Aprilia Tuono 1000 reviews

I am in the midst of buying my fourth Aprilia and it's my second Tuono 1000R. It's the best all arounder bike out there, more comfortable for my wife than a Honda VFR, more power and fun than one, too. It's value for money and here in South Africa, you stand out as Aprilia is not big out/down here. Show less

The mechanics and handling are just awesome. It takes a lot of skill or stupid inexperience to bring this bike to its limits. Meanwhile, the toque band is still manageable for an intermediate rider. I personally have limited riding experience and find the sure handling, dynamite braking and ever-ready engine power/torque really assuring. This is a very pretty bike to look at. It has attracted a lot of attention from even non riders - It's very interesting how ordinary people ask questions about it in parking lots. Show less

I looked long and hard to find this bike. I had a GSXR and wanted more comfort. The riding position is great compared to a sport bike and it is still fun to ride. The low end torque and sound is awesome. The only negative is the suspension is a little harsh. But I would recomend the bike to anyone. Show less

I've had the Tuono for 10 months and have about 5,000 miles on it. Very comfortable, fast, and handles great. Encourages bad behavior because it makes it so easy. Good looks in an industrial sort of way - sort of unfinished but purposeful. Has been completely reliable though it came with a few problems from the factory (cracked instrument glass cover, vacuum leak, damaged throttle cable housing) which were all fixed under warranty with no trouble. I've commuted on it, toured, and just screwed around and it works well for everything. I have no complaints. It is like owning a Honda but with character (no offense intended!). Show less

Boys - all I've done to this thing was break it in right, right on! And pull the plug out of the air box. It's got major stonk - I'm 205 lbs, a tank crawler and I can't keep the thing down! I love to really get on it, ride it hard and flog it like a dog - just plain fun! Wheelies through first and second are now normal. The Aprilia Ti can, cip and Evoluzione air box are next. I want more power, Scotty! I am gpoing to lower the front at least one line on the forks to try to keep it down a bit. I really don't like the major slappers when I'm blasting out of the corners; considering an Ohlins dampener over the stock. We'll see what the fork changes do to help. Brakes are excellent but make no mistake, they will not compensate for stupidity, I had my cardiac moment and survived. Overall, what can I say, it's a freakin hoot to ride this thing! Show less

I have logged close to 2000 miles on this bike and absolutly love it. Mostly what I have owned in sports and standard bikes were four cylinder and they were all very good in their own way. Although the Tuono does not possess the outright hyperbike performance, it has a very strong engine, monster torque, and an exhaust note that is music to the ear. I have installed the Aprilia high performance chip and exhaust and it has made a noticeable difference. Full throttle imputs in first and second will have the front tire skyward and in third the front tire is skimming the pavement. The bike's handling and ergonomic layout is great for me at 5'9". The transmission shifts smoothly and the clutch is easy to use. There is a little slack in the gearing and a little drive lash can be felt. This is a non-issue once you use proper throttle control. Wind protection is better than I thought it would be from such a small windshield. I wish the fuel range was a little better anything past 130 miles and you need to be very close to a gas station. And when you do stop to fill up, the bike creates a topic of conversation, as does many new models. I have owned a 2002 FZ1 and it was a great motorcycle, plenty of power and would do many of the same things just as well, but the Tuono seems to handle better and has more character. Just another opinion. Show less

Great great fun bike. I'll summarize: Pros: 1. The looks, the looks, the looks 2. Maniac acceleration 3. Excellent brakes 4. Confortable seat, pegs, bar 5. Good wind protection, until 130Km/h 6. Pussycat in the city traffic Cons: 1. Clutch is stiff 2. Its happier above 3000 rpm 3. Need to warm up a little in the morning Overall, the best combination of street/sport/exotic bike I've seen Show less

This is my first sports bike and everything about it is just awesome! It handles,goes and stops just great... Show less

As mentioned in my review of the BMW Rockster I own 6 bikes, from sport to touring. The Tuono is quick and exciting and not for a beginner. I have driven and owned bikes like the ZX12R etc and even though the Tuono has a bit less power it is still explosive in the higher revs. The rear shock however was replaced by me as I could not get full traction at all times. I adjusted the suspension every which way but the stock shock wouldnt cooperate. The Ohlins which replaced it did the trick. Still cheaper than going for the "limited" edition Tuono R. It is the only "naked" bike so far that the sport riders dont look down on:) Show less

One week into ownership of this Tuono R and I am extremely happy. Everything about the bike is different than what I've been riding for the last 30 years (mostly Honda and Yamaha sport bikes and one Norton). The bike looks like no other, the only bright item is the Ohlins front forks, everything else is a very subduded matte finnish; understated yet pleasing to the eye (well, my eye anyway). Sitting position is very comfortable with the press of wind against one's chest only noticable at speeds in the 80 MPH plus range and helmet buffeting just doesn't occur at any speed. Handling is one of this bike's strongest assets as it's very forgiving, allowing quite a lot of "mid corner" adjustment. After only a few turns I began to feel very confident and agressive, and soon realized I was having a great time! The Brembo brakes are just the best, the fronts are very progressive and it's easy to apply just the right amount of force. We've only gone 350 miles together, so the RPM has been limited to 6500 (Okay, it did accidently get to 7500 eight or ten times), but the power is awsome. Not the "light switch" sudden power of the R1 I have been riding but power that builds (quickly) and makes powering out of curves so much easier. The "slipper clutch" works great and allows "no brainer" downshifts; they are smooth every time no matter what the engine RPM. Bottom line is; this bike is fun to ride, and it's very easy to ride agressivly. I will report back after several thousand miles but at the moment I am very pleased with this great machine. Show less