Rennie Scaysbrook | www.cyclenews.com

Barreling through the seemingly never-ending sweeper that leads into turn nine at Willow Springs, the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory isn’t happy. The huge cracks in the surface have pissed the Italian steed right off, and the Ohlins suspension is working overtime at over 100 mph just to keep everything online and out of the High Desert, err, desert.

Photography by RS and Cali Photography

The V4 is a wonderful bike but it’s a handful. It accelerates like a superbike, necessitating the rider to be fully on their toes as things happen very quickly, be it speeding up or slowing down.

On the other hand, there’s a bike in the garage waiting for me that promises almost all the fun and hardly any of the fear. Could it be that I go for a 660 over the mighty V4? Surely not…

Tit for Tat

That bike is the Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory, the higher-spec model over the base Tuono 660 that comes with the full array of rider aids via the APRC electronics with the six-axis IMU. It also comes with fully adjustable suspension, a quickshifter, a lighter battery and a funky single-seat cowling that gives it that racy look.

Aprilia claims 100 horsepower and 49 lb-ft of torque, the 660 is right up there in the middleweight class, only truly challenged by the larger capacity KTM 790 Duke that runs 103 horsepower and 64 lb-ft numbers.

The interesting thing is the Factory version of the Tuono 660 only costs an extra $500 here in the U.S. at $11,099, making it a complete no-brainer if you’re in the market for the junior naked bike and you’ve settled on the Aprilia brand. I would argue at that price, there’s really no need for Aprilia to stock the base model at all.

The Tuono V4 1100 Factory, on the other hand, is the real king daddy of the Aprilia range. With a claimed 175 horsepower and 89 lb-ft of torque, the Tuono V4 has been flying Aprilia’s naked-bike flag for the past 12 years. A little while back, the manufacturer properly differentiated the Aprilia Tuono V4 base model and the Factory. The base model is now the sport touring steed with more relaxed ergonomics, a taller screen and a taller, wider passenger seat. It has largely been forgotten amid bikes like the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ and the Suzuki GSX1000GT+, which is a shame given it’s got way more performance than either.

The Tuono 1100 V4 Factory is $3400 more at $19,599 at the dealership than the Tuono 1100 V4, but you get a lot more for your money with Ohlins semi-active, EC 2.0 fully adjustable front and rear suspension, more aggressive ergos and far more attitude than the base model.

Therefore, it might sound a bit odd to put this against the 660 version but run them back-to-back at Willow Springs and particularly at Streets of Willow and it mightn’t be that silly an asking.

Big Willow

We ran both bikes on the stupendous Pirelli SC3 slicks for two good reasons. The first was we wanted slick performance for the track but the second was we didn’t have to bring tire warmers and stands to do so.

The SC3 is Pirelli’s hardest-compound tire, yet they warm up so fast that I had my knee on the deck within a lap on both the 660 and the V4. Edge grip was exceptional, and so too, surprisingly, was the wear rate. Both the 660 and the V4 were run nonstop over two days, and while the V4’s tires were at their wits’ end, the 660 could have run another two days with plenty of grip to spare.

Over the first day at Willow Springs Big Willow layout, the V4 really showed its teeth not just in the engine department but also in the chassis. Running a claimed 175 horsepower and 89 lb-ft of torque is one thing, but the tight turn four and downhill turn five show just how nimble the nearly $20K Tuono really is.

The entry to turn five really highlights the enhanced braking capabilities of the Brembo Stylema four-piston calipers and the Brembo master cylinder. Feel at the lever is excellent and with zero brake fade creeping in, you could hammer the brakes harder each lap and still get reliable stopping power when you needed it.

From there, the V4 is a case of pinning the throttle and holding the F on. In Sport mode, you get the full whack of the motor, but the initial throttle response belies how much power the motor has. It charges up the rev range, producing waves of unrelenting power matched to one of the best exhaust sounds in modern motorcycling.

Unlike many of its 1000cc-plus counterparts, the V4 doesn’t suffer emissions-induced lagging through the 4000-6000 rpm range. It just powers through with zero complaining, the APRC system working seamlessly to keep it all on the straight and narrow.

The V4 feels thick and strong in almost every area but the 660 by comparison feels like a toy. The 660 weighs a claimed 399 pounds compared to the 1100’s claimed 460 pounds (both curb weight with a full tank of gas), the 660 feeling wholly unintimidating compared to the 1100.

When you consider that the 660 costs almost half what the 1100 does, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re getting half the ride experience. However, despite having a gigantic chasm of performance to the 1100, the 660 still has enough to put a smile on your face around Big Willow. The 100 horsepower on tap is plenty from the tight back half of the circuit, and it’ll still nudge 130 mph down the back straight if you get a good run out of turn five.

The parallel-twin four-stroke motor doesn’t love bouncing into the redline, however. Keep the revs in the mid to lower half of the top-end and there’s always drive to be had. Any higher than that and the forward momentum begins to run out and you’re left searching for the next gear.

High-speed stability on the 660 is good but not great. The 1100 has the weight behind it and thus manages to impart a sense of solidity just not there on the 660.

However, the 660, with its skinnier profile and much lighter weight, retains an agility the 1100 could only dream of. This gets emphasized even further when we turn our attention to the might tighter Streets of Willow the next day.

Streets of Willow

The Streets of Willow track was repaved a couple of years ago and is now one of my favorites in SoCal. The tiny layout crams 13 corners into 1.6 miles and is a haven for good-handling bikes. By that reckoning, the 660 should be the goer, but I was amazed at how much more I enjoyed it compared to the V4.

The V4 is like driving a go-kart in your bedroom compared to the 660, although it’s not without its charms. The 660’s light weight makes the turn three to eight switchback section a breeze, and unless you’re Joe Roberts, it’s going to be impossible to ride the V4 through there faster.

The 660 runs the IMU and allows you to tune traction, wheelie and ABS, but the chassis is so well sorted you can put the settings on level one to give you some safety net and let the mechanical grip take over—helped no doubt by the SC3 Pirelli slicks, which are altogether too much tire for this bike.

One hundred horsepower is spot on for Streets, and I only saw fifth gear for a brief second before hitting the brakes on the back straight when riding the 660. Braking power here is lacking compared to the V4, which is to be expected with the lower-spec Brembo calipers and master cylinder, but it’s a small price to pay when you consider how agile the chassis is and how well the 100 hp is imparted to the tire.

Jumping on the V4, by comparison, is a bit of a bar fight. You’re never quite in full control around Streets of Willow as there’s so much performance on offer. The 175 hp is never fully reached—fourth gear down the back straight was all I got and even then only for a small moment.

However, the V4’s electronic Ohlins make for a smoother ride than the Sachs fork and shock on the 660. The agility isn’t there but there certainly is more feel on the side of the tire, and that allows you to bed the drive into the tire smoothly.

A bar fight it may be, the V4 is still an extremely potent weapon around Streets. With the full suite of electronics, it’s more tuneable than the 660, so the range of improvement is more. It has certainly got more potential at more tracks than the 660, which I feel you’ll get to a point and then be asking for more, which it doesn’t have.

The V4 motor has so much performance that will take possibly years to master but, unlike something like a Ducati Streetfighter V4, it’s not overly fearsome, either. The V4 is a tamed wolf in sheep’s clothing, whereas a Streetfighter is just a wolf, full stop.

When compared to the 660, I’ll take the V4, but I always knew I would. What surprised me was how enjoyable the 660 Tuono was on track. A friendly bike, it’s more a sparring match than a boxing one, and you can easily embarrass riders on larger capacity bikes if you get the chance.

Both are excellent motorcycles, but I’ll spend the extra cash and grab the V4, thanks.CN

VIDEO | Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory and Tuono 660 Factory

Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory Specifications

MSRP	$11,099
Engine	Aprilia parallel twin, 4-stroke
Valvetrain	DOHC, 8-valve
Displacement	659cc
Cooling system	Liquid
Bore x stroke	81 x 63.93mm
Compression ratio	13.5:1
Max horsepower (claimed)	100 hp @ 10,500 rpm
Max torque (claimed)	49 lb-ft @ 8500 rpm
Fuel system	EFI, 48mm throttle body, ride-by-wire engine management
Lubrication	Wet sump
Transmission	6-speed
Clutch	Multi-plate w/ slipper system
Electronics	Suite APRC w/ATC (traction control), AWC (wheelie control), AEB (engine brake), AEM (engine map), ACC (cruise control), 5 riding modes
Frame	Aluminum dual beam with removable subframe
Front suspension	Kayaba 41mm USD, fully adjustable
Rear suspension	Single shock, fully adjustable
Front-wheel travel	4.3 in.
Rear-wheel travel	5.1 in.
Front brake	320mm dual disc Brembo radial calipers w/dual pistons; adj. ABS
Rear brake	220mm single disc, Brembo 2 piston; adj. ABS
Front wheel	3.5 x 17 in.
Rear wheel	5.5 x 17 in.
Front tire	120/70 ZR 17 in.
Rear tire	180/55 ZR 17 in.
Wheelbase	53.9 in.
Seat height	32.3 in.
Rake	24.1°
Trail	4.1 in.
Weight (curb, claimed)	403 lbs.
Fuel capacity	3.96 gal.

2024 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory Specifications

MSRP	$19,599
Engine	Aprilia longitudinal 65° V4 cylinder, 4-stroke
Valvetrain	DOHC, 8-valve
Displacement	1077cc
Cooling System	Liquid
Bore x stroke	81 x 52.3mm
Compression ratio	13.6:1
Horsepower (claimed)	175 hp @ 11,350 rpm
Torque (claimed)	89 lb-ft @ 9000 rpm
Fuel system	EFI, twin injectors per cylinder, full ride-by-wire 48mm elliptical throttle bodies, variable length intake system
Transmission	6-speed w/Aprilia Quick Shift (AQS) up/down
Clutch	Multi-plate wet clutch with mechanical slipper system
Electronics	APRC system (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) that includes three engine maps (AEM), engine brake control (AEB), traction control (ATC), wheelie control (AWC), launch control (ALC), cruise control (ACC); Six riding modes (three Road, three Track), cruise control
Frame	Aluminum twin spar
Front suspension	Sachs 43mm fork, Ohlins Smart EC 2.0 electronically managed 43mm NIX fork, with TIN surface treatment, fully adj.
Rear suspension	Upside-down double-braced aluminum swingarm/Öhlins TTX monoshock with Smart EC 2.0 electronically managed, piggyback, fully adj.
Front-wheel travel	4.7 in.
Rear-wheel travel	5.1 in.
Front brake	Dual 330mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo Monobloc Stylema 4-piston calipers, radial master cylinder with Bosch Cornering ABS
Rear brake	220mm disc, 2-piston caliper with Bosch Cornering ABS
Front tire	120/70 ZR 17 in.
Rear tire	200/55 ZR 17 in.
Rake	24.7°
Wheelbase	57 in.
Seat height	32.48 in.
Weight (curb, claimed)	460 lbs.
Fuel capacity	4.89 gal.