Aprilia RSV Tuono Racing (2003) review

Barking: try one. Although don’t be upset if you can’t afford the top spec, as the standard Tuono is just as good
Very silly, great handling and a genuine hoot to ride.
Your license won’t last long.

The Tuono was the first of what is now becoming a long list of very silly naked bikes. You have to love Aprilia’s thinking, which probably went along the lines of ‘We need a sporty naked bike, so let’s just rip the fairing of the RSV-R and stick on a set of flat bars.’ And this is exactly what they did.

The Racing is the highest spec Tuono, with Öhlins suspension, lightweight wheels and carbon bodywork, and it rocks. The engine is the old-model RSV-R’s and while it is a tad rough it works brilliantly in the Tuono.

Handling is excellent on back roads and it’s a real sportsbike-annoyer on track, easily keeping up despite the lack of fairing. It’s a very silly bike that is tons of fun.

The Tuono was the first of what is now becoming a long list of very silly naked bikes. You have to love Aprilia’s thinking, which probably went along the lines of ‘We need a sporty naked bike, so let’s just rip the fairing of the RSV-R and stick on a set of flat bars.’ And this is exactly what they did.

The Racing is the highest spec Tuono, with Öhlins suspension, lightweight wheels and carbon bodywork, and it rocks. The engine is the old-model RSV-R’s and while it is a tad rough it works brilliantly in the Tuono.

Handling is excellent on back roads and it’s a real sportsbike-annoyer on track, easily keeping up despite the lack of fairing. It’s a very silly bike that is tons of fun.

Length (mm)2070
Width (mm)800
Dryweight (kg)180
Seats2
Seat Height (mm)820
Suspension Front43 mm Öhlins titanium nitride coated upside-down fork. 120 mm wheel travel. Shortened stanchions. Radially fixed calliper. Solid machined light alloy top yoke.
Suspension RearAluminium alloy swing-arm. Aprilia Progressive System (APS) linkages. Öhlins Racing monoshock with piggy-back cylinder. Wheel travel 135 mm.
Adjustability FrontExternal adjustment system for rebound, compression and preload
Adjustability RearAdjustable in rebound, compression, preload and length
Wheels Front3.50 x 17
Wheels Rear6.00 x 17
Tyres Front120/70 ZR 17
Tyres Rear180/55 ZR 17
Brakes FrontBrembo double stainless steel floating disk, Æ 320
Brakes RearBrembo stainless steel disk, Ø 220 mm. Twin 32 mm
Tank Capacity (litres)18
Tank Capacity (miles)145
Wheelbase (mm)1415
Rake (degrees)25
Trail (mm)99
ChassisBox section, sloping twin spar frame in aluminium alloy. Öhlins Racing adjustable double chamber steering damper with monoblock fitting.
ColoursBlack
Cubic Capacity (cc)998
Valves8
Max Power (bhp)115
Max Power Peak (rpm)8700
Torque (ft/lb)74
Torque Peak (rpm)6700
Bore (mm)97
Stroke (mm)67.5
Compression Ratio11.4
Valves Per Cylinder4
CoolingLiquid
Fuel DeliveryEFI
DriveChain
Max Power114.7
Max Power Revs8700
Max Torque73.7
Max Torque Revs6700
Standing Quarter Mile - Terminal Speed MPH125.22
Standing Quarter Mile - Time11.59
Test Fuel Consumption - Average36
Test Fuel Consumption - Best41
Test Fuel Consumption - Worst31
Top Speed141.9