According to recent reports, Piaggio is working on new 300cc-400cc Aprilia sportbikes for the Indian market. The Italian brand previously planned on experimenting with the 150cc motorcycle segment though the increasing market share and the trend for the higher-displacement motorcycles have made them change paths.
Piaggio showcased the Aprilia RS 150 and the Tuono 150 back at the Auto Expo 2018 though the motorcycles never made it to the showrooms. The brand now plans on launching higher-displacement 300cc-400cc Aprilia sportbikes in India to compete with the likes of KTM RC 390 and the TVS Apache RR 310. As per the latest details available, the upcoming Aprilia sportbikes will be launched in India by the end of 2022 or in early 2023.
At present, Piaggio has close to 200 dealerships across our country and the brand is planning to increase the number to around 400 in the next 18-24 months. In terms of design, the India-specific 300cc-400cc Aprilia sportbikes are expected to get styling cues from the RS660 and will come equipped with high-end electronic and safety features.
In addition to this, Piaggio is all set to launch the much-awaited Aprilia SXR 160 maxi-scooter in the Indian markets by the end of this year. The brand further aims at reaching 1 lakh sales figure in the current year. The Vespa and the Aprilia range of scooters have recently been updated by the brand with BS6-compliant engines. In addition to that, the brand has also launched the Aprilia SR 160 that replaces the SR 150 in the Indian markets.