Earlier this week, we were looking a little perplexed at some spy shots of what seemed to be a naked version of the Aprilia RS 457. Immediately, this made us think ‘Tuono’, but its more retro-looking, completely unfaired body suggested something a little different.
Regardless, it still had us diving into the classifieds to see how much a slightly bigger but still relatively low-capacity Tuono could be bought for. And despite being a relatively recent bike, the answer is not much at all - we’ve found a Tuono 660 for a mere £5,995.
Interestingly, depreciation has dealt a heavier blow to these bikes than the closely related RS660, the cheapest of which is the best part of a grand more. £6k seems like a lot of bike for the money, particularly when the RRP of a fresh Tuono 660 is almost 40 per cent more. Admittedly, Aprilia is offering some stonking deals on new examples, which might explain the struggling residuals of used bikes. This is also worth bearing in mind if you’d rather buy a brand-new version.
Whichever direction you take, you’re getting the same 659cc parallel twin with a 270-degree crankshaft. It’s one of the best-sounding 270-crank twins out there, and one of the most potent, kicking out 94bhp and 49lb ft of torque.
The RS660 offers a more relaxed riding position than an old-school supersport bike, but the Tuono takes this further still with higher and wider bars. It’s usually categorised as a naked bike, but as you can see, it’s still wearing some clothing, with a fairly large half-fairing and a chunky belly pan. On its website, Aprilia feels the need to state in block capitals: “IT'S NOT A NAKED, IT'S A TUONO.”
The chassis doesn’t depart significantly from that of the RS 660, so once you’re acclimatised to the less sporty riding position, the Tuono will prove nearly as sharp to ride. You also get all the same electronics, including wheelie control, several levels of traction control, adjustable engine braking and cruise control.
Our chosen example has done 10,884 miles, which is pretty good innings for a bike registered in 2021, while not enough use to stop this bike feeling reasonably fresh. It's had one owner from new, and a fresh service at purchase is promised by the dealership selling it.
Tempted?
