Until recently the middleweight sport bike was more or less a dead in the water, struggling to meet emissions requirements the powerful but inefficient inline 4 bikes are all but gone.

Over the last couple of years, a different class of middle weight bike has emerged, the parallel twin has risen out of the ashes of what once was the inline 4. No longer are these performance-oriented track machines ready to hit every apex, but rather fun, accessible machines that pretty much anyone can ride. Bikes that you can certainly take to the track, but they work well as commuters too. It is an interesting evolution in the market. If you are after a middleweight track machine there are still options, many of which are admittedly larger displacement than the 600cc gold standard of old, but it isn't as if they are all gone. What makes the Aprilia different, is that it successfully bridges the gap between these two types of machines.

Related: These Are The Fastest 600cc Sportbikes Money Can Buy

8 Great Styling

Aprilia RS 660
Via cycleworld.com

One of the first things most prospective buyers will consider when buying a sportbike will be aesthetics. Some modern bikes seem to get a bit confused when it comes to this aspect, often getting lost in the function of the machine only to forget the form.

Aprilia RS 660
Via motoroids.com

In our opinion Aprilia absolutely nailed that element of the bike, it is quite stunning with the only real criticism being the rather unsightly underbelly exhaust.

7 Mid-Range Power

2021 Aprilia RS 660 can dart down the road like a bullet but with conviction
Via: Press.piaggiogroup.com

Getting 100 horsepower out of a parallel twin is almost unheard of (without extensive modifications), but getting it to deliver its power in a smooth, linear way is just exceptional.

2021 Aprilia RS 660 comes in 3 shades
Via: Press.piaggiogroup.com

It is the best part of the engine configuration, what you sacrifice in sound and feel is all forgotten when it comes to usability. Unlike the old inline 4s, it revs fast and hard, with all its torque readily available.

Related: Here's The Best Feature Of The Aprilia RS 660

6 Accessible

2021 Aprilia RS 660
Via: Gearopen

Although it makes considerably more power than the other beginner-friendly twins, it is still an accessible bike that pretty much anyone can get on and ride.

Aprilia RS 660
Motoroids

It isn’t necessarily intended to be a beginner bike like the Kawasaki Ninja 650, but it does have a reasonable seat height and if you leave all the electronic aids on it will protect less experienced riders from themselves.

5 Feature Rich

2021 Aprilia RS 660 gets raised clip-ons for a comfortable yet demanding stance
Via: Ridermagazine.com

Being accessible doesn’t mean it comes cheap, it offers fantastic value for what you get, but there are certainly cheaper bikes if budget is the main concern.

2021 Aprilia RS 660 led lighting layout
Via: Ridermagazine.com

It comes with a list of features that simply cannot be rivaled though, it gets a 6-axis Aprilia Performance Ride Control unit from the Tuono V4, slipper clutch, quickshifter, and 5 ride modes all standard fitment at the $11,000 base price.

Related: 10 Coolest Aprilia Motorcycles Ever Made, Ranked

4 It Is Italian

Via: RideApart

Well, this might not always be an entirely good thing and with the incredible amount of wiring on this little bike we are pretty sure the negative part of this will rear its ugly head in due time.

2021 Aprilia RS 660 engine close up view
Via: Press.piaggiogroup.com

For now, we get to focus on the nice bits, the fact that it handles like an Italian bike, sounds a lot better than any other parallel twin and is pretty much peerless in the looks department.

3 New Era Middleweight

Here's What We Expect From The Aprilia RS 660
via Aprilia

After all the 600cc bikes started falling by the wayside, there was a rather obvious hole in the market.

The Aprilia Rs 660’s Mastery Comes Party From The All-New Engine It Bears
via CNet

One after the other, manufacturers have attempted to balance accessibility, usability, and fun. So far, none have really found the perfect balance, with most of them favoring the accessibility option for obvious reasons. We would argue that the Aprilia has perfected the balance, ushering in a new era of middleweight sportbikes.

Related: 2021 Kawasaki ZX-6R: Here's Why It's The Cheapest And Most Exciting Middleweight Supersport

2 Isn’t A Dedicated Track Weapon

HotCars

If you look at something like the outgoing Yamaha R6, it is so track focussed that just thinking of riding it to work on it immediately gives you backache.

2021 Aprilia RS 660 cornering view
Via: Press.piaggiogroup.com

It puts a tremendous amount of weight on your wrists and gets very, very hot in traffic. The Aprilia has a comfortable rider triangle, more than enough mid-range power and can easily handle commutes. It will however struggle to keep up with the R6 on track, but thanks to its incredible chassis you won’t mind all that much because of all the fun you will be having.

1 Near Perfect Chassis

2021 Aprilia RS 660 is nimble and has an easy-go ergonomics
Via: Press.piaggiogroup.com

When you see that an engine is a stressed member of the frame, it usually translates to rather average riding characteristics. Somehow, Aprilia has bucked this trend.

aprilia.com

It is a twin-spar unit and the swingarm is bolted directly to the engine, but the assembly is so compact that it gives the bike very good weight distribution thanks to a short sub 55 inch wheelbase. All this equates to a planted feeling, giving the rider incredible confidence to flick the lightweight through the corners.