Chassis development also
went the full ADV-specific route
from Aprilia with the Tuareg. Steel
and fully welded frame and sub-
frame units combine to create a
touring base worthy of max loads.
Yeah, the subframe is permanent
and not replaceable, something
Aprilia thought was worth the
compromise of its 460-plus-
pound cargo claims. That's a lot
in your panniers. The 660 engine
is stressed and connects to the
frame via six anchor points, twice
as many as the RS and Tuono.
The Tuareg's engine is also
on the very top, not fuel. Fuel
pickup is located right under the
seat, at the tank's lowest point.
Obviously, the Tuareg's sus-
pension system will have little in
common with its sporty in-house
cousins. Featuring 9.45 inches
(240mm) of travel front and rear,
Aprilia equipped the Tuareg
nicely for off-road fun with fully
adjustable, premium-level front
and rear Kayaba units. A linkage-
connected shock out back con-
nects to an aluminum swingarm
and 43mm fork tubes handle the
damping up front.
How about the electronic
aids? The Aprilia comes with
an impressive suite of their
Aprilia Performance Ride Control
(APRC) and ABS system tuned
for all-road use. APRC on the
Tuareg 660 includes traction
control, cruise control, engine
brake and engine-map adjust-
ments. The Tuareg also features
the electronic multimap ride-by-
wire throttle system. All these
systems combine in four pre-
riding modes; Urban, Explore,
Off-Road and Individual, with dif-
ferent levels of interaction within
the system. Urban mode is for
RIDE REVIEW I 2022 APRILIA TUAREG 660
P100
These buttons
control an array of
electronic aids.
kicked back around nine degrees
comparatively, a nod to improved
tight-terrain handling on paper.
Fuel capacity and chassis/han-
dling go together in the adventure
world. And Aprilia has brought a
nice combo of capacity and man-
ners here. Holding 4.75 gallons
(18 liters) on board, the Tuareg's
fuel tank slips vertically inside the
top frame spars, dropping the
weight as low in the chassis as
possible and protecting it at the
same time. The large "tank" you
see on the bike is mostly airbox
