Aprilia launched the RS 457 earlier this year and set the market ablaze with its credentials and its relatively competitive pricing. We’ve spent about a week with it and put it through our test cycle and can now report how the RS 457 fares out on our streets.
Aprilia RS 457 real world efficiency
As per our usual method, we start by filling the RS 457 to the brim and riding it for about 60km on the highway, cruising around 80kph (the speed limit on the highway stretch where we conduct these tests) in sixth gear. At the end of our test, we filled the tank up once again and the little Aprlia took 1.62 litres. In our test, the RS 457 achieved a commendable fuel efficiency figure of 32.53kpl.
Next up is the concrete jungle where we plan to run our city mileage test. Same as before, we rode the RS 457 for 50km through mixed traffic conditions and at the end of it tanked it up to the brim once more. In the city test, the RS 457 managed an efficiency figure of 17.03kpl.
Aprilia RS 457 fuel efficiency analysis
Powered by a liquid-cooled, 457cc parallel twin, the RS 457 packs one hell of a potent motor. It’s tractable and can easily handle lower speeds with higher gears. It’s abundant low-end torque and light clutch make it an easy affair inside the city and out on the highway. It is worth mentioning that the RS 457 has scored the lowest city efficiency figure in its segment. While it is also the fastest and most powerful bike in its segment we were surprised to get a figure below 20kpl. Our riding pattern during the city test is to ride in a natural way and keep pace with the rest of the traffic. You may be able to extract better fuel efficiency with an extremely sensitive right hand, but fuel efficiency is one of the few areas where this bike does not impress. .
Things get a lot better out on the highway; the RS 457 can really stretch its legs and its engine seems a lot more relaxed at higher speeds which once again is reflected with its significantly higher highway efficiency figure. Though its throttle can be a little too sensitive, Aprilia has given you three different modes to help fine tune your input. As with the city test, we ride the bike in a smooth, natural manner and you can get far lower figures if you extract more of the performance
Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing
Our fuel efficiency testing routine begins by filling the tank to its brim and ensuring the bike's tyre pressures match the manufacturer's recommendations. The bike is then ridden on predetermined city and highway routes, maintaining specific average speeds that closely mimic real-world conditions. The weight is kept constant by balancing rider weights and ballast to ensure consistent data across different motorcycles and riders. At the end of the run, the fuel tank is refilled to the brim, allowing us to measure the fuel consumption against the trip metre reading.
