Issue:
January/February 2007

Text:
Mark Pierce

Photography:
Jaclyn Monell

Geographic Region:
USA

Pages:
88 - 90

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In recent years, the Aprilia product line has been stacked end-to-end with truly inspired bikes such as the Tuono, the Mille, and the no longer domestically available Futura, that dominated the top slots of many an enthusiast's "if money were no object" list. This was no small feat considering many far larger entities fail to produce even one bike belonging to that class. Unfortunately, the company's ownership problems precluded it from providing the sort of marketing and distribution support that their superbly designed motorcycles deserved.

Those days are now behind them. Having taken out the base model designation Tuono from their 2006 lineup in favor of simply offering the Tuono 1000R, Aprilia begins its Piaggio-owned era in fine form. The model already revered by many as a "dream machine," has now been massaged into an even lighter, shorter, more powerful version of its former self.

Concept and Transformation
The Tuono comes perhaps closer than any other factory-produced naked bike to achieving the Platonic ideal of a naked race replica. This results from a blend of racetrack performance, street riding ergonomics, and stylish Italian design. The Aprilians have taken the RSV1000 Mille R, removed the fairing, slightly lengthened the velocity stacks to add more mid-range power and torque, and shaved a mere 6hp off the peak of the Mille R's power curve while still delivering 8hp more than the previous year's Tuono....