Aprilia Has Squeezed Big Things Into A Small Package With The RS 125

Your first look at the all-new Aprilia RS 125 will see you staring at this mean and aggressive all-LED face. It’s not hard to deduce that the fascia has been derived from the RS 660, which in turn draws inspiration from the RSV4 litre-class superbike.

Powering this little pocket rocket is a liquid-cooled, DOHC 4-valve 124.2cc single-cylinder engine good for 14.96PS at 10000rpm and 11.2Nm at 8000rpm. In comparison, something like a KTM RC 125 produces 14.5PS and 12Nm.

Drive is sent to the rear wheel via a 6-speed gearbox, but the highlight here is the optional quickshifter -- unheard of in the 125cc segment!

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

There should be no shortage of stopping power, because the 300mm front disc is bitten on by a 4-piston radially mounted caliper, while at the rear you get a single-piston caliper clamping on a 218mm disc. Dual-channel ABS is standard.

This being Aprilia, they’ve created a pukka sportsbike with no half-assing. The frame is a proper twin-spar aluminium unit, and the beefy swingarm is braced and asymmetric. The only letdown are the not-so-sporty Michelin Pilot Street tyres.

Instrumentation is an entirely digital affair that’s also Bluetooth-ready. Info on display includes tripmeters, fuel consumption data and distance-to-empty, and riders can even choose what colour of backlight they’d like.

The RS 125 is definitely a head-turner and looks anything but entry-level. The substantial forward half and sharp and slender tail section combine beautifully to make it look like a shrunken RSV4.