150cc Aprilia Motorcycles will soon be a reality. A source has revealed that Aprilia plans to launch both RS150 and Tuono 150 in January 2019, starting with bookings in December 2018 itself. The launch will take the total number of locally manufactured Aprilia products to four, out of which three will fall in the 150cc and one in the 125cc category.
The launch frame also leaves just 10 weeks for the prospective buyers to decide which model do they need and whether considering Yamaha R15 is better or not. Aprilia comes with the exclusivity tag and thus, getting a price tag of around INR 1.45 lakh for RS150 won’t be a wrong guess at all.
The bigger number will not be exclusive to just Aprilia bikes as the government deadline for mandatory ABS is coming closer. Even the Yamaha R15 will gain a considerable amount in ex-showroom pricing, most probably being INR 10,000-12,000. Presently, TVS Apache RTR 180 is the most feasible bike with dual channel ABS while most of the range from Bajaj, Honda CB Hornet, and Hero Xtreme 200R comes with single channel unit. 150cc Aprilia bikes will use dual channel ABS for the premium side, also leaving SR150 with no other option than sharing the safety feature.
The 150cc, single-cylinder engine on both these bikes is good for 18HP at 10,000 rpm and 14 Nm at 7,500 rpm. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The front braking is handled by 300mm single disc while rear uses a rather conservative 218mm disc size. The 40mm USD forks are expected to stay on the production specific model. Aprilia RS150 is a full faired racer with clip-on bars, dedicated seating and foot-peg position while Tuono 150 comes with standard handlebar and relaxed overall riding nature.
