Aprilia RS 125 2018 — Specifications

When you pronounce "RS 125" in a group of motorcyclists, the older ones close their eyes. They can still hear the shrill cry of a two-stroke that used to wake up villages at dawn, that 2t mono whose maximum speed, unrestricted, defied much larger displacements. The Aprilia RS 125 from 1998 or 1999, with its full power of 34 horsepower, remains etched in memories as a happy anomaly. The 2018 version turned the page on this noisy past to embrace a radically different philosophy, driven by a four-stroke fuel-injected engine, double overhead camshafts, and four valves per cylinder. Forget the smoke and the strident song; here, the legal ceiling of 15 horsepower at 10,500 rpm applies, with a torque of 10.9 Nm at 8,250 rpm. This is not a betrayal. It's a mutation.

What strikes you at first glance is the successful deception. The Aprilia RS 125 fairing reproduces the silhouette of the RSV4, a Superbike machine, line for line. Same bubble shape, same sculpted flanks, same short and aggressive tail. At €4,929, it offers a level of finish and a visual DNA that few direct competitors, the KTM RC 125 in particular, can match. The 41mm inverted fork, the asymmetrical swingarm, the radial four-piston caliper biting a 300mm disc: this perimeter aluminum frame betrays no intention. 110/80 and 130/70 tires on 17-inch rims frame a 120 kg machine, a lightness that translates directly into changes of direction. At a saddle height of 820mm, riders of reasonable stature can place their feet flat on the ground without effort.

The engine, just so, is the subject that upsets the purists. A 124.8 cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine with a bore of 58 mm for a stroke of 47 mm, a compression ratio of 12.5:1. In use, the mechanics prove to be more linear and more available than the old two-strokes, which required holding the correct engine speed range under penalty of falling into a power hole. Here, the six-speed gearbox and chain transmission allow you to manage the maximum speed of 120 km/h serenely, which positions the machine correctly on secondary roads as well as on the ring road. ABS, integrated since the Euro4 update, is a safety argument that was sorely lacking in previous generations. The exhaust located in the lower part of the fairing lowers the center of gravity and gives the whole a commendable compactness.

The target audience is clearly the young A1 license holder who refuses to ride on something bland. But also the experienced motorcyclist who is looking for an Aprilia RS 125 used for the track or the simple pleasure of a lively and well-bred machine. The quickshifter as an option transforms cornering sessions into a stylistic exercise, gear changes at a flash without cutting the throttle. The RS even accepts a tablet and a USB port as an option, which makes it usable for everyday use. With a 14.5-liter tank, the range remains correct for this size. The Aprilia RS 125 four-stroke engine requires less maintenance than its smoky ancestor, and the reliability of the Piaggio group is reassuring in the long term. For Aprilia RS 125 parts and the Aprilia RS 125 kit, the network remains well stocked.

Faced with the Honda CBR 125R or the Yamaha YZF-R125, Aprilia plays the card of visual prestige and racing chassis to justify its price. The bet is held on the form; on the substance, the 15 horsepower are those of everyone and no one can do anything about it. What the RS 125 sells is the desire. The desire to feel like a rider before even being a motorcyclist. An honest, well-built machine that doesn't display the silhouette of a superbike by chance.