Aprilia widen their A2 licence offering with new naked Tuono 457 twin based on the RS457 sportsbike

Aprilia have entered the low-capacity performance naked market with the introduction of an all new Tuono 457. An A2 licence friendly option, it will bridge the gap between the learner legal Tuono 125, and their larger middleweight Tuono 660 model. 

Aimed squarely at attracting a fresh cohort of youthful motorcyclists to the party, the new machine derives its technical base from the current RS457 sportsbike, with Aprilia all but ripping the fairings off (and adding upright bars) to create the new roadster. 

Earlier in 2024, spyshots emerged which showed a 457 engined retro naked, however, that bike was notably different from its RS base, including a redesigned swingarm and rear shock positioning, as well as an altered subframe to accommodate a lower and longer seat unit.

Whilst it may still appear as a future model, the changes made to create the 2025 Tuono 457 are considerably less radical. 

Performance mirrors its fully faired sibling, with its Euro5+ 457cc parallel twin motor churning out an A2 licence friendly 47.6bhp at 9400rpm and 32lb.ft of peak torque at 6700rpm, of which, 82% is available from just 3000rpm. 

Whilst the motors internals may be shared, the Italian brand have lowered the final drive ratio to improve acceleration at a small detriment to the bikes top speed. 

Parallels to its RS stablemate continue when it comes to the chassis, which is a twin spar aluminium number – an asset no other machine in this segment receives. 

Suspension comes courtesy of a pair of pre-load adjustable inverted 41mm forks, packing 120mm of travel. Out back, the Tuono provides 130mm of travel via a pre-load configurable mono shock, mounted to the asymmetrical steel swingarm.  

Weight and seat height are 159kg dry and 800mm respectively. That should make the new bike a more manageable prospect to newer, shorter, or less confident riders than the Tuono 660’s 20mm higher perch and additional 24kg of mass. 

Looks wise, the new machine steps away from its larger 660 and 1100 V4 big siblings, instead harking back to the V-Twin Tuonos of the noughties. Central to this vibe is the small lower spoiler mounted below the LED headlight cluster which pays homage to the now classic Tuono 1000R. 

Braking is handled by a single four-piston radial ByBre caliper and 320mm front disc, while the rear features a 220mm disc with a single-piston caliper – just like the RS457. This is controlled by a Bosch ABS system adjustable to two levels, with optional rear deactivation if you’re partial to a bit of ‘backing it in’ action. 

A ride by wire throttle allows for three riding modes as standard, namely ‘Eco’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Rain’. There’s also a five-inch TFT dash with inbuilt smartphone pairing. Other neat touches include backlit switchgear and an optional bi-directional quickshifter. 

A full catalogue of optional extras has been announced, but prices and availability are yet to be released – although expect a figure around the £6500 mark.