The Aprilia Tuono is a naked motorcycle built by Aprilia since 2002. It began as a streetfighter version of the RSV Mille superbike, sharing its engine, gearbox, frame and part of its suspension, and since 2011 it has used the V4 engine of the RSV4.
Aprilia Tuono at a glance
| Production | since 2002 |
|---|---|
| First generation (2002–2005) | RSV Tuono, based on the RSV Mille; Rotax 60-degree V-twin, 92 kW (125 PS) at 9,500 rpm |
| Second generation (2006–2010) | Tuono 1000 R, based on the RSV 1000 R; 99.8 kW (135.7 PS) at 9,500 rpm |
| V4 generation (2012–) | 1,000 cc 65-degree V4 from the RSV4; enlarged to 1,077 cc for 2015 |
| Tuono V4 1100 (2015) | 175 hp at 11,000 rpm claimed, wet weight 214 kg |
| Smaller versions | Tuono 50 and 125 (two-stroke 2003–2005, four-stroke from 2017); Tuono 660 from 2020 |
| Electronics (V4) | APRC: eight-level traction control, three-level wheelie control, three-level launch control |
English and Italian Wikipedia differ on small points: the first Tuono R Limited was 220 units in the English article and 200 in the Italian one, and the Italian page gives 139 hp for the 2006 Tuono 1000 R.
History of the Aprilia Tuono
The Tuono was presented at the Bologna Motor Show in 2001 (the Italian page says December 2001) and put into production as the Tuono R Limited, a numbered series that served as a proof of concept for the later RSV Tuono Factory. It had the 129 PS engine of the RSV Mille R, a gold-coloured frame and parts in carbon fibre, Kevlar and titanium, with Öhlins suspension and Brembo four-pad calipers.
RSV Tuono, 2002–2005
In the United States the base model was sold as the Tuono Fighter in 2003. Most parts were interchangeable with the RSV Mille. The visible difference was the reduced bodywork, a frame-mounted bikini fairing, and the Tuono had a steering damper as standard because its motocross-style handlebars on high risers put less weight on the front wheel. The engine was the Austrian BRP-Rotax V990 60-degree V-twin with double balance shafts, four valves per cylinder and Twin Spark ignition, producing 92 kW (125 PS) at 9,500 rpm and 101 N·m at 7,250 rpm. In 2005 a Tuono 1000 R Limited Edition of 40 units was made for the Netherlands.
Tuono 1000 R, 2006–2010
The second generation used the parts of the 2004 RSV 1000 R. The engine got a close-ratio gearbox, larger throttle bodies and one spark plug per cylinder, and output rose to 99.8 kW (135.7 PS) at 9,500 rpm with 117 N·m at 8,500 rpm. The Tuono 1000 R Factory, the flagship naked bike, had Öhlins suspension, forged wheels and a gold frame; Italian Wikipedia says 300 were made each year. In 2007 a Tuono 1000 R Daytona replica of 150 units appeared.
Tuono V4, 2011 onwards
For the 2012 model year Aprilia redesigned the Tuono around the RSV4 and its 1,000 cc V4. In independent dyno testing it made 153.6 hp at the rear wheel. From 2012 it was offered with APRC electronics, and the 2014 refinements included an 18.5 L tank, a more comfortable saddle and a three-level race ABS. For 2015 the engine grew to 1,077 cc and the bike became the Tuono V4 1100 RR, with a Factory version with Öhlins suspension; Aprilia claimed 175 hp at 11,000 rpm. In 2017 it received a TFT instrument display.
Smaller Tuonos
The Italian page lists four displacements: 50, 125, 660 and 1000 cc. The Tuono 50 and the two-stroke Tuono 125 (2003–2005) shared their chassis with the RS 50 and RS 125, and a four-stroke Tuono 125 has been made since 2017 on the RS4 125. The Tuono 660, shown as a prototype at EICMA in 2019 and launched in 2020, has a 659 cc parallel-twin of up to 95 hp and weighs 183 kg.
Design and features
- Streetfighter layout: a naked bike with the reduced bodywork of a bikini fairing and an upright, motocross-style riding position.
- Steering damper: fitted as standard from the first RSV Tuono.
- V4 electronics: traction, wheelie and launch control, the Aprilia Quick Shift (AQS) system and ABS.
- Factory trim: Öhlins suspension, forged aluminium wheels and carbon-fibre parts.
Aprilia Tuono versions
- Tuono R Limited (2002): the numbered series, with the RSV Mille R engine.
- RSV Tuono and Tuono Factory (2003–2005): the production V-twin bikes.
- Tuono 1000 R and Factory (2006–2010): the second generation, with 135.7 PS.
- Tuono V4 and V4 APRC (2012–2014): the first V4 bikes.
- Tuono V4 1100 RR and Factory (2015–): 1,077 cc and about 175 hp.
- Tuono 50, 125 and 660: the smaller bikes.
More Aprilia motorcycles are in our Aprilia collection, for example the RSV4, the RSV Mille and RSV 1000 R and the RS4 125.
Aprilia Tuono questions and answers
What is the Aprilia Tuono?
A naked streetfighter built by Aprilia since 2002, based on its sports bikes.
What engine did the first Tuono have?
The Rotax 60-degree V-twin of the RSV Mille, with 92 kW (125 PS) at 9,500 rpm in the RSV Tuono.
When did the Tuono switch to a V4?
For the 2012 model year, with the 1,000 cc V4 of the RSV4; the engine grew to 1,077 cc in 2015.
How much power does the Tuono V4 1100 make?
Aprilia claimed 175 hp at 11,000 rpm.
Is there a small Tuono?
Yes: the Tuono 50 and 125, and the 659 cc Tuono 660 launched in 2020.
Video: 2014 Aprilia Tuono V4R – 4cyl Streetfighter Shootout Part 4 – MotoUSA
Video by Motorcycle USA on YouTube.
Sources
- Aprilia Tuono, English Wikipedia: versions, engines, V4 generations
- Aprilia Tuono, Italian Wikipedia: displacements, 1000 versions, Tuono 660
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