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Aprilia Tuono 457 Review - More Than Just The EmperoR'S New Clothes
It was around a year ago that Aprilia took the covers off the RS 457, a faired, race-ready sports bike for the streets that took the fight to KTM's RC 390 and the Yamaha R3. Now, Aprilia has revealed the next addition to its 457 lineup, the Tuono 457.
So is the Tuono 457 a case of the Emperor's new clothes or is this new Aprilia a different kettle of fish altogether? We rode the new Aprilia Tuono in Bangalore to get the answers...
Aprilia Tuono 457 Review: Design & Features - Bug-Faced Naked Delight
The Tuono is usually a partly faired version of the RS bearing the same powerplant but the new Tuono 457, which debuted at EICMA last year has ditched that practice for a more stipped-down naked motorcycle.
Instead of keeping the horizontal triple light setup of the RS 457, the Aprilia Tuono 457 has opted for a double stacked vertical LED lighting setup flanked on either side by boomerang-shaped LED DRLs that give the new bike a decidedly bug-like look. This look is further accentuated by a winglet section that sits under the lights.
Move to the sides and you find the second biggest change that has happened in the transition from the RS to the Tuono. The side fairing has disappeared and the fuel tank (which is now 300ml smaller at 12.7-litres) sports new panels that give it a decidedly muscular look while the extensions add to the aggressiveness up front.
The only other change comes in the form of the flat handlebar instead of the clip-on units that are fitted to the RS 457. The new handlebars allow for a more comfortable riding position despite the seat and the footpeg geometry remaining unchanged. Everything else from the 5-inch TFT for the instrumentation to the illuminated switch cubes, to the taillight and exhaust setup remain the same as the RS 457.
The mechanical bits too are almost entirely carried over from the RS 457. The liquid-cooled, parallel-twin, 457cc engine continues to push out 36.9bhp at 9,400rpm and 43.5Nm of peak torque. The engine is paired with a 6-speed engine with a slipper clutch and optional quickshifter.
The gearing is slightly changed compared to the RS 457 as the Tuono sports a one-tooth larger sprocket. This allows the Tuono to have slightly shorter gearing, which is good news for those looking to sprint down the city streets.
The Tuono retains the twin-spar aluminium frame of the RS 457 which is suspended off 41mm USD forks (120mm travel) at the front and a monoshock (130mm travel) at the rear along with an asymmetrical swingarm setup. Both the front and rear suspension setup offer preload adjustment.
The Tuono 457 rides on 17-inch alloy wheels shod with TVS EuroGrip Protorq tyres while braking duties are handled by dual 320mm discs at the front clamped down by 4-piston Bybre radial callipers while the rear end is stopped by a single 220mm disc clamped down by a single-piston Bybre calliper.
Aprilia Tuono 457 Review: Riding Impressions - Parallel-Twin Street Brute
On the go, the Aprilia Tuono feels brilliant. The slight change in gearing means that it is quite aggressive off the line. The engine continues to sing its parallel-twin song as the revs continue to build.
The parallel twin-pot madcap is still the star of the show and is rather tractable and offers quite a strong low and mid-range and more than potent top-end which means you can easily ride it around city roads and also wring its neck off and hit stupid speeds quite easily once you have an open stretch of road.
The suspension setup on the Tuono 457 feels pliant enough that you don't shatter your spine every time you go over a rough patch of road but is also firm enough that when combined with that twin-spar aluminium frame setup it can dance around a snaky piece of tarmac with ease.
The brakes are where Aprilia seems to have dropped the ball again. The brakes lack bite and the rear disc feels a lot less sharper than the dual units up front. If you are adding the Tuono 457 to your garage, swapping the organic pads for sintered ones is something we would recommend you do as soon as possible.
The three riding modes, Eco, Rain and Race are the same as the ones on the RS 457. Eco is smooth and while Rain ups the power slightly, it keeps a keen eye on the available traction and keeps the bike in line. Race mode, with the traction control switched off allows you to unleash the full potential of the Tuono.
Speaking of the traction control system, it can feel like an interfering supernanny, especially in mode 3. Mode 2 and 1 also feel stifled but are needed for someone graduating up to the Tuono 457 from a smaller capacity single from the 150-200cc range. However, if you are confident enough to trust the way you ride, then switch the TC off and go for it, as long as you can live with those brakes.
Aprilia Tuono 457 Review: Verdict & Final Thoughts - More Than Just The Emperor's New Clothes
With the Tuono 457, Aprilia has entered yet another segment fought over by players like KTM (with the 390 Duke), Bajaj (with the Pulsar NS 400 and Dominar 400), TVS (with the RTR 310), and Yamaha (with the MT-03).
And while it is more expensive than all of its rivals, the Aprilia Tuono 457 brings with it a certain level of brilliant madness that is so uniquely Italian and a twin-cylinder soundtrack that makes it quite impossible to ignore, if you can live with its quirks. So if a naked motorcycle under 500cc is your cup of tea, we would recommend taking the Aprilia Tuono for a spin before making your decision.
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