P116
RIDE REVIEW I 2021 APRILIA TUONO 660
little fatter than it needs to be.
The side panels of the Tuono
incorporate ducts that direct
air down the side of the motor,
which, in turn, help draw out hot
air, keeping everything nice and
cool.
As such, the Tuono 660 has
the feel of a bigger bike than
it really is. Whether this will
put off new riders who want
a slimmer bike remains to be
seen, but the extra width from
the body panels does give the
bike a feeling of solidity others
in the class don't have.
I'll admit when I rode the
RS 660 I didn't notice this as
much, but there's an obvious
dead spot in torque between
5-7000 rpm. This is right as the
motor wants to build its mid-
range, and the little 660 falls
pretty hard off a cliff at 5000
rpm before roaring back like a
two-stroke at 7000 rpm, a feat
it continues right to redline.
This comes down to the
emissions regulations the
Aprilia engineers need to abide
by, and it's not a unique prob-
lem to them (just ask Honda
and BMW). And in fairness to
Aprilia, it's only really notice-
able when you're canning the
Tuono. If you're riding mellow
and not hankering for revs, the
motor's behavior at this rpm
window is fine—the issue arises
when you're chasing your bud-
Take that
passenger seat
off and there's a
flat pad you can
strap your bag
to. Nice thinking
there, Aprilia.
