Aprilia RS 150 Incoming: Should The Yamaha R15 Worry?

While the 2020 Auto Expo is still some months away, in this article we shall be focusing on a particular motorcycle that was showcased at the last expo but hasn’t been launched yet. We are talking about the Aprilia RS 150. 

Aprilia managed to make itself accessible to the masses by launching the Aprilia SR 150 some years back but at the 2018 Auto Expo, it surprised many by showcasing the RS 150. With the new product, Aprilia was set to commence production of the first motorcycle in India. And true to its DNA, the first offering will be a sporty bike. Although, we must mention that the bike on display was the RS 125. 

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However, post the expo, there wasn’t much info shared about the bikes and it seemed as if the project was shelved. But, earlier this year we got hold of some exclusive pics of the Aprilia GPR 150 in India. This leads us to believe that the bike coming to India will be the GPR 150, not a new bike based on the RS 125. The Aprilia GPR 150 is manufactured in China. 

While the GPR 150 doesn’t look as sharp as the RS 125, it does feature the same underpinnings that includes a perimeter frame, aluminium swingarm, USD fork and a monoshock. Aprilia had confirmed that the new bike will be powered by a 150cc, single-cylinder liquid-cooled motor producing 18PS and 14Nm. Its arch rival, the Yamaha R15 Version 3.0,  pumps out 19.3PS and 14.7Nm from its single-cylinder engine. 

Sales for the SR 150 and the SR 125 have fallen over the past few months and the new motorcycles might drive the change with respect to sales. So it’s very likely that the Aprilia RS 150 will be launched at the 2020 Auto Expo and it might be priced between Rs 1.35 and 1.50 lakh (ex-showroom).