Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1404341
RIDE REVIEW I 2021 APRILIA TUONO V4 P100 momentum, accompanied with a sound track that's a heady mix of Motley Crue and Mozart. It is, quite simply, the best sounding engine on the market today (in my opinion). Hauling you up are Brembo Stylema calipers mated to a radial master- cylinder, which perform admirably as you'd expect. These are on so many bikes I've lost count, so I'm not telling you anything you don't already know if you're a regular reader of Cycle News. If you're not, they work. That's all you need to know. Switching over the base model Tuono, the ride is not all that different aside from the softer ride afforded by the conventional Sachs suspension and the higher handlebar position. The bar is raised about half an inch higher, putting you with a straighter back and taking a touch of weight off your wrists. The slightly more relaxed ride posi- tion does necessitate a change in how you ride, as you don't have the weight over the front like you do on the Tuono V4 Factory and can't quite load up the front for corner entry. But this is to slightly miss the point of the exercise as the person who was brave enough to get on the back with you will at least be slightly more comfortable. There was never anything wrong with the Tuono V4 before this year, but it's now just a touch better everywhere. This will doubtless keep it at or near the front of the naked bike pack because although it doesn't have the most powerful motor in the class, the Tuono packages everything so well it is very difficult to find fatal flaws with it. And now Aprilia has tapped into the one area of naked-bike buyers who were left out in the cold with the new base model, the Tuono party just got a little bit rowdier. CN SPECIFICATIONS 2021 APRILIA TUONO V4/FACTORY ($15,999/$19,499) ENGINE Aprilia longitudinal 65° V4, 4-stroke COOLING SYSTEM Liquid VALVETRAIN DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder DISPLACEMENT 1077cc BORE X STROKE 81 x 52.3mm FUEL INJECTION Electronic fuel injection system, twin injectors per cylinder, full ride-by-wire 48mm elliptical throttle bodies, variable length intake system COMPRESSION RATIO 13:1 HORSEPOWER (CLAIMED) 175 hp @ 11,350 rpm TORQUE (CLAIMED) 89 lb-ft @ 9000 rpm EXHAUST SYSTEM 4-2-1 TRANSMISSION 6-speed with Aprilia Quick Shift (AQS) up/down CLUTCH Multi-plate wet clutch with mechanical slipper system ELECTRONICS APRC system (Aprilia Performance Ride Control), three engine maps, (AEM), engine brake control (AEB), traction control (ATC), wheelie control (AWC), launch control (ALC), cruise control (ACC), six riding modes (three Road, three Track), cruise control FRAME Aluminum twin spar FRONT SUSPENSION Sachs 43mm fork, fully adjustable. Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 electronically managed 43mm NIX fork, with TIN surface treatment, fully adjustable. 4.9 in. wheel travel. REAR SUSPENSION Sachs monoshock, fully adjustable, upside-down double braced aluminum swingarm/Ohlins TTX monoshock with Smart EC 2.0 electronically managed piggyback, fully adjustable FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL 4.9 in. REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL 5.1 in. FRONT BRAKE Dual 330mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo Monobloc Stylema 4-piston calipers, radial master-cylinder with Bosch Cornering ABS REAR BRAKE 220mm disc, 2-piston caliper with Bosch Cornering ABS FRONT TIRE 120/70 ZR 17 in. REAR TIRE 190/55 ZR17, 200/55 ZR 17 in. RAKE 24.7° WHEELBASE 57 in. SEAT HEIGHT 32.48 in. FUEL CAPACITY 4.89 gal. WEIGHT (CURB, CLAIMED) 460 lbs.