New Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory: how it goes, strengths and weaknesses

Refined for sport driving, this Tuono Factory becomes a crazy tool of absolute fun. The seat is comfortablethere is room to move around the saddle both longitudinally and to the side and the handlebar is wide and rightly positioned to allow you to crouch behind the small but effective fairing.

Two screws and the passenger footrests are removed, a click and the single-seat tail is put on, three screws and the whole number plate, rear light etc … To have it “track ready” it really takes nothing, and configured in this way it is even more beautiful. Really like the sound of the exhaust, with the silencer hidden under the engine, dark at the low end and scratchy at revs.

Light clutch and gears that enter soft as butter both up and down, fantastic for driving on the track and beyond. The footpegs are well raised but do not force the knees to flex too much: they are at the same height as the basic Tuono, but have a different shape to save weight and shorter lean indicators to give 2.5 ° more of possible inclination when cornering.

It will be for this extra freedom, it will be for the Pirelli Supercorsa SC1 and the 180/60 rear (additional homologation only for this Factory), but it really turns with your ears on the ground, with travel speed beyond belief. This is thanks to a frame that makes rigor and communication its great value, perfectly supported by a new very fine KYB fork and a rear suspension that uses an ultra-adjustable Sachs monoblock but also a slightly longer swingarm, to the advantage of the trim when exiting corners.

The thrust of the engine, capable of 100 HP of maximum power at 10,500 rpm, is higher than that of any other 660 on the market, thanks to the adoption of the 16 tooth pinion instead of the 17 tooth one which equips both the RS660 and the basic Tuono 660. A godsend to give the right liveliness to this bike.

Turning in, very fast, instantaneous, e nice front end that follows the set line and closes the lines also bringing the braking (Cornering) right into the corner: this is the cornerstone of the guide of the small Tuono Factory, which offers a splendid guide in every situation.

The braking has a nice decisive attack, then you look for more bite and as a power it does not excite. It must be said that the chassis remains very stable and there is a tendency to force, to delay the braking point more and more … In reality, the system is the same as the RS660 and Tuono 660 and does not sin by bite, but with these suspensions there is a tendency to want to exaggerate!

The engine is smooth from the bottom, but on the circuit it is used exclusively from 6,000 rpm upwards. The crescendo of the thrust is very good up to the limiter towards 11,000 rpm and the rigor of the chassis allows to exploit and ground up to the last “pony” available, without worries.

We put her to the whip on the Misano World Championship circuit, and even on such a fast track she was able to entertain us, not a little. Who knows what it must be on more tortuous circuits… a carousel you never want to end. Also because the physical and mental effort it requires to drive is very limited and you can improve lap after lap while remaining fresh and clear, because the fatigue really goes much further than many other more powerful and demanding bikes.

And then you want to put the pleasure of doing the Curvone di Misano in full? It means getting to the 5th limit almost to the limiter, setting the right, throwing the 6th in and keeping wide open until the rope of the next right… remaining closed in the hull as in the straight. It is not just a bike to learn and improve, but to have fun in true and pure driving, one made of smoothness and precise gear changes.

Last note on the price: 10,999 euros fc are 400 euros more than the basic Tuono 660, compared to which it offers an infinity of improvements. We would have no doubt which one to choose.