Piaggio India has sent out an invite for the launch of a new, high-performance, premium two-wheeler at the Auto Expo 2020. The new product will be unveiled on the 5th of February and could well be the Aprilia RS 150 which was showcased at the previous edition of the Expo. If it is the aforementioned motorcycle, we’d be glad if its streetfighter version, the Tuono 150 is introduced too. Competing against the likes of the Yamaha R15 and the MT15, like the Japanese bikes, both these motorcycles are scaled-down versions of Aprilia’s litre-class machines.
Operating under parent brand Piaggio, last year, Aprilia India had announced that it will introduce four products in the premium 150cc+ segment this year, where the Yamahas have been the only choice until now for punching above their weight. The new Aprilia motorcycles will be based upon the products displayed at the Auto Expo 2018 and the first example will be introduced this year. Among the four products, one or more could come fitted with a motor that displaces more than 150cc.
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Prior to this announcement last year, the company had revealed that with their current engines, both, the Aprilia RS 150 and the Tuono 150 lacked in power in comparison to their rivals, which boast of better tech and more horses. The single-cylinder motor on the Aprilia RS 150 which was displayed at the Auto Expo 2018 made 18 bhp of power and 14 Nm of torque, which is almost at par with its direct competitor, the Yamaha R15 V3. Aprilia intended to lead rather than follow and wanted to outdo this power figure not just in terms of torque, but horsepower too. Which explains the delay in the introduction of the bikes, although both gained massive popularity post their introduction at the 2018 Expo.
Features on the Aprilia RS 150 showcased at the Auto Expo 2018 included USD telescopic forks at the front and a monoshock unit at the rear, a 300mm and 218mm disc at the front and rear respectively, a semi-digital instrument cluster with an analogue tachometer, and even an optional quickshifter! How much of that makes it on the final production bike and how much power it makes could be anybody’s guess. But we’ll bring you all the updates about the new product from the 2020 Auto Expo. Until then, stay tuned.