Confirmed! Aprilia RS 150 Coming To India In 2019

Aprilia surprised everyone at the Auto Expo 2018 when they showcased the RS 150 and Tuono 150. Those familiar with the Aprilia global lineup will recognise the two bikes as the RS4 125 and Tuono 125 sold overseas. For India however, these bikes will get a completely new 150cc engine. According to company sources, this is not a new project but one that has been two years in the making.

The plan was to make the baby RS bikes in India at Piaggio’s Baramati manufacturing facility and sell them overseas. A feasible project given the low cost of manufacturing India offers. However, for reasons unknown, the proposal gathered dust. Until now. Going forward, Aprilia’s parent company Piaggio will be manufacturing the baby RS and Tuono here. While their 125cc counterparts will be exported overseas, we will get the same bikes with an all-new 150cc powerplant. This makes sense as the Indian customer refuses to accept anything with engine capacity below 150cc as a performance motorcycle.

This new 150cc liquid-cooled single, according to Aprilia, will make 18PS at 10,000rpm and 14Nm of torque at 7,500rpm. It also allows Aprilia to go up against its closest potential competitor, the newly launched Yamaha R15 v3.0. The Japanese bike also features a 150cc liquid-cooled single that makes 19.3PS and 14.7Nm of torque.

Chassis-wise, the RS 150 will share its components with the RS4 125. That includes a perimeter frame, 40mm upside-down front forks and rear monoshock damper. Braking is via a 300mm front disc and a 218mm rear disc, with dual-channel ABS.

Both the RS 150 and the Tuono 150 will be launched in 2019. Given local manufacturing, we expect the RS 150 to be priced around Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom, with ABS). It will be priced at a premium over the Yamaha R15 v3.0, which will set you back by Rs 1.25 lakh (ex-showroom). The extra price tag comes thanks to high-spec bits like ABS, upside down forks, and the fact that Aprilia is a more premium brand than Yamaha. It is also expected to come with an optional quickshifter.

The Tuono 150 meanwhile is expected to be priced at Rs 1.4 lakh (ex-showroom, with ABS).
Stay tuned for more updates.