BRUCE IN BRIEF
The Tuono is iconic in this sector. For nearly two decades it’s been a key part of the supernaked landscape and it continues to be today… although it’s getting a little soft around the edges. There’s no overlooking the fact it feels that bit less sharp, refined, and focussed as the rivals it is up against, being very much an aged offering when compared to the very latest and greatest in its class. But squiggy bits aside, there’s still plenty to love about the Aprilia. It sounds the nuts, can hold its own in a corner, and packs a worthy amount of ponies. The problem is, accessing the V4 motor’s goodness isn’t as easy as it maybe should be, frustrated by a lacklustre bottom end and detached-feeling throttle connection. At one point on our test ride I had to pull over and fiddle with the rider modes to make sure I was getting the full spectrum of performance on tap. To my distain, it turned out I was. Once the engine’s spinning, it comes into its own and there’s lots to like about it, but I’m one of those people who expects fireworks from a supernaked’s motor – and it felt more like party poppers. The Tuono redeems itself in the cornering department, being very firm and focussed, which is great when you’re on wide, smooth sweepers, but hold onto your fillings if you’re blasting down bumpy back roads. The saddle is rather on the firm side and the high pegs do little to bolster rider comfort. If big distance riding is your thing, you might want to think twice; this bike’s more inclined towards short, sharp blasts, revving the motor to its potential and exploiting the brilliant, talkative frame that’s supported by awesome Öhlins electronic suspension. As Aprilia says in its own marketing spiel, it’s ‘developed on the track but ready for the road’. And I’d be inclined to agree. For those who want a chilled-out and effortless experience, the Tuono’s track pedigree might prove too demanding. One thing that proved too demanding for Johnny was the electronics. I messed around loads with the bike’s set-up, capitalising on the user interface, which you toggle and access by a button on the right switchgear. It’s not intuitive by any means, but there’s plenty of scope for set-up once you’ve got your head into the system and you’re on the main adjustment page. The actual electronics work well, although the anti-wheelie is a little overkill if you’re inclined to loft the front every now and again. My preference was to max out the power and turn everything off… that’s when this bike really came alive.
the stuff in between, including the fabulous Öhlins semi-active electronic suspension. It’s all well and good, but it is beyond frustrating to access it all and make any adjustments. It’s pure chance if you happen to end up on the screen you’re looking for to do something like switch the anti-wheelie off. The rider interface is a complete mystery to me, even after all these years, made all the more infuriating when you see other bikes with all the same electronic functions and options but which you can just look at the switchgear and screen and immediately understand what you have to do.
The actual electronics themselves were once the absolute gold standard, and they are still very, very good, with lovely cut/release action on things like the anti-wheelie, but as with the engine, things have moved on and others have now set the standard, leaving the Aprilia’s electronics starting to feel their age a bit.
Handling: 9/10
Massive chassis, huge underslung swingarm, and semi-active suspension taken directly from the RSV4 means that the Tuono isn’t short of kit to make it a sweet-handling motorbike, and it doesn’t disappoint. The Aprilia also has a tall seat height that puts you in an aggressive physical position and rearsets that are also set quite high. The overall feel is very close to that of an RSV4, which is to say that how the Tuono dissects a corner with precision and stability is very un-naked bike-like. The chassis feels very stiff, which makes for a subtle difference that takes a while to understand what it is. The extra stiffness does let more information through to the rider. In particular, the front suspension feels that little bit more ‘connected’ to you in the rider’s seat... it’s talking to you just that bit louder and clearer than many of the other naked bikes, and indeed some superbikes. The only blot in its copybook is mid-corner when transferring the weight from front to rear by opening the throttle; it can be a bit of a lurch, which admittedly is down to the throttle connection, but it does have an effect on the handling. Otherwise the Tuono’s handling feels safe, solid and fills you with confidence.
Fun: 7/10
It’s very hard not to enjoy riding a 175bhp V4 naked bike and there’s no question that the Aprilia is a laugh. However, it can’t help that its DNA comes from a bike that won the World Superbike championship in 2014. It’s a seriously hardcore bike with advantages, but the focus that comes from being descended from that bloodline does mean that being able to flick a clutch lever or target a crest on a whim isn’t really one of the Tuono’s strong points; fun
has to be planned in on the
Tuono. The engine is just that little bit too flat and slow to respond low down, but it must be said that the power delivery higher up is nice and smooth and not as fiery as some, so if you catch yourself in the right area of the revs and you’ve managed to figure out how to switch the electronics off, then you’ll be grand. That said, if firing a bike down your favourite roads on the edge of your comfort zone is how you get your kicks, the Tuono will absolutely deliver.
Comfort: 7/10
As a consequence of the Tuono being so closely related to the RSV4 – which is to say nigh-on identical apart from the handlebars, the seat and footpegs are close to each other, and while the seat is nice and tall and very wide, it is hard enough so that along with the close footpeg/seat distance, you start fidgeting within 50 miles. That said, there is a decent amount of bodywork on the Aprilia – indeed, if you look at a side profile of the bike, it’s more or less fully faired – to keep the wind pressure on your body down, plus there’s also some faired in wings a la the Honda Fireblade to disturb the airflow around your legs. A slightly softer seat would make a huge difference to comfort, without compromising the purposeful riding position that is the Tuono’s signature.