BIKE LAUNCH

Stuart is wearing a Shoei NXR helmet, Berik Force 2.0 suit, Held Titan gloves, Forcefield Blade back protector and Alpinestars Supertech R boots.

APRILIA TUONO 1100 RR
THUNDER DOWN BELOW WORDS STUART WOODBURY PHOTOS TIM MUNRO & NICK WOOD

Aprilia’s Tuono (‘Thunder’ in Italian) is a hyper-naked machine that stirs emotions as only an angry V4 engine can do. This year the engine capacity has been increased and handling is sharper than ever, producing one of the most precise and enjoyable hyper nakeds on the market.

The primary goal of the changes made to the already extraordinary Aprilia Tuono V4 engine was to increase torque, especially at medium to low revs, in order to increase effectiveness and riding pleasure on the road. To achieve this goal the engine capacity was increased to 1077cc thanks to the new cylinder bore which was taken from 78 to 81 mm. This increase in displacement also resulted in higher top performance: the power peak went from 125 to 129kW and places the Tuono V4 1100 range at the top of its segment.

It allows this hyper-naked to excel as a complete weapon for thrills and effectiveness with superlative torque values that dominate on the road and uncompromising top performance to dominate on the track. This is what we found in both environments.

As much as a fairing can help enormously on the track, we were still easily passing more fancied “track bikes” with the new 1100 RR. On the road, the massive spread of both power and torque finds you in a lonely place – kilometres in front of everyone else.

Ah, loneliness! So if the bet is that the first to the pub gets beers all night – the Tuono 1100 RR will have you showered, relaxed and ready for those frosty treats before most of your other mates turn up!

However, my only gripe with the engine is its low speed throttle response. It is very much on or off and very hard to maintain a “just on” throttle, so as a commuter, the 1100 RR is not the best. But the majority of people who buy a bike like this will only be buying it for the insane power and torque, not to get to work.

Combine this performance with the refined chassis and geometry and you can’t wipe the smile off your face.

The amount of feel the front end gives you is superb.

The 1100 RR handles very similarly to its world championship-winning brother – the RSV4.

In order to make the Tuono V4 1100 more agile on the road, though, without losing its fierceness on the track, the head stock angle was changed from 25.1° to 24.7° and the fork advancement went from 30mm to 35mm for a trail reduction from 107.4mm to 99.7mm. These sleeker chassis dimensions combine with the 4mm longer aluminium swingarm and the various suspension setups from Sachs create a rock solid chassis at high speeds but one that is more agile in direction changes. And to that end, in its standard form, the Tuono is all but perfect for the road.

With so much go, you’re going to need a lot whoa! The braking system on the 1100 RR has a pair of refined Brembo monobloc M432 calipers on the front with switchable Race ABS. On the track I preferred the ABS switched off, but on the road I’d have it on level 2, which means that both front and rear can activate, although it does take quite a bit to get the front going.

Developed in collaboration with Bosch, the 9MP system, weighing a mere 2 kg, adopts an intervention strategy called RLM (Rear wheel Lift-up Mitigation) that limits stoppies when braking sharply. It can be disengaged and easily adjusted on all 3 settings by accessing the instrument control menu.

Other electronics are now in their third generation – APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) is the patented control systems package derived directly from the winning technology in the world Superbike championship. As always, the 1100 RR benefi ts from specifi cally developed calibration, but it has been evolved even further in order to provide maximum thrills on the road and maximum performance on the track.

Here’s a snapshot of these aids:

Aprilia Traction Control (aTC): adjustable on the fl y (without having to release the throttle) to 8 settings thanks to practical plus/minus buttons on the left side of the handlebar.

Aprilia Wheelie Control (aWC):

adjustable to three settings, has been recalibrated to be even more sporty at level one, while still guaranteeing a slight lift in quick acceleration and subsequent smoother descent of the front wheel to the tarmac.

Aprilia Launch Control (aLC): for use on the track only, with 3 settings, this has to be one of the easiest launch controls to activate – by holding the plus/minus buttons together until the instrument panel tells you it’s on.

And finally: Aprilia Quick Shift (aQS): a system for extremely fast gear changes without shutting the throttle and using the clutch – a must on all bikes, I reckon!

Styling has not been changed, but the two new colours and graphics really make an impact. The bike is available in Portimao grey or Donington blue. The blue looks stunning in direct sunlight and as much as I wasn’t a fan of the grey when I fi rst saw it, after living with it for a couple of weeks it grew on me. But I’d still pick the blue.

Accessories are extensive, from performance to bling and even a tank bag, you can even get Aprilia’s new V4-MP multimedia platform.

Aprilia really has stepped it up in the hyper-naked world with this new Tuono 1100 RR. Every time I rode it, I was giggling at how much fun it is to ride.

Just don’t giggle too loudly, otherwise those boys in blue will be shaking their finger at you.

SPECS
APRILIA TUONO 1100 RR

PRICE: $23,000 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled V4 cylinder,4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder BORE x STROKE: 81 x 52.3mm
DISPLACEMENT: 1077cc
COMPRESSION: 13.5:1
POWER: 129kW @ 13,000rpm
TORQUE: 121Nm @ 10,500rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate slipper clutch, chain final drive
SUSPENSION: Front, 43mm inverted fork, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 120mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 130mm.
DIMENSIONS: Seat height 825mm, weight 184kg (dry), fuel capacity 18.5 litres, wheelbase mm
TYRES: Front, 120/70/ZR17. Rear, 200/55/ZR17
FRAME: Aluminium perimeter
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with monobloc radial mount four-piston switchable ABS calipers. Rear, 220mm disc, dual-piston switchable ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 8.14 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 227km
COLOURS: Portimao Grey, Donington Blue

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