Big, powerful and naked, just how Boothy likes ‘em.
With the exception of maybe the thumping KTM Super Duke, there isn’t anything in the super naked class that can match the power figures of the V4 Tuono, which is one of the reasons it’s been the class leader for so long. But it’s not just its fantastic motor that makes it stand out from the crowd, oh no. On paper the Tuono has everything you want and more. With its Aprilia Performance Ride Control (APRC), its three riding modes – Sport, Track and Race – are customisable for all the things you’d expect via a dash every bit as trick as the Triumph’s. Also like the Triumph, the Tuono comes with fully adjustable Öhlins front and rear, Brembo brakes and Pirelli Supercorsa tyres. But the similarities end there.
I put the key in the ignition (how novel), fired it up and despite only having a very bog standard looking exhaust (a shame, considering it’s the ‘premium’ Factory model), the sound that emanated from the Tuono was akin to the growl of a rabid dragon, which barked with ear-drum violating ferocity with every blip of the throttle. The sound of the bike was every bit as exciting as I remembered so I couldn’t wait to swing a leg over and reacquaint myself with this absolute weapon of a bike.