Rosko first of all thank you for your response as well, my initial comment was maybe a bit aggressive but you have shown patience. I must agree with your point where the shared componentry might be an exciting sell for newbies and the comment about production is something I had not thought of and is a valid point. However this is ultimately something that doesnt come as a surprise as these changes are to be expected. As someone who's had a ninja 400 for 2 years and is seriously considering the rs660 for his next bike it is more about the fancy electronics and the premium feel I get from the bike. I have already testridden it and where the bike might feel anemic to you it's an incredible jump for me. I woul probably have not considered the bike if it made even more bhp than this as it wouldve just been another crazy sports bike with a lot of power. However there is the fact that with a few changes the bike could've been way more interesting for a different group of people, which is perhaps why you are dissapointed with some of the features on this bike.

[@sestoelement7766]

RS660 will be the standard of under 700cc bike after the end of 600cc inline 4 cylindered supersports bike market Japanese makers dominated. The next star is Aprilia.

[@wouterpetersen4715]

Its a versatile bike!!

[@Do.Christ]

It's beautiful and super fast(maybe not for a bike). How dependable and maintenance costly will it be?

[@John-gz2me]

Have a H2 SX and an FJR1300, so the RS660 is my third bike, which I bought new in April 2021. I love it. Comfy enough to take on a long spin, and the wind protection is pretty good even with my short stock screen... I differ with the reviewer here (i'm about 5' 11"). I have had no issues at all... it's been rock solid. Looks as good as when I got it with the exeption of scuffing on the swingarm... you can get protectors now. Mirrors are very blurry at certain revs, unfortunately, and I keep hitting the main beam switch... but other than that it is sheer fun, and looks drop-dead gorgeous too. Would I buy one again? Yes!

[@ericocegueda5250]

What kind of footwear are u wearing ?

[@ChrisVanMiddelkoop]

Drive by wire is not dirrect. Dont say that. Depending on the throttle map it can feel really really bad. Not saying this bike has that problem but some do.

[@RambinoYT]

Is it automatic or manuel?

[@RickyJr46]

The RS660 handlebar felt exceedingly unnatural to me, a combination of too wide and too little angle which cocks the wrists and pushes out the elbows. Real clip-ons, like the RSV4’s, actually feel much better. As always, YMMV.

[@TK-cl1jm]

Interesting to hear. Mind sharing your height, etc? Maybe us shorter guys won't run into the same issue. Can't find one near me, so might end up ordering one sight unseen.

[@RickyJr46]

I'm 6’3” but disproportionately long-legged for my height. Long arms, too. When mountainbiking I prefer more handlebar backsweep angle than average also.

[@TK-cl1jm]

@@RickyJr46 Thanks! I'm 5'8" so probably won't have your issues! Cheers!

[@Farsightful]

@@RickyJr46 hahaha i m sorry but i didn't expect that answer xD

[@nobbystyles4807]

if i lived in californian id get the yellow one but i live in a small village in england so it would to be the black one with the aprilia decals all over it so everyone knows that i own an aprilia haha.

[@devendra455]

Adam's accent has rubbed off on this guy.

[@sheldonnicholl3599]

His comment about the rpm and gears is common for sport bikes, not unique to this bike. They all have their sweet spot and it tends to be high.

[@caypercifield1778]

I thought it had 99hp? not 88

[@morenodeftones]

88hp to the wheel , so around 100hp on engine.

[@lw835]

I bought one it’s awful to ride in the city the bike hates low speed if your going 30 it feeling like the brakes are constantly being tapped I really don’t recommend this bike as a daily commute, wish I kept my Honda cb500f much smoother for city

[@omarhirobertson7469]

This review probably tipped me to buying this as a firs bike 🤦🏽‍♂️ I’m a grown up so I don’t need to grow into a bike

[@Sl0w660]

Reason im watching this, I want one for my first bike too. Im 24 and im 6ft. Im feeling like it should be a good bike to start

[@jamescarlin569]

Second gear tall is because its ment for cornering at high speeds.....ps if you are a beginner or even a intermediate type u might not like it

[@shaung1719]

Great review still say it sounds like a lawn mower.

[@KB-yj5xp]

I think this is one of the nicest looking bikes available but I just wish it had a little more displacement and was around the 120 hp mark.

[@JimmyTheBear]

thats called an R6 and would put it into a different segment, it appears you have missed the point

[@KB-yj5xp]

@@JimmyTheBear No I don`t think I did, I`m not talking about supersport ergonomics or all the power in the top end but the powerplant of 800-900 cc you find in the middleweight naked category, so it could compete with the likes of the Duke890, z900, mt-o9sp etc.. good torque down low. I think that 100-120 hp is a good amount for the street. With Yamaha bringing out the R7 this segment could heat up nicely.

[@alwaysup22]

@@KB-yj5xp I agree with you. But at end of day, it has a lot of torque, and if there is an ECU tune that will open up the throttle between 4 and 6k RPM, I think it will have plenty of power to be fun.

[@worldhello1234]

It has exactly 95 horses to be road legal in some countries in Europe while being able to be restricted for the A2 license.

[@organichotdog3807]

@@alwaysup22 The RS660 has no more talk than an MT07. This reviewer said it measured 45ft-lbs. Agree that an ECU flash is needed.

[@timsgta]

Why r u saying 88hp? Its 100...

[@moscty]

Tuareg...Tuareg...Tuareg...Tuareg...Tuareg...

[@phillipbatho3213]

They better do a thorough re-tune to move the power lower in the rev range for that.

[@moscty]

@@phillipbatho3213 absolutely...needs more low end grunt for a middleweight ADV.

[@IDontKnow-bb6mt]

Sorry its just too expensive for what it is IMO. Almost $12k and you dont even get 90hp? Better options out there for cheaper prices.

[@pchzl]

Better options like what? The only cheaper competitor is Honda CBR650r which lacks all the bells and whistles which Aprilia has.

[@IDontKnow-bb6mt]

@@pchzl Well, you may not consider these options but I do since I am going to go off capabilities and price. Having a full fairing does not really mean the world. Yamaha MT-09. Get the SP version and its still loads cheaper than this thing. KTM 890 Duke. Tons of power, super light, and more bike for the money. Here in the US I can go buy a Kawasaki ZX-6R for just over $10k or a 650 for less than $8k. I can also buy a GSXR-600 for under $12k. I could buy a GSXS-1000 for $10k or a 750 for less than that. The only thing this Aprilla has going for it is the appearance of a "super sport" but at this price it falls way short of what it needs to compete. Make this $10.5K or cheaper and it would be a winner IMO.

[@pchzl]

@@IDontKnow-bb6mt But it is a bike with fairing and I compare it to similar bikes as for me naked is not going to work. Things with the prices doesnt look so nice in Europe. MT09 SP same price as RS660. Duke cost more than Aprilia. GSXR 600-750 not available in Europe and 1000 cost 1.5 price of the rs660. So actually the only 1:1 competitor is ZX6R which has just slightly more power and cost about the same. People crying about old sport bikes but this little Aprilia is not far behind the R6 on the race track. It falls into category which is getting really popular in Europe which is great daily bike with sporty look and enough power and ergonomics to have a great day on a track day as well ;)

[@Vizr]

Nailed it.

[@KB-yj5xp]

Agreed it comes close to being perfect but it needs to be either cheaper or in my preference more powerful, I wish it had the same output as the mt09/Z900/duke890 /street triple....etc

[@bougelaal]

Only draw back for me on this bike is the exhaust sound :(

[@conquistadoramericano]

I will never buy a Aprilia ever ever again. Service and pcs take forever to come in and there goes your season.

[@TK-cl1jm]

Unfortunately, I'm feeling that way about Moto Guzzi at the moment...

[@jamesrolland6186]

Schedule your spring service during the winter....

[@arnoldtm31]

It's not a super sport. How can a sane person compare it to a 130hp 4 pot bike? At best it compares with the cbr650r.

[@worldhello1234]

How can a sane person only look at the spec sheet? It has about the same amount of horses as the cbr650r, that's about it. The Aprilia is completely unrestricted. BTW. you can compare anything to anything if you have a standard.

[@KB-yj5xp]

I think you can compare it to anything you want. Compared to a super sport it’s more comfortable but doesn’t have the top end, and compared to a cbr650 or ninja 650 it’s likely better in everything except cost. It looks like this bike is a perfect compromise between these two classes and it shows when you compare it to both. Just my thoughts though.

[@worldhello1234]

@2:42 Lowering the skill-bar and making the bike more foolproof, that is. If you half-way competent, you don't need electronical nannies because you know your limits. :) @3:10 Engine braking and throttle response are great features but training wheels on the other hand detract from the experience.

[@22Epic]

Let me guess, you're the type of dude that don't need ABS and that don't wear his seat belt in his car as you don't need that if you don't crash ? haha

[@TheLifeinDenver]

88 HP ? did i hear that right ........

[@carminecolalillo2280]

OmG! stay away from Aprilia.. When it breaks or need pcs good luck waiting for them. Bitter experience sold it out of desperation .

[@jamesrolland6186]

I never have a problem getting parts for my 20yo Futura. Then again, it never really needs anything beyond basic service bits.

[@conquistadoramericano]

@@jamesrolland6186 it’s a shame that I had to sell it . Really loved my Aprilia. Customer service was non existent and waiting 5 months till I decided to sell it. Cheers 😎

[@synomschulz2209]

Honestly, when this Bike was announced I was hyped asf. But I don´t get the Gearing they chose. A Topspeed of 220 KPH seems so underwhelming. My 2005 GSX750F is faster than that although it weighs 230kgs and "only" has 92 hp so I ´don´t get why the RS660 is so slow.

[@Jonteponte71]

So how often are you going 220+ kph? Isn't the point of a really fun bike to have a usable rev-range and be fun to ride in the twisties? Because that is what this bike is. If you want to go 250+ kph in a straight line there are bikes for that. And they also cost much more. I just bought this. And I am having as much fun as when driving my Boxter S through the twisties. And it does not scare the shit out of me when I twist the throttle.

[@synomschulz2209]

@@Jonteponte71 Tbh I do it really often (Germany Baby). And no Bikes that go 300 are not as expensive as this. If you´re having fun then great, but I still think for the HP it should be going much faster

[@godinminaar9024]

@@Jonteponte71 I really love this bike, does the bike perform and do what it's meant for? A mellow sporty comfortable ride with Aprilia's top notch handling?

[@Jonteponte71]

@@synomschulz2209 I think it *does* go faster than 220. I saw a top speed test comparing it with some other bike here on KZbin and I'm pretty sure it did at least 240. For me, it's a non-issue since I'm in Sweden and the fastest we can go legally is 120 kph (!). Faster then that and I need to go to the track. But that is not even the point of this machine. If you want that, you should buy yourself a Hayabusa instead!

[@Jonteponte71]

​@@godinminaar9024 I have only put about 250 Km in two weeks on it. But the more I ride, the more I love it! The ride is only mellow if you want it to be. When put in "Commute" it's a great city bike and commuter. And when it's in "Dynamic" it's a twitchy canyon carver or a great beginner track bike. I have even seen seasoned track bikers here on KZbin saying it's one the the funnest track bikes in stock form they have ridden in that class. I have never actually ridden an Aprilia Sportsbike before, but I had a GSXR750 way back (a -97 SRAD) and compared to that, it's way lighter, more nimble, thinner, more compact and with a much more enjoyable low- and mid-range. Which is mostly what you use when riding street anyway. And even the sound is great with stock pipes when revving above 6K. I can only imagine what it sounds like with an Acropovic! The only slight criticism I have is that as it is very compact, it has a short seat which means it's harder for me (being a bigger guy) to tuck in. Most of the wind hits the head when going fast for me. And also, of course, it is absolutely stunning to look at in real life. I have the matte black/red and it looks even better in real life than on photos. If you are looking for a middle-class twin sportbike for the street that can be ridden on track. This is it. And it is probably going to be for years, until the competition catches up... Highly recommended!

[@malice4444]

.mmmmm ... ...

[@alexduey7868]

It's kind of funny how this isnt actually a supersport but insurance still costs like it has another 20 horsepower. Same goes for the cbr650r but somehow not the cb650r... Your also some dude with countless hours on the track 99% of the people buying this bike have never ridden on the track how is your opinion even relavent?

[@forkthepork]

It sounds like a lawn mower...

[@mertmert4098]

Exactly. And just because of that it immediately lost most of its charm for me. Unfortunately, again imho it is just a very good looking bike with a lot of electronics. I mean, its big brother is the best sounding RR in the market. C'mon Aprilia...

[@worldhello1234]

No it doesn't, the parallel twin has a great character. :)

[@versatile_yt4838]

it's not a normal p-twin with an exhaust that shit barks.

[@Drzee1968]

Having ridden mine for 600 miles, it sounds nothing like a lawn mower, standard, this bike sounds and goes amazing, try one before passing judgement! Plenty of power for the road as well, unless you want to brag in the pub about the 200hp you can never use on the road.

[@Jonteponte71]

In the same way as an RSV4 sounds like a lawn mower. I have one, it sounds great for having the stock exhaust. With an Acropovic, this is going to be twin heaven.

[@steelcityspeedshopj.r6942]

And my 08 R6 will still smoke this bike. And anyone else’s “real 600 supersport” will make this bike eat its tailpipe puke. So yeah, a “take on a supersport” ? Maybe, a true supersport . A RESOUNDING NO. Its just not. The bike is upright as shit. Feeling more like an sv 650 or mt 07. Thats where this bike will compete. Twins cup moto america. Not supersport class, so stop thinking and calling it a supersport

[@EricPollarrd]

Lol 88 brake. Gutless