Summer 2023 is ramping up in the motorcycle industry. While Moto Guzzi and Aprilia haven’t made any big announcements just yet, these two pillars of the Piaggio Group tent are clearly poised to make news in the coming months.
We heard rumblings of an impending Moto Guzzi Stelvio revival at the end of June, allegedly expected to roll out before the end of 2023 (and maybe even at EICMA in November). For several months, we’ve been seeing pops and flashes of life on the Aprilia RS 440 front as well, with the Piaggio Group only adding fuel to the fire earlier in 2023 when it specifically discussed its upcoming development plans for a a 400-450cc Aprilia sportbike soon.
Now that it’s July 2023, it seems that we’re getting some more solid glimpses at the Aprilia RS 440 in action, as these spy photos show. As a bonus, you may note that there are two lightly disguised Piaggio Group machines out testing here—what appears to be the Aprilia RS 440, as well as what seems likely to be a new Moto Guzzi Stelvio (remember, it’s based on the V100 Mandello) hovering toward the back of the frame in all these shots. It’s nice to have riding buddies, isn’t it?
Gallery: Aprilia RS 440 Spy Photos
Unsurprisingly, the styling on what’s believed to be an Aprilia RS 440 is very similar to what can be found on the existing Aprilia RS 660. In fact, so convincing are those lines that Aprilia opted to disguise the RS 440 as an RS 660 through clever use of a graphics decal on the side. “I’m just an RS 660, nothing to see here. Please disregard my don’t-look-at-me matte black wrap,” it almost seems to say.
However, a close look at the front wheel reveals but a single brake caliper and disc—which is not what’s found on the RS 660. Since it hasn’t been released yet, we of course don’t have a spec sheet for the RS 440—however, it seems completely within the realm of possibility (and maybe even likelihood) that it may only come with a single front brake caliper and disc setup to keep costs down.
Although it isn’t the same test mule, what’s clearly another test mule of the same model was also recently spotted testing on public roads in India. In this Instagram post from Indian publication Power Drift, you see both the front and rear single-disc brake setups, the same alloy wheels, the same glimpse of frame, the same mirrors, the same windscreen, and so on. However, you also get a small glimpse of the dash—albeit slightly obstructed by the test rider’s right arm as they control the bike.
If the estimated RS 440 unveiling around the time of the Indian MotoGP round in September is correct, the timing of seeing these near-production test mules out in public on two continents seems logical. However, as with all things in the future, the view is slightly out of focus until it isn’t, and it’s all only speculation at this point.
