In a recent interview, Diego Graffi, Managing Director and CEO of Piaggio Vehicles, confirmed that the company is working on an India-specific Aprilia scooter that will fal in the 150-200 cc segment. In the same interview, Graffi spoke about the future of the Aprilia brand in the 150 cc motorcycle segment as well.
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Graffi stated that the company may introduce a 150 cc motorcycle in the next 18 months. Speaking to Autocar Professional, he said:
Having a brand like Aprilia and not playing in the motorcycle market is unaffordable. It can help us expand our motorcycle portfolio as well as powertrain options, and thus, investing in Aprilia is a must.
Piaggio had displayed the Aprilia RS 150 and the Aprilia Tuono 150 at Auto Expo 2018. The company is studying its rivals in that segment. Graffi added:
We need to bring the right product to India by seeing the right balance between performance, features and price... We are studying our competitors and have done some prototype testing recently. If everything goes in the right direction we have planned, we should be able to launch the motorcycle in India in the next 18 months too.
To give you a quick recap, the Aprilia RS 150 and the Aprilia Tuono 150 are built around an aluminium perimeter frame. Both draw power from a 150 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, four-valve, fuel-injected engine that comes paired with a 6-speed transmission. The motor delivers 18 bhp of max power at 10,000 rpm and 14 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm. The ergonomics on the RS 150 are more forward-leaning than the Tuono 150 for a sportier riding position. The RS 150 features a full-fairing design, while the Tuono 150 has a semi-faired look. The RS 150 will compete with the Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0, while the Tuono 150 will rival the Yamaha MT-15.
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Both Aprilia 150 cc motorcycles have upside-down telescopic front forks, disc brakes on both wheels and ABS as standard, while a quick-shifter can be added as an option. [Source: Autocarpro.in]
