2012 Aprilia RS4 125 U.S. launch in 2011

Aprilia, the Noale-based Italian motorcycle manufacturer, is gearing up to launch its RS4 125 cc 4-stroke street bike in North America.

Aprilia has not yet officially announced the pricing and launch date of RS4 125 in the U.S. However, Piaggio Group Americas said the RS4 125 could reach U.S. shores via the CBU route by the end of 2011 as a 2012 model. RS4 125 is designed based on the successful race winning RSV4 superbike and targets teenagers (holding beginner bike licenses) in Europe and the U.S.
Aprilia RS4 125 is powered by a liquid cooled 125 cc four stroke single cylinder engine. With fuel injection, the engine features a 4-valve head and double overhead camshaft valve actuation system and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. RS4 125 has a twin spark aluminium design with a 41 mm inverted fork up front and a rear mono-shock mounted directly to the swingarm.

Photo: The 2012 Aprilia RS4 125cc motorcycle for US in 2011

A solo 300mm disc and a four-piston radial mount caliper up front and a 218mm disc and single-piston caliper rearward cuts down the speed of RS4 125. The bike rolls on 17-inch six
-spoke wheels with tubeless tires.
Aprilia must have designed the bike keeping new riders in mind and hence the weight could be less than 375 pounds. Aprilia showcased the RS4 125 at the 2010 EICMA show in Milan, Italy. The 2012 Aprilia RS4 125 is the upgrade of the RS 125 that inherits RSV4 Factory’s mechanisms such as tail fairing and air intakes under the headlight and a fuel tank that holds 3.8 gallons (1 gallon for reserve).



 tratk/race features and the engine specs adhere to European power specs. So there are chances that Aprilia is focusing on some popular racing competition in the 125 cc, could be the 2012 125 cc MotoGP championship. Some auto journalists argue that Aprilia is taking a risk in launching a bike in the U.S. market which demands twice the displacement (250 cc) for practical street bikes pointing out that the Aprilia RS4 125 doesn’t fit the majority of new riders’ requirements.
The 2012 Aprilia RS4 125 will compete with the KTM 125 Duke in Europe only because KTM has clearly avoided the U.S. market. In California, the largest motorcycle market in the U.S., a motorcycle must have a minimum engine capacity of 250 cc in order to be eligible for riding it on the highway legally. Thinking on this line, Aprilia RS4 125 will have to be ridden only in city roads and it may turn down many potential youngsters from buying this motorcycle.
Although the RS4 125, with its sharp looks and strikingly macho stance will be made available in the U.S., the bike’s real demand will be in the European market especially in Italy and Spain.
And then there’s also the Honda CBR250R to think about. How will the RS4 125 hold up against that in the U.S?