The future of lightweight is here

[Paul_E_D]

During the last event at Palmer I was lucky enough to get a session on TTD instructor Joshua Cuppek's New Aprilia 660. This is the bike taking the MotoAmerica Twins cup by storm this year, so I was excited to see what it can do.

Answer: It can rip! At first I found the seating position a bit awkward as the tank rises high in front of the rider and I felt a bit locked in behind it. That sensation went away a bit as the laps ticked on.

The bike felt light and immediately quick. Like R6 quick. The motor is torquey, but it really comes alive with a distinct top end hit from 9-11k. Notably different from my 959 ducati, I found myself rowing through the gears to feel that addictive hit of acceleration. I think the fast way on this bike is to shift a lot and keep it on the boil.

The chassis was a bit of a surprise. The bike was very hard to knock off center. I had to countersteer with muscle to get it leaning. Once halfway over, it got easier and the bike was confidence inspiring in the corners.


The gearbox was smooth and autoblipped downshifts leaned over felt like cheating. It does not make a lot of backtorque to begin with, so downshifts were a non issue. Trailing some brake helped it hold a line on entry.

I'm not sure how ANY built SV can stay in a race against these bikes even in stock form. Change is coming to the twins world, and it is a blast to ride!

https://zenfolio.page.link/xKraq

[tsorfas]

SVs are what hawks used to be.

Paul have you ridden the KTM - if so, how do you compare the two?

[Petorius]

I'm not sure how ANY built SV can stay in a race against these bikes even in stock form. Change is coming to the twins world, and it is a blast to ride!

Hmmm this is sounding like a great street/trackday platform...

[Paul_E_D]

I have ridden the KTM. They are hard to compare as the KTM requires massive mods to make it a non motard style bike. The one I rode was done. Tank cut and welded, top triple swapped, etc. to allow for clip on bars. But the tank is still so tall that you have to sit back a bit more even after these mods. It felt similarly fast, and more nimble than the Ape, but the motor had no noticeable hit. More of a torquer than a revver. It also had a sweet gearbox with autoblip etc.

I think the amount of work required to get the bike in roadrace trim is prohibitive.

[tsorfas]

Are we talking about the same KTM? What is Bill C and Heider riding?

[Jewcati]

How do you think it will compare to the R7?

[OneCheekRider]

The bike felt light and immediately quick. Like R6 quick. The motor is torquey, but it really comes alive with a distinct top end hit from 9-11k. Notably different from my 959 ducati, I found myself rowing through the gears to feel that addictive hit of acceleration.

That was not my impression (of the motor) riding a preproduction model at Chuck late last year. I only ran one session and had issues with the quickshifter so maybe the bike I was on had an issue. I felt the chassis was great, but I couldn't compare the power to my R6. I did predict it would be the lightweight bike to have on the grid.

[Mgiossi]

Man I want to try one of those rs660s..... It does seem to look like the begining of the next generation on lw bikes. I absolutely looooove my sv but you are right, the writing is on the wall and i bet in the next few years the sv will just become the hawk. I always liked hawks and remember seeing them slowly fade away at the track and I always thought that was sad. I'll miss sv650s but mine will forever stay in my garage even if I'm not riding it anymore. Over the years I just made ot mine so much it's become a part of me and even if its old and slow it wont leave the family lol

[RandyO]

I kinda like the Tuareg 660, 18" & 21" wheels

[OreoGaborio]

Are we talking about the same KTM? What is Bill C and Heider riding?

The 790 is what those guys are riding & surely what Paul is talking about as I don't think anyone's raced the 890 yet. The 790 is a great bike. Felt like a slightly taller, but just as nimble, more powerful SV650... but a GIANT pain to get into race trim.

[tsorfas]

Shows how disconnected I am. I thought that thing was pretty much race ready, all you do is throw some bodywork on it snd go. Wayyy off lol
It seems to be dominating the LW classes on the east coast huh

[MUZ720]

Still won't compete with a built Ducati or R5.. although 16k for a lightweight bike is now the norm! Glad it's a good bike we will now many show up in the next couple of years. Still an expert bike ,sv650s will still be the lightweight entry bike for the class.

[tsorfas]

Both in NJ and Summit the KTM finished well ahead of R5s and Ducs. I think Daytona too. But like I said I’m not up to date with much. Which one is 16k? The KTM?
How much are the Kramers? Or are those not LW?

[MUZ720]

Aprilias are 11.5 or so but add in the cost of race set-up and your close. Kamer's are 17 plus. used are 14-15, KTMs ? used ones selling for 11-12 don't know the true cost of a from stock to race KTM builds! R5s your guess is as good as mine but cranks for them are not cheap and they seem to need more then one! Ducati's well just open the check book!

[Philkinson]

I'll miss sv650s but mine will forever stay in my garage even if I'm not riding it anymore. Over the years I just made ot mine so much it's become a part of me and even if its old and slow it wont leave the family lol

Yeah yeah where's your Thruxton now?

[feralchimp]

What's this R5 thing? Some kind of stroked cripple-triple?

[feralchimp]

Especially for a strictly-trackday or maybe-someday-novice slow-ass like m'self, the Aprilia sounds like the best showroom-to-track investment with minimal mods.

...but of course, they weren't in stock and now I'm in teenage Ninja-land, so fuck it.

[csmutty]

What's this R5 thing? Some kind of stroked cripple-triple?

It's just destroked to a 565.