Aprilia developing 250 cc twin
Even nearly 20 years after it was discontinued, Aprilia's RS250 sports bike remains one of the most iconic machines to have appeared from the Noale, Italy manufacturer. It now appears that Aprilia has ideas to revive the spirit of that machine in a new small sports model.
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This engine, revealed in design registrations filed in China, is a 250 cc Aprilia twin-cylinder that's intended to be made by the Piaggio-Zongshen joint venture. It's clearly a high-performance design, with a very compact layout, DOHC cylinder head and a slightly unusual central drive for the camshafts. The registration confirms that it's intended to be used in a bike called the GPR250RR.
The company is expected to start with a clean sheet to create a high-revving, high-performance 250 cc twin to compete with the likes of Honda's 40 hp CBR250RR and Yamaha's YZF-R3. The former isn't sold in the West, just in Asian markets, where demand for fast 250 cc bikes is still strong, but given Aprilia's European roots, it makes sense that the new 250 cc twin will find its way into showrooms here.
