Aprilia RS 250 SP Launched; Most Expensive 250cc Bike

It’s a proper track-focused motorcycle with the top-notch mechanical components

• The Aprilia RS 250 SP was unveiled at EICMA 2019.
• It’s been developed in collaboration with Italian company Ohvale.
• It uses the same 250cc engine configuration as Moto3 bikes.
• The bike is only available in Italy.

Last year, Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aprilia had announced its intentions of bringing racing to the masses with the RS 250 SP. The race bike was first unveiled at EICMA 2019. It’s been developed in collaboration with Ohvale, an Italian brand known for producing small-capacity race bikes. It gives enthusiasts the opportunity to sample Moto3 technology while honing their skills. However, it does come at a price. In this case, the Aprilia RS 250 SP, which is only available in the Italian market, would set you back by €9,700 (approx, Rs 8 lakh) excluding taxes, making it the most expensive quarter-litre motorcycle currently on sale.

The bike will be used in a one-make championship which will nurture and encourage homegrown racing talent in Italy. It’s considered to be the perfect launchpad for young talent who’d like to make their way into Moto3. And the RS 250 SP packs some serious firepower to help them do so.

To begin with, the bike comes with a twin-spar aluminium frame bred for the track. Its suspension setup comes from Swedish specialist Ohlins while its braking components comprise of Brembo calipers at both ends. You also get racing slicks from Pirelli wrapped around superlight Marchesini wheels.

The engine itself is the same 250cc configuration as Moto3 bikes. However, it’s tuned to produce 28PS while breathing through a high-performance SC Project exhaust system. Honda’s Moto3 NSF250R, in comparison, puts out around 48PS (claimed).

Whether or not Aprilia intends to make a road-going example of this bike is unknown. All we could do as of now is wait and hope for the best. What do you think? Should Aprilia consider manufacturing a 250cc road bike? Let us know in the comments below.