A new addition to Aprilia’s RS sports bike range could be on the way, with a new 440cc variant being spotted in China.
Aprilia has found success with its mid-range sports bike, the Aprilia RS 660, and is now seemingly looking to build on that success with a slightly smaller, entry-level variant.
What appears to be an Aprilia RS 440 has been spotted testing in China, which is where Aprilia patented a new engine last year. The patented engine was particular because of its central position of the transmission between the cylinders, and Motociclismo reports that the motor beneath the fairings of this supposed RS 440 could in fact be a larger version of that patented engine, which was a 250cc parallel-twin.
The engine is thought to deliver between 45 and 50 horsepower, which would put it around the same performance as the Kawasaki Ninja 400.
The bike also features styling which is certainly not dissimilar to larger Aprilia motorcycles, with three headlights and a sharp, angled tail section. Inverted front forks and a large, singular front brake disc also feature on the chassis.
It is a curious model for Aprilia to be apparently testing. Since the RS 660 also has two siblings in the Tuareg 660 and Tuono 660, there is also scope for 440 versions of those two models, and perhaps even a track-focused version.
As for the RS version itself, it might also find competitive value in the Supersport 300 classes. Of course, if it is a 440, it would not exactly adhere to the ‘300’ part, but Kawasaki has won almost every championship in WSSP300 with a 400cc motorcycle.
Availability is of course not yet confirmed, and the location of the bike’s testing means it has to be questioned whether this will be a release that arrives in Europe.
