THE Aprilia Tuono V4 is a bike with a serious reputation and epic street cred for its position at the pointy end of the hyper-naked motorcycle space, when it comes to performance. Whether that’s on the track or the road is irrelevant.
For 2022, it’s available in two variants, the Factory and the more street/touring oriented Tuono V4, and it’s the latter we’re testing. This version of the 1100 is instantly recognisable over its sibling thanks to a taller and more protective windscreen and raised handlebars.
It also offers a nice and upright seating position and its own unique and distinctive colour schemes, in the form of Glacier White and Tarmac Grey. The feisty Italian features a ew design that puts a focus on ergonomics, starting with a redesigned fuel tank.
A tail piece fairing creates better space and feel for the rider, and there is also a nice new LED light configuration, giving the Tuono V4 a sharper and more aggressive look.
Powered by a 4-cylinder 65-degree V engine that gains Euro-5 compliance without sacrificing performance, the Aprilia delivers 129kW of power and 121Nm of torque from its 1077cc motor.
Thanks to its raw and exhilarating power delivery, it provides copious amounts of grin at the flick of the right wrist. It’s a little akin to riding a 2-stroke, and while below 2,500rpm it feels sluggish and rough, it becomes a majestical beast beyond that.
Smooth for cruising and touring, the Aprilia powerplant is matched to a 6-speed gearbox that features a factory quick shifter. This works well equally well whether you’re riding hard through the twisty stuff or cruising the freeway.
A sophisticated electronics suite includes a 6-axis inertial platform, performance ride control, engine maps, engine brake management, traction and wheelie control, cruise control and six riding modes (three road and three track).
The fact the 2022 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 may just be one of the best touring bikes on the market is not lost on us. It offers smooth power delivery, with enough grunt to make any situation fun. Combined with its ergonomic design, it’s a very versatile bike.
Add a set of panniers and we could happily tour for months on end on the Tuono V4, although the fuel economy with current prices might just kill us (figuratively of course). Although not horrible, you can expect 6.4-litres/100km kind of numbers from it.
On the touring front, the pillion passenger hasn’t been left out either, with a new, comfier seat and revised pillion pegs adding to the capability of the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100. With a kerb weight of just 209kg, it isn’t heavy either.
It’s quite a tall bike, offering the rider good clearance when leaning into corners, while still being easy to manoeuvre if you’re moving the bike around in the garage. Handling remains on point on the road too, and is what we’ve come to expect from Aprilia.
With stiff competition coming in the form of Ducati’s Streetfighter V4 S and Triumph’s Speed Triple 1200 RS, the Aprilia Tuono V4 needs to maintain the rage. It does so with razor sharp handling, despite being heavier than its rivals.
It’s a well balanced bike, with a plush and planted ride. That feel comes thanks to the Sachs fully adjustable forks that feature on the front and offer 120mm of travel. The back hosts a new swingarm and a Sachs fully adjustable single shock absorber.
The latter offers a 129mm of travel. Braking is good too, and inspire rider confidence with twin 330mm discs with four piston radial Brembo Stylema callipers on the front. The rear has a 220mm disc with a twin piston Brembo calliper. Both are supported by cornering ABS.
Switch block mounted rider controls on the handlebars are easy to use, and work well for the most part, although we’re not fans of the cruise control switch assembly. Rider information is displayed clearly via a TFT colour display.
The 2022 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 is priced from $28,230 ride away and is backed by a 2-year warranty. It’s an exceptional motorcycle, offering combined touring capability with superbike performance. It’s comfortable and exhilarating, all at the same time.
Our test bike was provided by Aprilia Australia. To find out more about the 2022 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100, contact your local Aprilia dealer. Images courtesy of Zane Dobie.
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