Small capacity Aprilia RS457 Trofeo in the works for one make race series

Aprilia are set to reveal a track-only Trofeo version of their A2 licence-friendly RS457 sportsbike, with official plans for a one-make race series in 2025.

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The finished machines will not be sold separately as a complete race bike, but instead a kit will be available to convert the A2 licence friendly model for competition regs.   

Although only revealing the standard parallel-twin RS457 in September 2023, the Italian brand showcased a track-focussed version of the parallel twin at last month’s Eicma trade show in Milan – confirming to MCN that the finalised Trofeo package is still in development.

Aprilia say that the eventual race series is designed to offer an entry point to motorsport whilst keeping the costs of racing to a minimum. As such, the bikes will feature basic changes from standard including race-ready bodywork, an SC Project exhaust system, and revised suspension componentry.

Aprilia already produce a larger RS660 Trofeo to compete in a one-make race series, which uses the standard 99bhp 660 as a base, and it’s likely that the smaller 457 version will have no internal engine revisions – with the SC Project system providing a marginal lift.

The revised suspension appears to consist of a fully adjustable Öhlins shock, plus updated internals within the standard 41mm blacked out fork tubes. The bodywork, meanwhile, is dressed in a MotoGP inspired livery and features no slots for road going essentials like mirrors.

The seat has been stripped away to a thin piece of foam – further-harnessing its competition quality.

Aftermarket rearsets should assist with bigger lean angles, with a subtle engine protector visible on the bottom half of the right-side casing providing some security in a fall.

Oddly, despite its racing disposition and Pirelli stickers on the front mudguard, the bike seen at Eicma features a pair of basic TVS Eurogrip Protorq Extreme tyres – unlikely to provide the performance needed in a racing setting. The ABS sensors also appear to be in place but will almost certainly be removed for racing.