The new RS 125 and Tuono 125 are the latest heirs to the Aprilia tradition of making best-in-class 125 motorcycles, strictly built in Italy. Bikes designed for absolute fun, for the youngest riders and born out of the unique experience accumulated by Aprilia Racing which, in the 125 class alone, boasts 10 Rider World Championships, 10 manufacturer titles and 151 wins.
Bikes that have always stood out for their ultra fine chassis architecture, aggressive design and powerful engines. Aprilia has a true vocation for building eighth-litre bikes with which many riders, both current and from the recent past, have launched their careers to become champions.
The range of Aprilia 125 sport bikes has been entirely revamped. Painstaking work has been done on the RS 125 and Tuono 125 to improve performance, trim, safety, perceived quality and standard equipment.
The front end design on Aprilia RS 125 and Tuono 125 draws inspiration from that of the brand new RS 660 and Tuono 660, among the most highly anticipated and popular bikes with an aggressive and original look, emphasised by the iconic triple front light assembly. For both bikes, the lighting system is full LED with the front turn indicators built into the headlamps.
The dimensions of the front part on Tuono 125 have been entirely revisited to make it more compact, although still ensuring that protection from the air typical of all Tuono versions, just as the under cover dimensions have been reduced, now more tapered. Both models have new fully digital instrumentation with a wealth of useful trip information (including the fuel gauge, instantaneous and average consumption, and residual range). The instrument cluster is backlit with the rider’s choice of two colours (white or light blue) and installation ready for the Aprilia MIA multimedia platform; this lets you connect your smartphone to the vehicle via Bluetooth, turning it into a full-fledged on-board computer.
RS 125 and Tuono 125 also stand out for their new, advanced, two-channel ABS, developed in collaboration with Bosch and featuring a tip-over system in the event of emergency braking. Stability and grip on turns increases thanks to the new Michelin tyres, with the rear now widened to 140 mm. The work done to improve perceived quality is clear: the aluminium frame on RS 125 now boasts a higher quality paint job, as do the engine, the footpegs and the fork yoke on both models.
RS 125 and Tuono 125 are the only eighth-litre bikes on the market made in Italy and fitted with an aluminium frame made of die-cast aluminium spars with crossed reinforcement ribs, the result of Aprilia’s proverbial know-how in building superior chassis architectures, capable of ensuring maximum stability and handling levels, both on the road and on the track. Rounding out the superior-level chassis architecture are the upside-down fork and the monoshock mounted on the asymmetric swingarm.
The braking system is also derived from higher category bikes, counting on a radial calliper (connected to the master cylinder using a metallic braid line) that grips a 300 mm steel disc: the combination of these technical choices and the new ABS system make it the best in class.
RS 125 and Tuono 125 boast the highest capacity fuel tank in the category (14.5 litres), a more spacious under-seat compartment, large enough for an 8″ tablet (with optional USB charging port) and they are the only ones with an electronic quick shift gearbox (optional).
The semi-handlebar on the RS 125 is now mounted in a position 18 mm higher to the advantage of riding comfort, but without compromising its well-known qualities in the most sporty riding situations.
Making its début on both models is the new single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with four-valve timing, entirely revamped in the thermodynamics area, with a new head for the redesigned combustion chamber, new intake and exhaust ducts and a new iridium spark plug. The cam axles with more aggressive valve control are also new, whereas the entire intake line was redesigned and now has a brand new air filter. The throttle body is now located in a higher position in order to make the intake air flow to the head more direct. The exhaust line has been entirely redesigned and now has a new exhaust system with a new and more efficient catalysis system. The torque curve is now even more robust and maximum power is developed at lower revs which, among other things, allows for lower fuel consumption, thanks in part to the more refined electronic management guaranteed by the new Marelli MIUG4 ECU.
To exploit as much engine power as possible, the ratio of the final drive (featuring a chain with O-rings) has been increased, adopting a 58-tooth sprocket. On the road, this translates into more responsive performance when the throttle is twisted, providing more fun in sport and easier handling in city commutes.
Aprilia RS 125 is available in two liveries: Aprilia Black, characterised by the spectacular combination of black and red, and Sintesi Blue, distinguished by brighter colours. RS 125 is also available in the GP Replica version with graphics extremely similar to those of the Aprilia RS-GP MotoGP bikes and it comes standard with the electronic quick shift gearbox and the single-seat tail fairing to cover the passenger’s seat. Aprilia Tuono 125 is available in three liveries: Aprilia Black, characterised by the combination of red and block; Lightning White with attractive matt white and grey colours, as well as the more sombre Arrow Grey, with glossy grey and black colours.
