RS

Aprilia’s RS nameplate dates to the early 1990s, when the company introduced its lightweight, race-inspired sportbike line as a roadgoing expression of its Grand Prix racing identity. The RS badge first appeared in 1992 and quickly became associated with compact, full-faired machines such as the RS 125, which helped define the look and feel of entry-level European sport bikes during the two-stroke era. Aprilia later expanded the RS family with larger-displacement models, including the RS 250, strengthening the nameplate’s reputation among enthusiasts for sharp handling and a close visual connection to the brand’s competition motorcycles. Over time, the RS family evolved through several generations and engine formats, moving from the classic two-stroke sport machines of the 1990s and 2000s to a modern four-stroke revival led by the RS 660 and followed by the RS 457 and current RS 125. Aprilia continues to position RS as its core road-sport identity, spanning small-displacement beginner models through middleweight performance bikes. The nameplate remains in production today, and Aprilia still uses it to describe the brand’s lightweight sportbike philosophy rather than a single displacement or one fixed generation.