Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 [2018-2019]

The Aprilia Tuono V4 in Factory guise is by far the easiest ‘big’ bike I have ridden. And it is big. Not in size or weight, mind, it is probably only as large as a 400 and weighs just 184kg dry. The ‘big’ comes from its engine. The new Tuono V4 Factory borrows its advanced, heavily over-square, V4, 1077cc engine from the drool-worthy RSV4 RF. But, it makes less power, if one can consider 175bhp ‘less’ for a sport naked. Also ‘big’ is the performance it packs in. We will get to that in a bit, but for now, all I can say is, if it weren’t for the Tuono’s brilliant electronics, you’d be reading my obituary here instead!

It’s a darling in the city. Turn up the electronics to its most alert setting, get comfortable in the large and cushy seat, and then gas it as you please. Wring it wide open or be progressive with the throttle, the Tuono’s APRC – Aprilia Performance Ride Control – almost always figures out a way to keep the rider right way up; no matter grippy tarmac or slippery cemented roads.

And that’s not all. The Tuono Factory with its all Ohlins setup, which is completely adjustable, rides beautifully too. And we don’t mean for a big, sporty, manic machine; the Tuono rides well, period. Potholes, bumps or even speed breakers are dealt with without bother. It’s only when the speed breakers get high, does one need to be careful for the Tuono can scrape its belly.

But that’s not what makes the Tuono V4 1100 Factory worth dying for. It is the motorcycle’s aluminium chassis, its sharper steering geometry, its grippy tyres and its lovely weight distribution, and its comfy but connected seating ergonomics, which makes it a hero around corners. It’s unfathomable that a bike with so much power, so much visual mass and of course that crazy 200-section rear tyre can be this flickable.

The Tuono reads your mind around bends. You think and it drops into corners without a moment’s hesitance. Plus, its front-end feel and the way the chassis reacts to rider inputs is exceptional; it’s so alive, so alert and so involving, not to mention stable, that it makes the Tuono brilliantly easy to ride fast. And here’s the Aprilia’s party trick – no matter how quick you might think you are around a bend, you can always go faster, lean deeper, and get harder on the gas. The Tuono V4 Factory is simply brilliant.

And there’s more. The Tuono V4 Factory runs Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa as standard. The brakes are equally top spec. Brembos with M432 monobloc calipers. And on the road, the tyres and the brakes come together so beautifully that no matter if you are hauling this Aprilia down from 60kmph or 160kmph, the bite, the progression and feedback – especially from the front that digs into tarmac as if it had adamantium claws (sorry, I am a Wolverine fan) – is so pronounced, it takes rider confidence to a new high.

Then there’s the RSV4 RF derived engine. Forget the horsepower (a near colossal 175bhp, for a naked that is), its torque of 120Nm and the way it is delivered is frenzied. It comes in as huge slabs even at low rpms. So, if you aren’t careful with your right wrist and have the TC turned down to 4 or 5, you will go through that rear tyre before you go through your weekly groceries. The Tuono sounds ferocious at low revs too. So, you don’t need to wind it up to get your aural kicks. But, wind it up you must. The Tuono then begins devouring the road with its rear digging in and the front taking flight. It literally hurls you to the horizon as if it were the Hulk and you barely a pebble. It is as manic as any superbike. And, of course, it sounds excellent all the way.

The Tuono came about in 2002. It has seen a couple of revisions since, but as it stands today, it is as good, better even, than many litre class offerings. It runs a longer wheelbase along with reduced rake and trail. It comes with three riding modes – Track, Sport and Race. Has a quickshifter for its 6-speed gearbox. And as is the norm today, there’s a slipper clutch too. Not only does it keep you from killing yourself under quick and brutal downshifts by avoiding unnecessary rear wheel hop, it makes easy work of clutching and declutching in traffic. There’s a lot more to the Tuono like a silly and small rear seat, but the Aprilia is all about riding. Everything else is just incidental.

If I had the money today, I would have a gleaming new piece of the Tuono V4 1100 Factory in my garage already. In fact, I am already strategising (love this business word) about how to convince the wife to sell our apartment, move to a rented place and get one. So yes, if you have over Rs 20 lakh that you are willing to spend on a motorcycle, get one. Not only will you be the world’s envy, you will love yourself for taking this leap of faith. Not convinced? Ride one.

The Tuono can be compared to every other litre class naked on sale today. The Kawasaki Z1000, the Honda CB1000R and even the BMW S1000R (which should officially go on sale in India soon). These are all great bikes in their own right. These are cheaper to buy as well. But like we said before, if you have the money, buy this Aprilia. We know we would.