Aprilia RS660 Factory MC Commute

During this MC Commute, we swing a leg over Aprilia’s RS660 Factory, a middleweight sportbike that feels like it was built for riders who live in the twisties but still ride in real-world traffic.

This Italian-made parallel-twin has that now classic Aprilia RSV-like snarl, but what really stands out is how punchy the power delivery is down low and through the mid-range. There’s enough punch to make quick freeway passes, without downshifting, but it never feels like it’s trying to rip your arms off commuting to work. Top end power is improved but certainly more mellow than the top dog of them all: Aprilia’s RSV4 superbike. Compared to other products inside its class, i.e. the Tuning Fork brand’s YZF-R7, the RS660 is quicker to rev and eager to ‘go’ especially through the midrange.

The aluminum chassis is the star of the show: light steering, elevated chassis stability midcorner, and a front end that talks to you the whole time, even on rough pavement. Updated electronics, global ride modes, IMU-powered cornering ABS, traction and wheelie control, plus an electronic quickshifter makes it easy to tailor the bike without burying you in menus inside the color TFT display. It’s comfortable enough for a full day of riding, sharp enough for a trackday, and stylish enough to show off during gas station stops.