‘The essence of fun’
TESTIs new Tuono 660 all the bike you need?
If the ‘comfortable middleweight sportsbike’ premise of Aprilia’s RS660 sounds pretty darn good, then wait one second. Because, following the pattern of almost 20 years, the sportsbike has now been joined by a streetfighter sibling.
The Tuono blueprint remains unchanged: same sportsbike chassis and engine as the RS, but now with a fraction less plastic and a higher handlebar. So, what does that make the Tuono 660 – the comfortable version of a comfortable sportsbike? Well, kinda. Sure enough the Tuono’s one-piece handlebar,
clamped above a new top yoke, sets hands higher and wider than the RS660’s considerate clip-ons, giving a more relaxed, but not totally upright, stance. It’s sporty without being racy, weight nicely balanced between hands, bum and feet. Seat-to-peg spacing is identical to the RS, which is to say more generous than an ultraaggressive superbike, but still perhaps a little snug for a taller rider. Curiously, the Tuono’s pegs have rubber tops (the RS’s are bare metal), for a less tingly ride. Look closely and you’ll spot a handful of other differences. On the right side of the swingarm the Tuono has a textured plastic cover to prevent heels scuffing the silver paint; the RS has just a transparent piece of plastic film. Gaze down at the fork tops and only the right stanchion is adjustable – the left leg has a blank top, unlike the RS where both legs are adjustable. Remove the seat to wire in a heated kit lead and you’ll find the Tuono’s battery is traditional lead-acid, not the RS’s lightweight lithium item. That explains why, at 184kg with a full tank, the Tuono proves a kilo heavier on our scales than the RS. That’s still phenomenally light
– a match for Yamaha’s famously featherweight MT-07. Add in the same sharp steering geometry and short wheelbase as the RS660, but now with even more leverage over the steering, and it’s clear why the Tuono can be snapped into corners with such ease and speed. Upright to full lean needs just the gentlest touch, and even when you’re banked over it takes little more than thought to dive further into the abundance of lean angle. The dynamic is at its most jaw-dropping through tight, nadgery flick-flack B-roads, where the Tuono scythes from left to right and back again without any hint of hesitation. But while you might be impressed