Cycle News

VOL. 52 ISSUE 24 JUNE 16, 2015 P101 It's got such a meaty midrange that it's now become a sort of sexed-up scooterone, a twist-and-go maxi scooter with Superbike engine performance and racetrack-derived handling. It's so flexible in nature yet so responsive and so torquey, that you can just stick it in fourth gear and barely bother to shift up or down, letting the engine run as low as 2000 rpm exiting a turn without any transmission snatch, then riding the waves of torque all the way to the 11,000 rpm power peak and way beyond—the revlimiter cuts in almost apologetically at 13,500 rpm. With the real power thresh- old as low as 4000 rpm, this is an unbelievably easy bike to ride for something so powerful, but that's not to say it isn't thrill- ing as well, for that it undoubt- edly is. CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON There's a choice of three engine maps just as on the Superbike, with the R-for-Race deliver- ing the full 175bhp of engine performance via an immediate throttle response which will have you clicking up the eight-stage traction control to stop the rear 190-section dual-compound Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa (a 200-section rear is also homolo- gated) going walkabout exiting a tight turn. This is really too aggressive a map for road use, so keep it for track days. The TC can be altered while riding without closing the throttle—and especially not turning off the en- Brembo's radial four-piston Monoblock one-piece M432 brake calipers grip- ping 320mm floating discs, mounted on both variants on a 3.50-inch cast aluminum wheel (not forged on the Factory, as on the RSV4 RF). Its 6.00-inch rear counterpart carries a 220mm disc with two-piston caliper, and this helps deliver a claimed dry weight for either version of the Tuono 1100 of 405 pounds (2.3 pounds more than the outgoing model), evenly split 50/50 front to rear. Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa rubber is fitted, with a 190/55 rear cover as standard, but 190/50 and 200/55 options are also available. Aprilia has always led the world in its electronic rider aids program, and the updated version of its bench- mark APRC electronics package is included as standard on the Tuono 1100. In case you need reminding, this includes the 3-stage RBW digital throttle offering those three distinct riding modes, 8-level TC/traction con- trol, 3-level AWC/anti-wheelie control, 3-stage launch control ("for use on track only," says Aprilia—but I can con- firm that it comes in useful for Stop- light GPs!), engine braking control as well as the electronic quickshifter, and a recalibration program which detects the type and make of tires fitted, and adjusts these electronic programs accordingly. Then there's the switch- able Bosch 9MP ABS with three settings if left on, each with a greater or lesser degree of RLM/rear wheel lift-up mitigation - the electronic anti-lift system that monitors the degree by which the rear wheel is lifting off the ground under hard braking. So as the rear wheel lifts, the degree of elec- tronic ABS intervention decreases, to avoid the ultimate extreme risk of the rear wheel lifting high enough for a tip-over. Aprilia has opted not to fit the cornering ABS adopted by its rivals like Ducati and BMW, but the three rid- ing modes have been recalibrated for more sporty use, and each incorpo- rates different levels of engine braking control, which like all the electronic settings can be tailored to your choice at any corner on a given racetrack via your smartphone—and Aprilia believes that many Tuono 1100 owners will end up using the bike for track days, if not actually racing it. Your smartphone can now be mounted on a special bracket in front of you to let you take advantage of an optional Bluetooth package called V4-MP which offers full telemetry support, including data logging. This uses its GPS to identify where you are on a given track—Aprilia has many of the world's key racetracks already pro- grammed into the V4-MP package, but will add others later which then allows you to access an app to change the Aprilia's TC or anti-wheelie electronic settings on a corner-by-corner basis, while you're riding. Just make sure you're not concentrating so hard on doing so that you miss your apex at the next turn, though. This is a proper big boy's toy which gives you access to WSBK-level corner-by-corner setup calibration, though the jury's out on how to cope if you get a call on your mobile with your knee on the deck halfway round Paddock Hill Bend at Brands Hatch! But in addition to letting you set your TC and AWC for each differ- ent bend, after your ride is over the datalogger that the V4-MP system incorporates shows real time speed, plus lean angle (bound to be a topic for bench racing in the pub after track days are ended!), throttle position and TC/anti-wheelie intervention, as well as showing you where you're gaining or losing time lap by lap. Just takes time to understand and get used to, but here yet again Aprilia has led the field in another electronic riding aid advance.

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