Aprilia Tuono 660
Aprilia’s new Tuono 660 promises fun, frivolity and harmless hooliganism…
If you’re worried that motorcycling has all become a bit too serious, take a gander at the Aprilia Tuono 660. Based on the excellent RS660 sportsbike (first comprehensive UK test on page 32) and styled like its rowdy V4 big brother, the new Tuono stuffs a perky short-geared twin in a lightweight chassis, with a riding position designed for tomfoolery. And, despite dripping with tech it’s an affordable £9700. Think RD35 0LC for the modern era… To create the Tuono, Aprilia have done what Triumph did to make the original Street Triple, ie by taking their sportsbike and tweaking it into a roadster for greater control, comfort, usability and hilarity. It’s the same die-cast aluminium frame and basic package as the RS, but fitted with a higher, wider handlebar rather than clip-on ’bars for a far more sat-up stance. Fork offset is altered to tweak the chassis for its new role, and there are revised settings in the adjustable Kayaba forks and rear shock.
Grunt comes from the same rev-happy 659cc parallel twin as used in the RS, with V-twin-like rumbles from a 270˚ firing interval. Aprilia haven’t released any more detail at the time of going to press, other than confirming that the engine makes just under 94bhp in Tuono spec, against the
‘Perky short-geared twin with a riding position designed for tomfoolery’
claimed 99bhp of its sportier twin. We expect the trade-off to be a slight increase in midrange oomph and peak power delivered lower in the rev range, though instant clout is assured as the final drive gearing is lower. Given how readily the RS660 already wheelies, the Tuono will be comical. Especially as it’s light. With a claimed wet weight of just 183kg (same as the RS), the Tuono 660 has a 32% greater power-to-weight ratio than Yamaha’s revised MT-07. It can’t quite equal the 765cc Street Triple R on horses-per-kilo, though should pull it back with greater agility thanks to being lighter – Triumph don’t claim comparable wet figures, but even their RS version tops 190kg on our scales.
The Aprilia also has more bling than the Triumph. With electronics swiped from the Tuono V4, the new ride-by-wire 660 features a colour dash, daytime running lights, umpteen-level traction control, five riding modes, adjustable maps and engine braking, and cruise. It also has wheelie control, although obviously with this chassis, engine and riding position you’ll definitely have that turned off… No word yet on availability, though when it does rock up you can choose from predictable black and red, classy grey, or fabulously gaudy piss yella.