2021 Aprilia RS 660 in the Apex Black colorway. Photos by Kevin Wing.

Those with a finger on the sportbike category’s pulse have had their gaze fixated on the Aprilia RS 660 ever since a concept of it was displayed at EICMA 2018. Rightfully so, as the RS 660 fills a vital role for the Italian manufacturer. It is its first fully faired middleweight offering, providing a street friendly but racetrack-capable alternative to the legendary RSV4 superbike. In a broader sense, the RS 660 also brings a level of sophistication and technology utterly unheard of in the class.

For decades, adding a 600cc inline-four cylinder or equivalently powered supersport model to its sportbike lineup has been the modus operandi of many a bike maker. The average 600 with their stratospheric redlines, peaky powerbands, taut chassis and racy riding positions are an absolute blast on the circuit ? where they can be wrung out as intended.
2021 Aprilia RS 660 in Lava Red.

On the street, few of those characteristics translate positively, unless you happen to reside at the base of an unpopulated mountain road. In traffic, the committed riding position weights the wrists something fierce, compounded only by the pain of stiff suspension and anemic engine feel, unless it?s spooled up to the heavens.

Instead, Aprilia carved out a niche within the still flourishing middleweight class, rubbing elbows with the likes of the iconic Suzuki SV650, Kawasaki Ninja 650, Yamaha MT-07 and Honda CBR65...