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/839188
2017 APRILIA TUONO 1100 RR & FACTORY FIRST TEST P96 it and can flip through the three engine maps of Sport, Track and Race or various like the ATC (Aprilia Traction Control), or AWC (Aprilia Wheelie Control) with ease. The new Euro 4 engine still pumps out massive amounts of low-end and midrange power all the way up to its new redline maximum, which is now 500 rpm higher than last year's model. Several small improvements to the motor have helped its reliability, including Pankl conrod honing and a new CNC-machined cylinder head. The brand-new Euro 4 exhaust system is said to be heavier and more robust, but it still emits a loud, gor- geous tone. The new-for-2017 TFT (Thin Film Transistor) color instru- ment display looked clear and easy to read in all light situations, including direct sunlight. The various menus were easy to understand and navigate, and I was espe- A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE Sixteen-years-ago at the 2001 Bologna Motor Show, Aprilia engineers, I think as a goof, revealed that for 2002 they'd offer a stripped- down version of their then flagship, world superbike-contending, 997cc V-twin Rotax- powered RSV Mille to the public, but with straight handlebars. Since then, Aprilia has found themselves at the sharp end of what could only be de- scribed as a venerable arms race over which manufacturer could build the most extreme, top shelf, high-powered upright machinery aimed almost exclusively at, or by default, the finest hooligans among us. From 2002-2005, the Aprilia Tuono was offered in a couple permutations which included the U.S. market's original 123-horse- power Fighter version with Showa forks, followed by the first Factory model (based on the Mille R), which bumped up its output to 129 horsepower, added Ohlins suspension, forged wheels, Brembo brakes and weight savings thanks to a judicious use of magne- sium, titanium and carbon fiber. Between 2006 and 2010, the first Tuono Factory R model was made available (based upon the 2004-2009 RSV1000R superbike) with an increase in power to 133 hp, a closer ratio gearbox with taller first gear and larger throttle bodies. In 2011/2012, the new Tuonos were derived directly from Aprilia's 2009 RSV4 and sported a V4 engine, 167 horsepower, and the original aPRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) electronics package. Race ABS was introduced to the 2014 model year as well as a more refined, more powerful 170 horsepower engine. Then in late-2015/early-2016, all hell broke loose. The newest Tuono V4 1100 RR and Factory models from Aprilia hit the showrooms with a slew of enhancements and improvements including a 3mm bigger bore engine to bring its size to 1077cc, and its power up to 175 horsepower. There was also refined third generation aPRC electronics, better bikini-fairing aerodynamics, improved low-rpm power, a new gearbox, lower seat, longer swingarm, new headstock angle, and a new exhaust—among the many upgrades.