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2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 and Tuono Factory first ride review

Aug 11, 2021

If you’ve never rocketed down the road aboard an Aprilia RSV4 or Tuono, you’re missing out on one of the most sublime experiences in modern motorcycling. 

It’s difficult to overstate how thrilling the sound and feel of that 65-degree V-4 engine are, but to enjoy them you’ve always had to climb aboard fairly committed machines. Even the Tuono naked bikes are hard-edged; their handlebars just position them a little lower on the Rockwell scale.

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4
For the first time in the V-4 era, there's a Tuono with some touring features. Aprilia photo.

For 2021, the two Touno models, now called the Tuono V4 and Tuono V4 Factory, have diverged a bit, at least compared to previous versions. The up-spec Factory is still a bona fide superbike with a handlebar, while the Tuono V4 is presented as a more comfortable travel machine with an even higher bar, a modest windscreen, and optional saddlebags. As a guy who toured on a 2016 Tuono 1100 RR, I’m feeling validated. 

The updates

As in years past, the Tuono V4 family inherits many of the updates bestowed upon the RSV4 superbike, which in turn have trickled down from the RS-GP MotoGP racer.

New swingarm on the 2021 Aprilia Tuono V4.
A new inverted swingarm increases rigidity, especially around the rear dropouts. Aprilia illustration.

From a technical standpoint, the headliners are the new inverted swingarm (600 grams lighter, 48 percent more rigid), a faster and more capable 12MP ECU (the bike’s brain), reshaped fuel tank, Euro 5-compliant exhaust and updated APRC rider aids, now with adjustable engine braking.

Something that’s not carried over is the RSV4’s new-for-’21 1,099 cc engine. The Tuono uses the same 1,077 cc V-4 as last year, which will disappoint absolutely nobody. It’s good for a claimed 175 horsepower and 89 foot-pounds of torque, delivered to a soundtrack that would make John Williams weep. 

TFT dash on the 2021 Tuono V4.
The dash’s diagonal measurement has grown from 4.3 inches to 5. There's a lot of info displayed, including a fuel gauge for the first time. Photo by Larry Chen.

From a visual and UX perspective, a larger five-inch TFT dash (now with a fuel gauge!), new left-hand switchgear and revamped styling take center stage. If the Tuono’s face looks familiar, that’s intentional. Aprilia is deploying the triple-headlight design first seen on the RS 660 across the street lineup. The Tuonos share the same layered fairing design as the RS 660 and Tuono 660, as well.  

A fork in the road

From here, however, the two Tuono models veer down different paths. The Tuono V4 Factory seems destined for the track, where its SMART EC 2.0 Ӧhlins suspension and peacocky paint place it among the A Group elite. Status quo for a Factory. The Tuono V4, on the other hand, may just head to the mountains for a few days to rack up a quick 1,000 miles strafing passes, like I once did on a Tuono 1100 RR that I was fortunate to have on long-term loan. 

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory at the track.
The Tuono V4 Factory, slick-shod in its natural environment, the track. Aprilia photo.

That’s because the base-model Tuono has been cast as a hyper naked with touring potential. While previous generations of Tuonos were distinguished more by price point and component spec than purpose (haul ass versus haul even more ass), the 2021 bikes have different missions.  

True, the V4 follows tradition by being more affordable (at $15,999, it’s $3,500 less than the Factory), with non-electronic Sachs suspension, but it’s also a more comfortable option for those who demand shoulder-dislocating acceleration but measure their rides in days, not hours. 

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 windscreen.
The Tuono V4's windscreen is 18 percent larger than the Factory's. The fairing also integrates deflector wings, visible just below the outside edge of the headlight. Aprilia photo.

Taller handlebar risers put less of a bend in your back while a taller windscreen and fairing-mounted deflectors punch a clean hole in the air that spans from your elbows in and your neck down. It’s not exactly Gold Wing aero, but it’s more protective than the exposed riding position on the Factory and will certainly pay dividends during long days on the road, or any time the weather turns bad. 

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 passenger seat.
The Tuono wasn't even offered with a passenger seat until 2016. For 2021, passengers get the best accommodations in the hyper naked category. Photo by Larry Chen.

Comfort considerations apply to the passenger, as well, with a broad and well padded seat, generous grab handle and extra legroom via footpegs that appear to be about 1.5 inches lower than what’s on the Factory. There’s never been a more inviting way to experience the joy that is an Aprilia V-4, and you can even get it with semi-rigid (and very asymmetric) saddlebags so you can spread the thrill across state lines over the course of a weekend.  

Kick it into gear

As always, the Tuono greets with a bark from the muffler when you hit the starter. Maybe I pushed my earplugs in deeper the day of the ride or maybe the new Euro 5 exhaust is quieter, but the bike sounded more polite and less raspy than I recall in previous years.

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 riding through a tunnel.
I didn't think Aprilia's V-4 could sound any better. Then I accelerated through the tunnel on the Angeles Crest Highway. Photo by Larry Chen.

The linear power delivery and the delightful feeling of the engine shuddering under load are exactly as I remember, though. So is the punishing engine heat that roasts your left ankle, and the unnecessarily limited steering lock. All things I learned to live with in order to keep my adrenal glands exercised. 

As with the best bikes, the engine is the star of the show, and this one certainly deserves the limelight. It’s one helluva potent motor, and while your eyeballs will most definitely get pressed into their sockets when you pin the throttle, the power is always tractable and in no way overwhelming. 

Both the V4 and V4 Factory come with a bi-directional quickshifter that works flawlessly (and accentuates the V-4’s amazing sound) and the all-Brembo brake package only requires one finger to slow this beast down. The menu system, which is accessed via an updated left-side switchgear and that bigger TFT dash, is straightforward and easy to navigate. That’s a real accomplishment in today’s world of ultra-complicated electronics.

Front brake on the 2021 Aprilia Tuono.
Brembo M50 calipers, fed by a Brembo radial master cylinder, squeeze Superbike-size 330 mm rotors. One finger is all that's needed on the lever for all but the most aggressive braking maneuvers. Aprilia photo.

The Factory has an additional menu for the semi-active Ӧhlins fork and shock, and I was surprised by how different the three Automatic modes feel. From marginally softer than the base bike to slightly firmer, the system offers a lot of variability.

I’ve always preferred the base bikes (RSV4 and Tuono) due to their less-rigid suspension setups, but the Sachs arrangement on the Tuono V4 is actually pretty taut. That’s not what I expected for a travel-oriented bike, but it just means the chassis is well calibrated for hard acceleration and braking. And charging hard is, ultimately, what both Tuonos are designed to do.

Cornering on the 2021 Aprilia Tuono.
Whatever issues you’re facing in your everyday life, second gear on a Tuono is good for what ails ya. Photo by Larry Chen.

These bikes’ sport-bike DNA is immediately apparent on a twisty road. Both models handle excellently, balancing high speed (105 mph in second gear, anyone?) stability with deft steering. Rapid direction changes are easily accomplished, even while trail braking or accelerating, though I did find that deeper lean angles called for a little bit of body language to make the bike feel fully planted.

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 fairing.
A layered fairing more accurately directs air around the rider. There's also less shrouding near the front wheel, which is an approach Aprilia uses on the RS-GP race bike to improve maneuverability. Photo by Larry Chen.

Perhaps for that reason, I was more comfortable pushing the pace on the Factory since the lower handlebar helps weight the front end. It could also have been the shorter final-drive gearing or the stickier and more aggressively shaped Pirelli Supercorsa tires that had me feeling fired up, but it’s obvious that the Factory would murder a track day. My 2016 Tuono had no problem running with superbikes during a track day at Laguna Seca, and it was the base-model RR. 

A travel Tuono?

So the Tuono Factory is more of what we’ve always loved about Aprilia’s gnarly naked bike. Excellent. The big news here is the base Tuono V4, with those comfort-focused features and the most generous passenger accommodations in the category. 

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 with accessory luggage.
The Tuono V4, kitted out with accessory saddlebags and tank bag. Photo by Larry Chen.

Jumping between the V4 and the Factory, the difference in handlebar height is apparent, even though it’s probably only a delta of an inch (Aprilia didn’t have a specific figure, and I didn’t have a tape measure). The higher bar and effective aero are great additions, but more legroom via lower footpegs would have been the winning trifecta. As it stands, the Tuono is as it’s always been — short on distance between the footpegs and that 32.5-inch high seat.

Speaking of legs and feet, when the road tightened up and I began shifting around on the Tuono V4, the heels of my Alpinestars boots started hitting the elongated passenger pegs. Lower rider footpegs would add comfort and avoid clearance issues with the passenger footrests. I’m just sayin’.   

Traveling on a Tuono.
Tuono travels! I took my Tuono to the track and on several road trips, including this foray into the Sierra Nevada. That's CTXP director/editor Spenser Robert with his FZ-10. Photo by Spenser Robert.

When I toured on my Tuono, I made do with a 28-liter tail bag. It encouraged me to pack light, but the accessory semi-rigid luggage (price still TBD) will force you to pack even lighter. They have 22.5 liters of capacity, with 16 liters in the normal-looking left bag and 6.5 liters in the lunchbox of a right bag, sized to clear the muffler. It’s not the most attractive arrangement, but it does allow you to carry some luggage and still have room for a passenger. 

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 model lineup.
The Tuono V4 Factory has a racy paint scheme, whereas the base V4 comes in calmer Tarmac Grey (left) and Glacier White (right) colorways. Photo by Larry Chen.

Looking down the road

There’s no doubt that the Tuono V4 would have been a better fit for the kind of riding I did when I had a Tuono RR. If it was up to me, however, I’d take the base Tuono with its $3,500 lower price and better aero, install the shorter handlebar masts and passenger pegs from the Factory, slap another tail bag on that sizable passenger seat, and call it good.

The $19,499 Factory is certainly sexy, and an inspiring example of what the hyper naked category can be. It’s a committed machine for committed riders, whereas the Tuono V4 offers nearly as much performance with a lot more comfort and usability.

The 2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 is a helluva lotta fun.
As always, Aprilia’s open-class V-4 is something that every motorcyclist should experience. And with the passenger-friendly Tuono V4, the experience can now be shared. Photo by Larry Chen.

At the press launch we were told that in some years, Tuono sales outpace RSV4 sales three to one. With that amount of interest, it’s a smart move to put more space between the two Tuonos, since it’ll make the model appealing to a broader audience. I’m also excited to see that Aprilia has gotten wise to the fact that folks want to enjoy its V4 platforms for more than just a few hours at a time.  

After all, a riding experience as sublime as this shouldn’t just be experienced, but shared.

2021 Aprilia Tuono V4 (Tuono V4 Factory)
Price (MSRP) $15,999 ($19,499) 
Engine 1,077 cc, liquid-cooled, 16-valve, 65-degree V-4
Transmission,
final drive
Six-speed, chain drive
Claimed horsepower 175 horsepower @ 11,350 rpm
Claimed torque 89 foot-pounds @ 9,000 rpm
Frame Aluminum twin spar 
Front suspension Sachs 43 mm fork, fully adjustable; 4.6 inches of travel (Öhlins 43 mm fork, fully adjustable; 4.7 inches of travel)
Rear suspension Sachs shock, fully adjustable; 5.1 inches of travel (Öhlins shock, fully adjustable; 4.1 inches of travel)
Front brake Brembo four-piston calipers, 330 mm discs with ABS 
Rear brake Brembo two-piston caliper, 220 mm disc with ABS
Rake, trail 24.7 degrees, 3.9 inches
Wheelbase 57.0 inches
Seat height 32.5 inches
Fuel capacity 4.9 gallons
Tires Pirelli Diablo Rosso III, 120/70ZR17 front, 190/55ZR17 rear (Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP, 120/70ZR17 front, 200/55ZR17 rear)
Claimed weight 461 pounds
Available Now
Warranty 24 months, unlimited miles
More info www.aprilia.com