Aprilia RS 125

Which model year, and how much is it?

Aprilia France sells the RS 125 as a 2025 model: it is the latest version the brand has presented, and no 2026 model appears on Aprilia’s French, Italian, German or UK websites as of October 2026. There are two versions:

• RS 125: €5,800 (recommended retail price), in Kingsnake White or Cyanide Yellow;
• RS 125 GP Replica: €6,000, wearing the livery of the RS-GP25 raced in MotoGP by Jorge Martín and Marco Bezzecchi, with a matte black frame and swingarm, plus a quickshifter and pillion seat cowl as standard.

Until 1 November 2026, an €800 discount brings them down to €5,000 and €5,200, with a four-year warranty instead of two. List prices are the same in Germany; in the UK they cost £5,320 and £5,470. The RS 125 is not sold in the United States.

What changed for 2025?

Unveiled at EICMA in November 2024, the 2025 RS 125 is not a new generation but an update of the 2021 bike. The single was retuned for Euro 5+ while keeping, Aprilia says, the performance of the previous model. Switchable traction control (ATC) becomes standard alongside the two-channel Bosch ABS, and the colours and exhaust cover are new. The GP Replica followed in June 2025.

Where does it come from?

The RS 125 name first belonged to a two-stroke sports bike, sold from 1993 and built in more than 100,000 units according to Aprilia, a brand with 10 riders’ world titles in the 125 class. In 2011 Aprilia launched the RS4 125, its first four-stroke 125 sports bike, styled after the RSV4, which took over from the two-stroke.

The 2017 RS 125 brought RSV4-style bodywork and Euro 4 compliance. At the time, BikeSocial pointed out that its frame, engine and exhaust came from the four-stroke Derbi GPR 125, and that the engine was built in China by Zongshen for Aprilia. The current generation arrived in 2021, with an RS 660-inspired front end and triple LED headlight, a cylinder head redesigned for Euro 5, a Marelli ECU, digital instruments, two-channel Bosch ABS, a rear tyre widened to 140 mm and clip-ons raised by 18 mm.

Which licence do you need?

In Europe, the RS 125 is a light motorcycle: 124.2 cc and, according to Aprilia, 11 kW (15 hp), right at the class limit. In France, it can be ridden:

• on an A1 licence, available from age 16;
• on a car (B) licence held for at least two years, after a 7-hour practical course at an approved riding school (two hours of theory, two hours off-road, three hours on the road), costing €250 to €300 according to Service-Public.fr;
• on an A2 or full A licence.

French riders who got their B licence before March 1980, or who rode a 125 or a three-wheel scooter between 2006 and 2010 with a B licence held for two years or more, are exempt; so are those who took the old 3-hour course before 2011. Keep the course certificate with your licence, as it can be requested at a roadside check. Rules differ elsewhere, so check your own country’s requirements.

How good is the engine?

The 124.2 cc single (58 x 47 mm) is liquid-cooled, with four valves and fuel injection. Aprilia quotes 15 hp (11 kW) at 10,500 rpm and 11.4 Nm at 8,500 rpm on its spec sheets, and 11.5 Nm in its press release. The gearbox has six speeds. The quickshifter, standard on the GP Replica and a €149 option on the base bike, works on upshifts only.

This is the weak spot MOTORRAD found in its 2024 comparison with the KTM RC 125: the Aprilia’s engine feels “tired” low down, only wakes up between 9,000 and 10,000 rpm, and stays 1.5 hp short of the KTM, credited with 15.2 hp. On the previous generation, Moto.it already advised keeping the needle between 8,000 and 11,000 rpm, while MCN found the engine smooth thanks to its balancer shaft but “flat”, with a rev limiter at 11,000 rpm.

How does it handle?

The chassis is its trump card. Aprilia bills the RS 125 as the only 125 cc sports bike with an aluminium frame: twin die-cast spars with cross-ribbed reinforcement, paired with an asymmetric swingarm. The 40 mm upside-down fork (110 mm of travel) and the monoshock (120 mm) are non-adjustable. The 17-inch wheels wear 100/80 and 140/70 tyres. Braking relies on a 300 mm front disc gripped by a four-piston radial caliper with a braided line, and a 218 mm rear disc. Kerb weight is 144 kg with the tank 90% full.

MOTORRAD found it “astonishingly precise” whatever the radius of the bend, very stable and confidence-inspiring for a novice; only the rear shock feels firm on broken tarmac, where the KTM is more comfortable. On the 2017 version, Moto.it praised powerful, fade-free brakes, and MCN “surprisingly good” suspension and a roomy riding position for taller riders, while noting that nothing really set it apart from its rivals.

What equipment does it get?

Lighting is full LED, with the front indicators built into the triple headlight. The LCD dash shows fuel level, consumption and remaining range; MOTORRAD calls it dated next to the KTM’s TFT screen. Smartphone connection requires an optional multimedia platform (€159, plus a €29 fitting kit). The under-seat compartment takes an 8-inch tablet, with an optional USB socket (€19). The 14.5-litre tank is, Aprilia says, the largest in the class. There are no riding modes and no cruise control.

Fuel consumption and maintenance

Aprilia does not publish an official fuel consumption figure on its spec sheets. 1000PS lists a combined figure of 2.6 L/100 km, which would give a theoretical range of around 560 km. The service schedule is not publicly available: it is in the owner’s manual, which Aprilia sends on request against the frame number. The warranty is two years, extended to four by Aprilia’s offer running until 1 November 2026.

How does it compare with its rivals?

At list price in France, the RS 125 undercuts the Yamaha R125 (€5,999) and the KTM RC 125 (€6,249), but costs more than the Kawasaki Ninja 125 (€5,199). The Yamaha comes with a connected colour TFT screen and variable valve timing, the KTM with a TFT screen and a 43 mm WP fork. The Aprilia hits back with its aluminium frame, big tank and traction control. If you prefer flat bars, the Tuono 125 uses the same base as a naked bike.

Recalls

No recall has been found for the current-generation RS 125 (2021 to 2025 model years) on RappelConso, on Safety Gate, the EU database, or with the US NHTSA (the bike is not sold in the United States). Safety Gate does list a 2016 alert for a fire risk on the RS4 125, the previous generation.