2021 Aprilia RS 660 | Should You buy One? 

Let me clear the air a bit: I have nothing against the Aprilia RS 660. If you haven't watched my initial review, do it before watching this one. That said, this video is supposed to be HELPFUL to those who're on the fence and/or needed a bit explanation carried over from my previous video. Thats all. 👍 New merch site: www.petropowered.co

after weeks of comparing bikes I finally got the RS660 and absolutely love it. I've been riding most of my life, age 42 now and so far it's a fantastic bike. Just comfortable enough while still being a bit aggressive, plenty of power for the road and damn it turns heads.

I think it’s the perfect bike for someone that can only have 1 bike but does all kinds of riding.

Respectfully, I can’t agree with much of the take on it. A great deal of the riding public even with liter bikes spend less time going over 100 mph than watching RU-vid videos would suggest. I think the idea that a bike that is so good (and so is the tuono 660) and so enjoyable to ride fast is going to be boring because it won’t pass 140, or for any of the reasons you mentioned doesn’t add up. Riding it for an hour or a day, and first impressions are just not going to let someone in on what a great chassis and engine, and what the highly evolved tech can do for the experience. I understand totally that a person who is really used to a 186 horsepower bike and who is using all of it for whatever reason would say that the Aprillia is not capable of that and it’s possible that is a let down. But for most people, including riders I know who really go at it on real track days, the available power, especially since it’s available early, find wringing it out is just as much fun as a bigger bike. And it will handle all you can handle with great handling and suspension. I would encourage anyone to try it and keep an open mind, it’s a really rewarding motorcycle even though it won’t go 186.

Good review, I’m more like your friend and the 660 Aprilia’s are awesome machines. Been riding 20+ years and currently have the Tuono 660 along with a Tuono V4, 959 Panigale, Panigale V4, Rebel 500, Evolution FatBoy, Buel Blast, and ‘49 Indian vertical twin. Variety is the spice of life!

Simple reasons for RS660: people who are not interested in track, not power hungry (100 hp for street is plenty), and prefer a bike with bling/personality.

The rs660 competes with 650 class bikes not 600’s. Bikes like the ninja 650, cbr650r, mt-07. Trident 660. It’s a sport/street bike. Not a race bike or super sport like and r6, ninja 600’s, or cbr600rr. 650’s are mostly twins with the exception of the Honda and triumph. There geared shorter, more upright, more low end power and torque than 600’s but not near the top end, there made to be commuters and daily bikes. There bikes built with very different purposes so not really right to compare it to a 600

We need to get you on track. I honestly believe once you take smaller displacement bikes on track you will have a new perspective on power.

3 years Later.. Aprilia rs660 has set a New Standard in the 600 class. I have talked to several Dealers in the Tampa Bay area & they can't keep enough rs660's in the building!! Aprilia, MV Agusta,Ducati are changing the game. My neighbors daughter traded her 2023 Yamaha r7 for a 2024 Aprilia rs660 Tribute colorway. It's awesome to see other pov. We all have an opinion & we can agree or disagree. Freedom of Speech! Awesome Bike & content.

Great 👍 video! I have 3 bikes currently (MT10, a Street triple 765 RS and FJ09 sport tourer ) and I considered the new Aprilia 660- i am on the fence. 50 years old, and 3 decades of experience and I am torn. Comfort/ performance balance seems good. The electronics are a waste on such a light , lower hp bike in my opinion. I love its looks, motor sound and I am certain it handles very well typical of Aprilia motorcycles

If you live in the mountains with a lot of twisty roads the 660 or most 600s will be more fun than larger displacement sport bikes .

awesome awesome! you just laid out the pros and cons for me, made my decision easier. Keep up the good work and will be wating on the comparo of the R6 hehe

This bike i think it can be bought by a beginner rider as long as you drive it on commute mode for 4-6 months nd stop it from doing a wheely.

I classify the RS 660 with the CBR 650 and Ninja 650... I've heard them called Soft Sport... or more ergo and power friendly super sports...

55 degrees cold???? 😂😂😂😂

12k and 14k out the door? Why do Americans insist on listing prices this way? The manufactures and dealers aren't fooling anyone. They should be made to list just the full price it's going to cost you to own like here in the UK.

I'm sorry but when do you ride a bike on the street and shift at 14,500 rpm? Never . Unless you're a fan of four squares and bed. Just saying . That's why yamaha killed it. Kinda the same as no fast heroes. But wise racers. Just saying. Tracking your bike is great just don't road your track bike. I know because I now have 13 titanium plates that remind me. Just saying

My decision was made long ago. This is a fantastic bike. With all the tech and features its made for anyone with a brain. Track day, city exploring, country cruising, and bike nights! Hell yeah sign me up for this!

You answered so well for many questions I had. Thanks 😊🙏😊

Just rode my Ducati Monster 796 in 32 degrees in Michigan last week...Cold lol.

Thanks, struggling to decide between zx6r, rs660 and the Ninja 650 🤷🏻‍♂️

Testing it next week and will maybe buy it, looks great sounds awsome with great finish

Im gonna say this bike is the motorcycle equivalent of the lower tiered Porshe Cayman/Boxter. A lot of sports car enthusiasts will he perfectly happy forever with the power and everything about such a platform. in either case though comparatively low when viewed alongside the brutes of sports cars there is still plenty of power to entertain endlessly the ones who love spirited driving in the twisties...(BTW the Miata club in my area is huge and just filled with folks delighted with that level of performance for decades... just saying as another example) A bike like this 660 has MORE than ample power to delight and challenge forever the right segment of the riding purist! And if compared power to weight ratio and performance capability to CARS? Heck it is up not far from SUPER CAR territory! But the people who always want the most power available? That just lust after tire shredding, chain eating fuel guzzling POWER? The lower tier stuff is NEVER gonna keep them from being bored ...I even see the ones that have no intention of even sampling the power of their top tier muscle models....they just want THAT to be what represents them...I passed such a one riding a new 1000RR recently ....passed him like he was standing still in the canyons riding my clapped out '08 Vstrom with adventure tires lol...not bragging at all I was not out to race anyone, the dude was just in my way....man he had full on track suit too! Big ol aerodynamic back hump the knee pucks and everything top of the line ...if you snapped a still of him on a straight section folks would assume the guy had to be flying....but not....just pointing out the varied motives for buying or not buying particular models of motorcycles

I put woodcraft clip-ons on my KTM 790 Duke that only cost 2/3rds the price of a RS660

Ehh this bike is for twins cup racing, period. Now the Tuono 660 is what I’m looking forward to. Most track riders can’t push modern super bikes or super sport bikes to their limits, and it’s foolish to even try on the street. That is where these bikes, especially the tuono 660 comes in. Useable power throughout the whole rev range, unlike super bikes and super sports. Good analysis though.

It’s the best sport bike to start on. It will never beat the 4cyl 600s but dynamically it is the most usable/realistic sport bike option for people looking to own a sport bike without the excessive power. It’s not meant to compete, it’s meant to be in its own class. Never know might see a Ducati come out with a competitor. I’d love to see a 599 or 699 panigale with a more usable 95hp... that would be an amazing comparison

Balanced advice, thanks!

Useful input. I think you’re info is helpfull. Certainly I am going to test it for myself. Grtz your 🇳🇱 fan.

I totally agree, this bike does not need *any* electronic aids, like many others out there too, i.e. moderate, tractable power delivery. Unfortunately, due to very slick manufacturer marketing, (higher price, more profit from lower sales) and testosterone driven buying decisions, "more is better" they are loaded with them. The RS 660 is a great bike and will sell on its own merits, not how it stacks up against other models. Simple.

Its just a sportier ninja 650. I think they made the bike to be a beginner/intermediate all arounder who wants to ride a streetable sport bike. Far as beginner bikes go, Everyone is different in size, weight, dexterity and/or hand eye coordination. Im 6'1" and yrs back when i bought my first bike (2002 cbr600 f4i) i was around 210 lbs. That bike was a perfect starter bike and this bike would have been perfect for me or someone with a similar size and build to start on too

I think it’s a poor take saying it’s only for people riding less than 3 years. Super sports are incredibly uncomfortable and anyone who gets stuck in traffic on one will hate their lives. Rs 660 is the most comfortable sports bike with the most power hands down. Anything more powerful will be significantly less comfortable. This bike is for someone who wants close to super sports power without the discomfort. 600cc super sports are dead and dying. R6 retire is evidence of that and any motorcycle manufacturer will tell you that. Gone are the days for middleweight bikes to be incredibly uncomfortable. People want a sports bike that they can daily and do longer trips on and this is exactly what the rs 660 is meant for.

It would be nice if you show the bike that you’re talking about instead of just a road ride.

55 is a beautiful day

Yeah... Been leaning in the direction of getting an R6, RS 660 is not for somebody that wants ALL the performance. Just not ready for a ZH2 yet, but I know that is where I will end up

Awesome video series on the RS660! What do you think about someone with 2 years experience on an FZ07? I'm looking mainly for a new bike to be my weekend bike to bring out to the twisties and also commute (30 mins). I want something that can be faster on the corners and dip lower than the FZ but also be faster on overtaking and the straights. My weekend rides are typically 3 hours or longer so definitely also want something comfy. Maybe track the bike once a year but not a track enthusiast by any means. Thoughts? I was also considering the Z900.

Answered all the questions I had

After a while living in San Diego yes 55F feel cold even if its not really cold........that because we always have weather around 70F.......on the bike you feel more with wind

Coul you please comment how RS660 compares to your Street Triple RS in terms of handling and agility? I heard that Street Triple turning radius is bad, is it any better on RS660? Aprreciate your view, as somehow, I am currently choosing between Triumph Street Triple RS and Aprilia RS 660 )

I'm wanting to upgrade from my ninja 400. Between the rs 660 and the zx6r. Im leaning towards the zx6r just for the sound and high revving motor.

This guy doesn't know what he is talking about. Terrible review and explanation of the bike and who it suits best. Actually probably the best bike in the mid-range naked street class (R6 isn't in that class), does everything well and is a ton of fun. Only complaint is that is has a weak spot in power delv. in the mid range, I'm trying to either get a ECU flash or power commander to work that out. Comparing apples and oranges when talking about R6 or ZX6R and the RS660. The RS is a naked bike with a bit more fairing than traditional naked bikes, and has high clip on as opposed to handlebars with trad. naked bike. R6 and ZX6R have low low clip on and high and further back rear sets (controls) RS is a street friendly bike that you can track were as the R6 and 600cc gang is a track bike that you can street. RS660 should be compared to Yamaha R7, Kawi Ninja 650, Honda CB650R, Yahama MT-07 (FZ-07) and those kind of bikes. I bought the Tuono 660 version and might buy the RS660 which is basically the same bike with some ergos differences and 5 less HP, Tuono also doesn't come stock with IMU and Quick Shifter.

the zx6r is a beast, has won championships and is comfortable for the street, much better than the r6 IMO. Also wish you would have gave your opinion on the naked guys wanting to get into the sportbike world.

How would you compare this bike to the Street Triple RS? I'm looking for something which is street friendly and doesn't require high revs to get the top peek power out of the engine.

Top speed on my Aprilia 660 was 134 Mph. Kaw 650 top speed was 120 mph a few months ago. Must still be restricted some way , even after ECU flash was 120 Mph. Weird , since my Ninja 400 has also got to 120 Mph. Quick acceleration video, 40 to 100 mph in 2nd gear. Lead rider gets the move and I go when he flashes his brake light. : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LauWf_iQ3ko.html

my acutually bike are the street triple rs, and i will test drive the Aprilia 660 rs. What you think about this two bikes?

Great video man! I'm currently riding a ninja 400 and after seeing how the R7 is just a spicy beginner bike I'm seriously considering an RS 660 after I get a year of riding under my belt!

I am buying one! maybe.

zx6r is the best all around

will watch this b4 i go to work hahaha

When you say it’s good for someone that’s been riding for 6-12 months but how frequently have they been riding within that time frame. I started riding back in June of 2020 and have been riding 3-5 days out of the week for 4-6 hours at a time. I have a Suzuki sfv650 and I’m already wanting something with a little more power especially on the highway. I’m looking at a Kawasaki Z900, MT09 or street triple rs.

can do a comparison between this and R6? which would you prefer personally

I'm considering this but concerned about the reliability.

The guys who go with the RS660 and take it to the track will be light years ahead of the liter bike snobs when it comes to skills.

It doesn't fit with these (r6s, Daytonas...) bikes because they are fast bikes.

How does it compare to the 765 RS?

Have you ridden the RS660?

So I’m picking the Gsx-R 750 over RS660

You make it sound like the RS 660 is too tame... Is it that slow for canyon carving?

55 degrees fahrenheit is cold? You gotta be joking

is there cornering abs in this rs 765?

Is that 🇺🇸 USA

German and Italian reviewers talk a lot about this bike being excellent for track, pinpoint handling combined with real-world practicality. Rivola (CEO of Aprilia) said clearly they want to draw young people into racing, by offering such a bike. So...if you are a rider who wants to spend some days on track, you should consider it, it's a very good option (previous experience is welcome but if you have a brain you will manage:)). If not, look away, new MT09 2021 after changes, seems to be an incredible machine, just look at this 3min clip, from Yamaha official launch event ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-y6tAU8uQ6_c.html

Probably the closest bike to compare to is the Kaw 650 Ninja Similar power from an FZ 07, but it's a nekkid bike. The Aprilia is at half of redline in 2nd gear at 40 mph. The Kaw 650 is at 2/3rds of redline, so pulls harder in the beginning. My video has a stock pipe Aprilia vs a Kaw 650 with full Akra, , ECU Flash, and a rider that's 40 Lbs lighter

There’s already new RSV4 for the big boys.

Aprillia rs660 or Yzf r6?

wooo 😧

Continue waiting

Too many numbers, not enough riding...

Thank you! You separate these wolf's in sheep's clothing giving stellar reviews..."it's the best ever" salesman.