Aprilia Tuareg 660 aims for mid-sized adventure bike supremacy

After more than a year of teasing, Aprilia have finally revealed their incoming Tuareg 660 adventure bike online, which looks set to take the fight directly to Yamaha’s 689cc parallel-twin Ténéré 700.

First hinted at during Eicma 2019, the long-legged upright weighs in at 187kg dry and is powered by a retuned version of the Noale firm’s growling 659cc parallel-twin engine already found in the RS 660 sportsbike and Tuono 660 naked.

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• Aprilia Tuono 660 – the story
• Aprilia RS 660 bike review
• Aprilia Tuono 660 bike review

However, where they are built more with road and track-focussed performance in mind, the Tuareg’s engine has been tweaked internally for more low/mid-range power, which should help when tackling trails, plus ferrying luggage, however could sacrifice at little at the top end.

Peak power now sits at 78.9bhp – some 6.5bhp more than the rival Yamaha – with a peak torque figure of 51.6lbft. On top of this, you also get four riding modes, with one customisable on-road and off-road setting.

All operated via the 5in colour TFT dash, also included is traction control, cruise control, multiple engine maps and engine braking control.

Cradling the twin-pot engine is a tubular steel frame that uses the motor as a stressed member, connecting to it at six points. Bolting onto this is a set of 43mm USD forks, plus a progressive linkage rear shock – both offering 240mm of travel and some level of adjustment. For added poise off the beaten track, the ABS can also be deactivated at either end.

This is shrouded by minimalist bodywork that appears to feature LED lighting, plus a high-mounted exhaust less likely to collide with off-road obstacles.

For those less interested in the rough stuff, the Tuareg also gets an 18-litre fuel tank, which should see it cover big miles between fill-ups thanks to the proven frugality of this mid-sized twin-cylinder engine layout.

A seat height of under 860mm (15mm lower than the Ténéré) should also make it fairly accessible to a broad spectrum of rider sizes, too.

There’s still no word on pricing or availability at this stage, but with the RS660 costing £10,150 and Tuono 660 at £9700, we’d like to see Tuareg to slot in at around £9999 and give Yamaha something to worry about.

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Italian adventurer incoming: Aprilia Tuareg 660 spied in testing

First published on 13 January 2021 by Phil West

The third entrant into Aprilia’s 660 engine line-up is on the way, and it’s an off-road-ready adventure bike called the Tuareg. 

Back in autumn 2019, Aprilia presented the RS 660 after several years of development. Its engine, derived from the V4 of the thoroughbred RSV4 1100 Factory superbike, will form the basis for a whole model family in the future.

Just a few months after the market launch of the sporty RS, a half-faired Tuono 660 was also introduced; to be added to the line-up in February 2021.

Related articles on MCN

• Aprilia Tuono 660 – the story
• Aprilia RS 660 bike review
• Aprilia RS 660 – the story

But probably the most important model of the family will be presented later: The Tuareg 660. Hinted at in autumn 2019 at the EICMA show in Milan, according to unofficial sources, it should have also enjoyed a market launch in spring 2021, however has been delayed due to Covid-19.

A prototype of the Tuareg 660 has now been photographed during testing and, despite its early stage of development, important features can already be recognised very well.

Starting with the engine, the inline-twin, derived from the front-cylinder-bank of the RSV4’s V4 engine, appears to be largely taken over from the RS 660, although a little less than the previous 99bhp peak output can be expected in the Tuareg.

Just like in the Tuono and the RS, the engine looks to be an integral part of the chassis but using a slightly modified frame. Because the exhaust manifold has also been slightly modified and ends in a completely redesigned exhaust system, there is space behind the engine for a redesigned swing arm, too. Its construction seems to be more robust now, which is an indication of the bike’s off-road capabilities – as are the the tyres with 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear wheel.

Diversification into several model variants of the Tuareg 660 is possible. A version with a more focus on off-road capabilities, longer suspension travel and even more off-road-focused tyres than the Metzeler Karoo Streets shown on this prototype seems likely, as well as an entry-level version. A travel model with a larger tank could also make sense.

The starting price for the basic version should sit nicely within this segment, but above the £9499 Yamaha Ténéré 700 – as indicated by the £10,150 price tag on the RS and £9700 ticket on the Tuono (2021 figures). In return, the customer can expect a well-equipped motorcycle with full-LED headlights, ride by wire, various riding modes and the usual assistance-systems.

TFT-instruments with mobile-connectivity should also be standard – at least the prototype shown here is equipped with the instruments already found on the RS model. All in all, Aprilia seems to be here to put together an interesting package in an increasingly important market segment, and thus to continue to use the momentum gained with the RS660.

What’s in a name? 

The Tuareg are a large community of nomadic Berber people living in the Sahara desert. Their name is also spelt Touareg, which is what Volkswagen called their large SUV. 

Aprilia Tuareg 660 in detail:

• Re-worked parallel-twin engine from RS 660/Tuono 660 to be used as a stressed member
• Modified frame and all-new rear swingarm
• Several equipment levels likely to arrive

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Watch MCN’s Aprilia RS660 first ride review below: