We test Aprilia’s premium manic mid-sized naked, the Tuono 660 Factory

Summary

• The 2023 Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory redefines sportiness in the middle-weight naked motorcycle segment with its potent engine and advanced technology.
• With exceptional handling and comfort, the Tuono 660 stands out among competitors in the sub-700cc class despite its higher price point.
• Offering a blend of power, aesthetics, and technology, the Tuono 660 Factory is a standout choice for riders seeking top-notch performance.

Aprilia released the first of its lightweight Tuono 660 naked motorcycles in 2021 and followed up with the slightly more powerful and better-equipped Factory version in 2022. Designed to offer “a new take on sportiness,” the Tuono 660’s highly tuned parallel-twin engine is extremely compact and, coupled with its all-aluminum frame, helps to maximize power and minimize weight. I spent two weeks with the 2023 Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory to see how it stacks up on the street and compares with the competition.

The sub-700cc class of middle-weight naked motorcycles offers a range of capable models, including the Yamaha MT-07, the Triumph Trident 660, the Suzuki SV650, and Kawasaki’s Z650, all of which retail for less than nine grand. Nevertheless, thanks to its unprecedented performance, refined components, and low curb weight, the Tuono 660 stands head and shoulders above the competition. With an MSRP of $10,999, it is also more expensive, but is the Tuono’s cachet worth the extra cash?

In order to provide you with an honest and unbiased review, the vehicle reviewed in this article was ridden on a daily basis throughout the course of daily life for a period of one week. For detailed insight into testing procedures and data collection, please review our methodology policy.

2023 Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory First Impressions

The wide beams making up the chassis combine with a short racing can and side-cowling to produce an immaculate look, and the Tuono 660 Factory is a striking machine. Taking its design cues from the lustrous Tuono V4, the 660 is more dressed than most naked motorcycles, and the Tuono’s extensive fairing incorporates the headlights, a generous wind deflector, and innovative air channeling, which Aprilia says helps to improve high-speed stability while deflecting wind and engine heat away from the rider.

Its fairing aside, the Tuono’s design shares the core characteristics common to the versatile naked roadster class. A high, wide handlebar and neutral peg positioning promise comfort for daily riding, while sportbike-worthy performance promises plenty of thrills. The Tuono 660 Factory is available in two color schemes: The TooFast option, in black with eye-catching red graphics and accents, and our test bike’s more sophisticated livery, Factory Dark, finished in black with subtle details highlighted in red.

Engine and Performance

The eight-valve, 659cc parallel-twin driving the Tuono 660 Factory produces 100 horsepower at 10,500 RPM, only five shy of the 105 produced by the 799cc KTM 790 Duke. That’s a lot of ponies from such a diminutive engine, largely thanks to its high compression ratio (13.5:1) and high-revving design. The engine’s 270-degree firing pattern helps it churn out 49 foot-pounds of torque, 80 percent of which, according to the boffins at Aprilia, is available from around 4,000 RPM.

The engine’s asynchronous piston timing also bestows a glorious rumbling soundtrack on the 660, in keeping with its name (Tuono is Italian for thunder), but the bike’s acceleration strikes like lightning. Our Factory test model gets a shorter final drive than the stock Tuono 660, helping to make it blisteringly quick off the line. However, the powertrain is just one aspect contributing to the Tuono’s excellent performance, which benefits from a class-leading curb weight of only 399 pounds.

Engine And Performance Specifications

Ride And Handling

Helping to keep the Tuono exceptionally light is its twin-spar aluminum frame, which uses the engine as a stressed member. The bolt-on subframe is also cast from aluminum, as is the twin-sided swingarm with its pivot point incorporated in the engine’s housing. A lithium battery also contributes to overall lightness, and the 660 Factory has a power-to-weight ratio of over 500 horsepower per ton, eclipsing every other motorcycle in the under-700cc naked class.

The Factory model gets a 41mm Kayaba fork with rebound, compression, and spring preload adjustment. While at the rear, a Sachs piggyback monoshock is also adjustable for rebound, compression, and preload. Taking care of braking up front are ABS-equipped, four-piston, dual Brembo radial calipers, clamping on 320mm discs, with a radial cylinder and braided brake hoses. At the rear, a single two-piston Brembo caliper clamps a 220mm disc.

The 660’s 32.3-inch seat height is slightly taller than similar-sized bikes, but the narrow, compact engine and sculptured tank will help shorter riders get their feet on the ground. The higher seat kept the bend at my knee reasonably comfortable, and the reach to the wide handlebar was on the sporty side of neutral and about the right angle to offset the wind. Given the Tuono’s sporty proportions, it was more comfortable than expected. However, the seat’s forward cantered angle meant I regularly found myself sliding into the tank, which became tiring.

The Tuono’s aggressive chassis geometry mirrors its performance and weight credentials. Twenty-four degrees of steering rake combined with 4.1 inches of trail give the Tuono 660 a wheelbase of just 53.9 inches, helping to make it incredibly agile. On an open winding road, the Tuono’s response to steering inputs felt almost telepathic and, although I didn’t have an opportunity to test it at the track, there is no question the high-revving, imminently flickable 660 Factory would be a fabulous track tool.

Chassis Specifications

Technology And Equipment

Power is nothing without control, and if its excellent performance and handling credentials aren’t enough to justify its cost to you, consider the 660 Factory’s electronics suite. Ride-by-wire throttle management and a six-axis IMU enabled Aprilia to offer a full suite of active rider modes and aids. For improved safety, multi-map cornering ABS optimizes intervention relative to the bike’s physical attitude, modulating the braking action to maintain stability while maximizing deceleration. The Tuono also offers eight traction control levels, customizable engine mapping and braking, and adjustable wheelie control.

The Factory model shares the five riding modes equipping the standard Tuono 660, configured differently than most motorcycles. Choosing Road Mode provides a choice of two preset maps, Commute and Dynamic, and one customizable option, Individual. In Track Mode, the 660’s menu offers two options, one fully customizable. The Tuono delivers a high level of customization, but the fiddly interface takes some getting used to. The left bar houses the navigation buttons, while the right bar houses the selection button, and for the uninitiated, getting to grips with the menus can be frustrating.

In addition, the Tuono 660 offers cruise control, launch control, and an electronic up-and-down quickshifter. All-around LED lights with DRL have become the norm on contemporary machines but, thanks to its IMU, the Tuono also provides a cornering function, helping riders get a better view of oncoming turns at night. The quickshifter is excellent and works smoothly across the rev range. The full-color TFT instrumentation is easy to read and offers all the right information without being too busy. Smartphone connectivity is available via Aprilia’s MIA app.

The Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory Vs Its Competitors

Within the 600 class of naked motorcycles, Suzuki’s budget-friendly SV650 is one of the most affordable, with an MSRP of $7,549. Its componentry reflects its price, and the SV offers much less performance and weighs nearly 40 pounds more than the Tuono. Kawasaki’s $8,649 Z 650 puts up a better fight, getting closer on weight but still over 30 ponies shy of the Factory’s 100 horsepower.

Triumph’s Trident 660 triple is perhaps the Tuono’s closest class competitor in performance and componentry terms. The $8,595 Trident weighs 417 pounds, comes equipped with Showa suspension and Nissin brakes, and produces 80 horsepower. Nevertheless, in a testament to Aprilia’s engineering team, the Tuono’s true competitors are found in the class above – namely, KTM’s new 790 Duke R and Triumph’s enduring Street Triple.

How The Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory Compares To The KTM 790 Duke R

• 	2023 Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory	2024 KTM 790 Duke
  Model	Tuono 660 Factory	790 Duke
  Engine	659cc, 8V DOHC Parallel-Twin	799cc Parallel-twin
  Horsepower	100 HP	103 hp
  Torque	49 LB-FT	64 lb-ft
  Transmission	6-Speed with Electronic Quickshifter	6-speed
  Driveline	Chain Drive	Chain
  MSRP	$10,999	$9,199

KTM’s new 790 Duke retails for $9,499. It produces similar power to the Tuono 660 but more torque from its 799cc V-twin engine and is equipped with WP suspension. Although the 790 Duke uses a steel frame, it remains light at 417 pounds. The new Duke offers similar ergonomics and handling but falls well short on electronics with no IMU and limited mapping options. The Tuono’s finishing is also superior and, arguably, more sophisticated. However, the simpler KTM promises endless thrills with an attractive price tag.

How The Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory Compares To The Triumph Street Triple 765 R

• 	2023 Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory	2024 Triumph Street Triple 765 R
  Model	Tuono 660 Factory	Street Triple 765 R
  Engine	659cc, 8V DOHC Parallel-Twin	765 cc 3-cylinder
  Torque	49 LB-FT	59 lb-ft @ 9,500 rpm
  Transmission	6-Speed with Electronic Quickshifter	6-Speed Manual
  MSRP	$10,999	$9,995.00

The latest generation of Triumph’s Street Triple benefits from an all-aluminum chassis, adjustable Showa suspension, Brembo M4.32 brakes, and its 765cc engine produces a whopping 118 horsepower. That’s quite a package for $10,195. Although the Street Triple’s LCD/TFT instrument combination is less advanced than the Tuono’s, the Triumph does benefit from ride-by-wire and an IMU, offering lean-sensitive traction control, two-stage ABS, and customizable riding modes. The finishing on both machines is excellent, but the Triumph’s sparse styling is genuinely naked, unlike the semi-faired Tuono.

Should You Buy The Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory?

So, is it worth the extra cash? For some, the Tuono’s stunning aesthetics will be enough to justify the cost. Track aficionados will like the excellent array of engine and performance customization available, allowing riders to dial in their preferred engine mapping and electronic intervention. Daily riders looking for versatility will have more to consider. The Triumph is a proven all-rounder, equally at home on the track or the morning commute, and the KTM promises incredible fun for under $10,000. Nevertheless, the Tuono 660 offers exceptional handling and is far more comfortable than its aggressive facade would suggest.

Aprilia’s middle-weight roadster was a breeze to ride around town with smooth, predictable throttle response and feather-light handling. Out on the open road, the Tuono begs to be ridden hard. Once the revs climbed beyond the 4,500 mark, its fabulous parallel twin came into its own, and the power just kept on coming all the way to 10,000. Precise steering provided exceptional feedback, and carving through the corners felt effortless, inspiring the confidence required to test the bike’s limits. What sets the Tuono 660 Factory apart is its ability to compete with the best on all fronts: performance, versatility, comfort, and even economy, but its better array of electronics justify its premium price – if you use them.