APRILIA TUONO 660 (2021 - on) Review

Lightweight , precise and firm. It feels effortless to ride and outputs rider input as expected. Suspension feels great and stiff(but not incredibly stiff) and is well set for riding most conditions, although I do suggest setting it up to adjust each rider's need & body profile. Brakes are powerful but tend to bite a little later than expected , more than enough stopping force to get you out of trouble especially with the excellent ABS unit. Solo rides are nice and easy, regardless of time spent riding but pillion rides can be a little more difficult , although definitely not extremely uncomfortable. It comes with cruise control as a standard so longer highway rides are a breeze.

Great parallel twin outputting 85-90some HP on the rear wheel along with an addictive exhaust note. Torquey in general with maximum power/torque tendencies around the ends of the rev range.(7.5k to 10.5k rpm) Acceleration is the name of the game with this engine but the gearing is neatly spaced allowing for 220+Km/h of speed accumulation. Comes with the usual flatter response in the mids due to emissions regulations but nothing too deep to ruin the fun. Incredibly fun but also surprisingly civilized largely thanks to the Fuel Mapping and consistent ride-by-wire throttle. Gearbox is slightly tight yet smooth..no false neutrals or odd stuff going on with it. Clutch is on the softer side , especially so after the break in period. It might be a small and common motor configuration but this specific one has character.

Exceptional Aprilia design & quality on the bodywork and almost all other mechanical and metallic parts, but it seems there are a few issues around for Tuono660/RS660 models. My personal and only issue so-far is , a gasket on the fuel cap pushing tiny drips of fuel upward the lock. Quickly sorted with the warranty (which stands for 4 Years in my part of the world). Other than that I am pleased with it and haven't had any signs of major problems. I suggest people look into this bike only if part availability is strong or dealer support is convenient..Just to be sure!

It's certainly NOT the cheapest of the bunch , but neither is it the most casual. That said , it DOES have a market and people seem to enjoy the ride,despite it possibly asking a little more than the competition. I would not recommend it to someone looking to get the fastest OR wanting to change really soon after it..as the after-sale might be hard. Insurance is OK , Service intervals are far apart (although most dealers suggest shorter) and the Fuel Economy is not bad at all. Overall it's compelling due to it's looks , design and features but there might be better choices out there depending on the needs of every rider.

It is outfitted with the APRC platform , arguably one of the best platforms for electronic assists in the motorcycle world , all neatly shown on a well sized TFT display. Race mode comes stock as does a programmable shift light among many other accessibility options. Plenty of extras like an IMU , Exhausts etc.. are also available from Aprilia although they can run the wallet dry! Shame that the motorcycle doesn't come with the Quick-shifter as standard considering the price tag. Comes with Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV's which so far seem like a great and sticky set!

Rides nicely for me and is incredibly comfortable.

Plenty of torque, never noticed the much discussed flat spot. Despite less than 100bhp I believe as a real world bike it is more than enough and does what a bike should do- makes you happy.

Seems good quality but the feel of the plastics on the belly pan seems rough and awkward to keep clean.

Not had it serviced as mine was a 22 plate used so the 1st service had been done, what is incredible is 65mpg even riding enthusiastically.

I'm an analogue sort of chap so the advanced electronics are lost on me. I was happy with having a gear indicator on my first new Suzuki Gt 750 back in the day and never wanted much more.

Awesome 4-piston front Brembo brakes. Rear brake squeaks a bit during the first couple hundred miles.

Very peppy engine and good direct power.

A minor nit - your break in service wrench icon will show up on the TFT automatically at 1000km. Even if you do the break in oil and filter change on your own, you cannot clear the icon without a dealer.

Electronics are very impressive for the price. Quick shifter addition is very fun. 4/5 here since installation of optional OEM equipment is nearly impossible to do on your own. Installation of the IMU and quick shifter requires a dealer mechanic and an ECU flash / map update - it doesn't even come with printed or digital instructions.

Good for the price, but the rear shock could be improved.

Lovely engine and great sound, only let down by being made of chocolate.

Before the first service, the engine light came on with no related running issues. It was resolved at first service by tightening the lambda sensor which had worked loose. The ignition switch cable housing split not long after so was taped up whilst awaiting the replacement unit to keep any water out. Part ordered but not yet seen. At 2500 miles and 6 months in, the bike developed a serious low speed stalling problem so would repeatedly stall at lights/junctions and during slow speed turns in first gear and neutral. Dealer took it in and diagnosed a valve-related issue. Over two months later the parts required to complete the repair (full head etc) had still not all turned up. The bike had already had an engine replacement before I bought it, so I would not have expected such an issue requiring such major work so early in the life of this one.

Only had first service done, so not entirely sure of other services. Fairly frugal on fuel. Happy with the running costs really.

Great for the money, could do with the QS as standard though. I ordered one but cancelled the order as it was never going to turn up.

Brakes are Brembo and they are nothing short of great, really responsive. Ride quality is engaging, comfortable and offers plenty of opportunity to have fun. It’s handling is spot on, so flickable. It makes eating up those twisty roads a breeze.

Power delivery is decent all round. Being a twin, it pulls and is very torquey. No matter what gear you’re in, give the right hand a twist, the Tuono will give you some grunt and get you up the road!

The build quality feels really good, it’s solid up top despite its light weight. The only thing I have found that I’d like Aprilia to change is a bit of scratchy plastic down below the engine. Other than that, it’s spot on. Reliability hard to gauge but no issues so far.

Not sure on the service costs yet, but I’d expect a couple of hundred pounds for the first few. MPG? It’s not bad… However, I didn’t buy it to get a million miles from the tank, I got it to put a smile on my face whilst I whizz across some roads around the North of England.

The TFT display is very bright, easy to read and is well set out. LED headlights are standard with DRL and built in front indicators. Good quality rubber in the form of Pirelli’s Diablo Corsa 2. Genuinely this is a well equipped bike. The IMU gives a few extras, it’s on promo at the moment (to Sept 2021) from Aprilia, meaning you buy a new Tuono, you get it gratis.

I moved down from a BMW 1250GS so it's very different. The suspension is good enough but you do feel the bumps. Otherwise, very comfortble for 1-2 hours with no breaks. Haven't tried longer rides yet.

Abosolute peach. Sounds beautiful and revs smoothly. In dynamic mode, this bike comes alive, while commute mode is very user friendly.

Haven't had it long enough to say but all perfect for now.

Haven't got to the first service yet.

Full electronics package and ok TFT. Feels a bit basic after the GS but I don't really feel like it's missing anything. I had free IMU included in Paris.

The bike is at its best in pretty much any town/b-road scenario, acceleration is great, plenty of punch and handling is sublime carving down twisty b-roads it just instills so much confidence. Took a pillion yesterday and overall comfort was reported as being good, legs ached a little after though. Brakes are superb, so sharp and strong with plenty of feel.

Absolutely love the engine, there's more than enough power and torque for the road and you never want for a bigger bike. It sounds great, with echoes of its bigger V4 siblings yet still has its own unique twin cylinder cross plane tone. So much grunt but still has nice smooth refinement to it.

Solidly built but I think some fasteners will be prone to corrosion quite easily looking at the quality of them.Early days so far but no glitches as yet.

Not had a service yet, but seems reasonable on fuel so far, I've been enjoying the honeymoon phase and been getting 56mpg so far but I'm sure as run in concludes and do some longer runs that will get even better.

I like the switchable ride maps and ability to tailor one exactly how you want it in terms of throttle response, traction control, engine braking etc. Cruise control was a surprise and works really well. The led headlights work really well with the drls, haven't really seen how good they are at night yet but in a tunnel they worker great. I just wish it came with a quickshifter as standard as it would really compliment hammering up and down the gearbox in twisty spirited riding, but I'll be getting my dealer to fit it as soon as Aprilia release the kit.