2017–2018 · Supersport · Buyer's Guide
RSV4 Looks, Learner Laws
The RS 125 Replica is a small bike built with big-bike hardware, and that is the point of it. You get an aluminum twin-spar frame, an upside-down fork, a single 11.8 in (300 mm) front disc with ABS, and a full fairing styled straight off Aprilia's RSV4 family. The engine is a liquid-cooled 125 cc single making 15 hp and 8 lb-ft, driving through a 6-speed box. On paper that's entry-level. The chassis says otherwise. Very few bikes in this class feel this serious, and that's why this generation stands out: it teaches supersport habits on a machine that forgives you while you learn them.
It rides light and precise. Direction changes take almost no effort, lean clearance is generous, and it stays composed right up to its 80 mph (129 km/h) top speed. The single is smooth and puts rideability ahead of drama, and at 62 mpg it barely touches its 3.8 gal (14.5 L) tank. Here is the honest caveat. Its electronics stop at ABS, with no traction control, no ride modes, and no adjustment at either end of the suspension. By supersport standards that's basic. This is a bike for a newer rider, or a skilled one who wants to sharpen technique at sane speeds. It won't satisfy someone who wants real pace.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 15 hp (11 kW) @ 10,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 8 lb-ft (11 Nm) @ 8,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 125 cc |
| Engine | Single-cylinder |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front brake | 300 mm |
| Front tire | 100/80-17 |
| Rear tire | 130/70-17 |
| Seat height | 32.3 in (820 mm) |
| Wet weight | 295 lb (134 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 3.8 gal (14.5 L) |
| Top speed | 80 mph (129 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 62 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Safety
This bike has come up again and again over the years: in paddock conversations, in chats with owners, on club nights, and in the messages riders send me directly. The picture is consistent. Owners are proud of how much motorcycle they get for a 125, and their complaints center on the engine's top end and the price.
Owners keep mentioning the sense of quality. The hardware feels a cut above the class, and that shapes how they talk about the bike. Taller riders are often surprised by the fit. The stance is committed, but the legroom is decent and the bars fall naturally to hand. Several owners also call it a pleasant commuter that runs cleanly and with little vibration when ridden gently.
The top end draws the most complaints. Riders describe the four-stroke pull as linear but flat, running into the limiter at 11,000 rpm without the frantic rush of a high-strung two-stroke. Price comes next. Owners note it sits at the top of the segment, with the Replica costing extra again, while most Japanese rivals offer similar performance and equipment for less. A few also point out that a USB port and smartphone integration are extra-cost options here.
Where this Aprilia RS 125 Replica pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the RS 125 Replica is actually built for.
Up Angeles Crest it'll sharpen your lines and your body position, and it's a joy to throw around. If you're after real canyon pace, though, 15 hp will leave you wanting more.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
If you care about technique more than speed, this is a great bike for the Dragon. It's light, precise and leans a long way, so every mistake shows up, but none of them punish you.
Made for Tail of the Dragon · Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway
It's fun on the twisty back roads and cheap to fuel. Long highway stretches between Austin and the good roads are where the small engine starts to feel like hard work.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Texas Hill Country BDR-X · Twisted Sisters
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2011–2016
Real Grip, Learner Displacement
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
