Want to go naked, fast? Try Aprilia's Tuono!

The latest Aprilia motorcycle has just arrived at Cayenne World in Johannesburg, making the Tuono V4 1100RR its latest and most spectacular evolution of a naked sport bike in South Africa. 

Aprilia claims the bike was born in 2002 out of the bikemaker's intuition to strip down and fit a high handlebar on its flagship.

TWO VERSIONS

Aprilia SA sales director Craig Langton said: “The patriarch of the new ‘supernaked’ category is called the Tuono 1000 RR and there are two new versions: the RR and the Factory.”

According to its maker, the Aprilia Tuono has always been a high-handlebar superbike, "unbeatable on the track and loads of fun on the road". It was out of this tradition, Aprilia says, that a completely new Tuono was born in 2011. It turned out to be a direct progression of the Aprilia RSV4 introduced in 2009 and World SBK dominator. 

The new Tuono V4 1100, Aprilia says, has a 130kW/120Nm engine, revamped frame set-up to improve agility, new look, the ability to connect a smartphone and two distinctly outfitted versions (Factory and RR) that have the same, strictly Aprilia, character.

Changes include a less-massive headlight unit with an LED technology parking light and a more modern shape, says its maker. The Tuono V4 1100 Factory "stands out" for its new rail fairing, derived from the RSV4.

Aprilia adds: "You can still naturally ride two-up by mounting the dedicated saddle portion. The 15mm lower seating position and the new, narrower handlebar allow the ergonomics of both Tuono V4 1100 versions to change."

CHAMPION CHASSIS

To make the Tuono V4 1100 more agile, Aprilia says, the headstock angle has been changed from 25.1° to 24.7° and the trail went from 107.4mm to 99.7mm. These sleeker chassis dimensions combine with the six mm longer aluminium swing arm, the various suspension set-ups and the consequent adjustment of the electronic controls, including the wheelie control feature.

Cayenne World says the bikes have arrived in SA but prices would only be confirmed later. So, now it's later... only the RR is on the showroom floor at R189 900 but with an "introductory offer" price of R197 900. The Factory is sold out already.

HOT OFF THE LINE: The Tuono V4 1100RR is the latest Aprilia model to arrive in SA. It's available through Cayenne World in Johannesburg. Image: Aprilia