Aprilia RS125 review: An object of desire

Dull is certainly not an adjective you could apply to Aprilia's RS125, a sharply-styled replica of the Italian company's RSV4 superbike racing machine.

Indeed, at first glance it could easily be mistaken for a one-litre machine - until you notice the extra space in the frame where there's a single cylinder in place of the expected four. It's certainly a bike to attract envious glances from riders in their late teens and early 20s who make up the target market.

But it does borrow extensively from Aprilia's impressive record of producing world class racing machines in terms of technology, aerodynamics, chassis and handling.

At £4,571 it certainly isn't cheap for this class of bike, but you are getting a race-bred machine which will turn heads and put a smile on your face, albeit with the 15bhp power limit necessary for younger riders.

This restriction is a great leveller in performance terms, but as a subjective opinion the Aprilia has the edge in terms of style and handling.

It's light and very nimble, and with its super-slick six-speed gearbox is quite capable of reaching 65mph on level ground.

And it does it so well: even with just 125cc on tap, brisk acceleration produces a sporty bark rather than a strangled-by-the-exhaust gasp of less flamboyant machines. The single piston revs willingly up to the 10,500rpm limit.

Top gear is pitched fairly high, so smaller, lighter riders may get to use it more often than me. It's a useful dual carriageway cruising gear, helping to make the theoretical 270 mile range from the 3.5 gallon tank a reality.

The original, and hugely popular, RS4's two-stroke engine was replaced in 2011 by the current fuel injected four stroke to help meet stricter emissions regulations.

The RS 125 has a proud heritage, with a host of championship wins in its class in the hands of riders such as Biaggi, Stoner and Lorenzo and the development of the road-going replica's version has certainly reaped the benefits of lessons learned from the race machine's evolution.

One area in which it stands out is in braking: given the power restriction Aprilia hasn't skimped on the anchors with a 300mm disc and four piston calipers at the front, and a 218mm disc at the rear. The 17-inch wheels are shod with a generously-sized 100/80 tyre at the front and a 130/70 at the rear.

The chassis is also based on the racing machine: tough yet light for precise handling.

The test bike's single racing seat is a reasonably comfortable example of its kind, the pillion portion having been replaced by a colour-coded shell.

The forward riding position means you're low enough to benefit from the wind protection of the aerodynamic fairing, proving that its functional as well as an eye-catching piece of design/

While it might not be the cheapest race replica in the 125cc class, the RS4 has the looks and abilities to make it an object of desire among those new to motorcycling.