Aprilia Pegaso 650 Strada 2005–2009: Specs & Facts

The Machine's Character

The Pegaso 650 Strada is a supermoto that thinks about your Tuesday as much as your Sunday. At its heart sits a liquid-cooled 659 cc single making 50 hp and 45 lb-ft, bolted into a steel single-cradle frame and rolling on 17-inch street rubber. At 392 lb (178 kg) wet with a 30.7 in (780 mm) seat, it's light, low and compact. There's no electronics package to talk about: no ABS, no traction control, no ride modes. What you get instead is a 12.6 in (320 mm) front disc, generous underseat storage and a glove compartment. Rare combination!

On a twisty back road it does what a supermoto should: it tips in quickly, has plenty of lean clearance and is so easy to place that you stop thinking about it. The single is no fire-breather, but it pulls with real character, tops out at 112 mph (180 km/h) and costs very little to run at 48 mpg. It's for you if you want fun at sane speeds and a bike that also handles the weekday. The caveats are honest ones: fueling is snatchy below 3,000 rpm, and the rear spring is too soft for hard cornering or a passenger. Know that going in.

Hard Numbers

Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.

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Key specifications
Power	50 hp (37 kW) @ 6,250 rpm
Torque	45 lb-ft (61 Nm) @ 5,200 rpm
Displacement	659 cc
Engine	Single-cylinder
Cooling	Liquid-cooled
Gearbox	5-speed
Final drive	Chain
Fork	Telescopic
Front brake	320 mm
Front tire	110/70-17
Rear tire	160/60-17
Wheelbase	58.2 in (1478 mm)
Seat height	30.7 in (780 mm)
Wet weight	392 lb (178 kg)
Fuel capacity	4.2 gal (16 L)
Top speed	112 mph (180 km/h)
Fuel economy	48 mpg (US)

Equipment check

Chassis

Rear Suspension Adjustable Standard

The Truth on the Trail

I've spent years listening to Pegaso Strada owners: in paddocks, at club nights, in owner chats, and in the emails and messages you send me. The pattern is steady. Riders praise the brakes, the midrange and the quick steering, and the gripes center on low-rpm throttle response and wind protection.

Brakes and midrange earn the praise

Riders consistently bring up the front brake first: a single disc with a four-piston Brembo caliper that they describe as powerful, progressive and full of feel. Just as often you hear about the single's low- and mid-range punch. Owners say it pulls strongly from 4,000 rpm and makes city acceleration effortless. A smaller group points to the dash, with its sweep animation and maintenance log, as part of the bike's Italian charm. Quirks included!

Jerky throttle, thin wind protection

The recurring complaint is throttle response at low rpm, which owners call jerky and hard to keep smooth in traffic. Many of them fit a Power Commander to improve the mapping. Some riders also say the stock screen does little at highway speeds and that longer trips get tiring. A taller screen is available as an option. Owners don't hide either one.

Known issues

Jerky fuel injection at low speeds

fuel system occasional

The EFI system causes surging and abrupt on/off throttle response at low rpm, particularly below 3,000 rpm, making smooth town riding challenging.
Soft rear shock limits handling

suspension occasional

The standard rear spring is too light for aggressive cornering or passenger loads, leading to noticeable squat and reduced composure.
Difficulty selecting neutral

drivetrain occasional

Owners report that the gearbox sometimes refuses to engage neutral when the bike is stationary, requiring a slight rock of the bike or clutch adjustment.

The Expert Benchmark

Where this Aprilia Pegaso 650 Strada pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.

What kind of bike this is — character vs. the class

Pure Hooligan Flickability

Instant Punch Delivery

Brake-to-Apex Control

Front-End Playfulness

Hard-Use Suspension Control

Urban Mischief Potential

Ownership Reality Check

This bike Class average

Head-to-head: Aprilia Pegaso 650 Strada vs. its rivals

Power

50 hp This bike 50 hp Husqvarna SM 511 R 48 hp Yamaha XT 660X 53 hp BMW G 650 Xmoto 82 hp Ducati Hypermotard 796

Torque

45 lb-ft This bike 32 lb-ft Husqvarna SM 511 R 44 lb-ft Yamaha XT 660X 44 lb-ft BMW G 650 Xmoto 56 lb-ft Ducati Hypermotard 796

Displacement

659 cc This bike 477 cc Husqvarna SM 511 R 660 cc Yamaha XT 660X 652 cc BMW G 650 Xmoto 803 cc Ducati Hypermotard 796

Wet weight

392 lb This bike 410 lb Yamaha XT 660X 351 lb BMW G 650 Xmoto 414 lb Ducati Hypermotard 796

Seat height

30.7 in This bike 35.8 in Husqvarna SM 511 R 34.4 in Yamaha XT 660X 36.2 in BMW G 650 Xmoto 32.5 in Ducati Hypermotard 796

The 'Should I Buy It?' Score

Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the Pegaso 650 Strada is actually built for.

Aerial photograph of downtown Austin, Texas, showing modern high-rise buildings against a clear blue sky. Urban infrastructure, highways, and parking structures visible in the foreground. — Thomas Balabaud / Pexels

Best motorcycle for Texas Hill Country?

For a weekend loop with plenty of stops, it fits: light, easy, cheap to run, with storage for the small stuff. With 50 hp, long highway transfers aren't its game.

Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Texas Hill Country BDR-X · Twisted Sisters

Best motorcycle for Tail of the Dragon?

If you're working on technique instead of speed, this is a fine tool: light, forgiving, lots of lean clearance. The soft rear spring shows up once you push hard, so ride it smooth.

Made for Tail of the Dragon · Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway

Best motorcycle for Angeles Crest?

Straight answer: it slips through city traffic and dances up a canyon, but 50 hp and a soft shock won't satisfy you if you're chasing outright performance. Fun, yes. Fast, no.

Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur