Aprilia Tuono V4 1100
Tuono V4 1100 is the latest and most spectacular evolution of a sport naked dynasty, born in 2002 out of Aprilia’s intuition to strip down and fit a handlebar on their flagship superbike (which at the time was the V-twin RSV mille), thereby combining all the advantages of a chassis par excellence with the fun of sitting up and dynamic riding. The patriarch of the new “supernaked” category was called the Tuono 1000 R, the first ultra high performance naked. Aprilia Tuono has therefore always been a high handlebar superbike, great on the track and loads of fun on the road. It was out of this tradition that a completely new Tuono was born in 2011, a direct emanation from the unbeatable Aprilia RSV4 introduced in 2009 and World SBK dominator. It was an epic change: Tuono V4 R immediately made a place for itself as the highest performance, most technological and sophisticated naked sport bike ever manufactured, the most adrenaline pumping, fierce and effective naked ever seen, an excellence for the most purist of thrill seeking enthusiasts thanks to the V4 engine capable of 167 HP and the exceptional aPRC electronic controls package, still unrivalled in terms of effectiveness and technology. But the evolution did not stop here. In 2013 an even more refined and powerful version was introduced: Tuono V4 R ABS which offered the new features which had already been successfully introduced on the second generation RSV4, such as the higher performance engine (170 HP), the revamped and recalibrated aPRC system and a Race ABS system capable of withstanding even the extreme stress of the track.
The know-how acquired in years of victorious competition at top levels and the experience of the Tuono history now allow Aprilia to exceed limits which had previously seemed insurmountable: introducing the new Tuono V4 1100, an exclusive thrill generator and fun in its purest state. New 175 HP engine with a powerful maximum torque of 120 Nm, revamped chassis setup to achieve better agility, fine tuned aPRC, new look, the possibility of connecting your smartphone to the vehicle through the PMP platform and two distinctly outfitted versions (Factory and RR) that have the same, strictly Aprilia character in common.
Two versions, the same spirit
Tuono V4 becomes a family of motorbikes made up of two distinctly outfitted models. Tuono V4 1100 RR represents an exceptional thrill machine and it is the true heir to the previous Aprilia V4 naked, acclaimed by critics as the most effective and fastest bike in its segment. In addition to this model there is now a version with exclusive standard equipment: Tuono V4 1100 Factory, dedicated to an extremely demanding public, this bike is equipped with components which are largely derived directly from the new Aprilia RSV4 RF superbike.
The new Aprilia naked range, heir to a family of motorbikes which has been voted over time as one of the most fun, adrenaline pumping and efficient bikes ever, thus achieves absolute performance levels and sophistication, but now these bikes are also more comfortable, safe and fun to ride on the road.
In addition to receiving many of the important upgrades which were just introduced on the new RSV4, Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 RR and Tuono V4 1100 Factory also add a new look thanks to the more protective top fairing and the better aerodynamic penetration coefficient. The relative headlight unit changes as well, a whole 1.5 kg lighter, fitted with a LED technology parking light and a more modern shape which better integrates with the overall design of the bike without betraying the typical language of the Aprilia V4 characterised by three headlights.
Tuono V4 1100 Factory stands out for its new rail fairing, derived from the RSV4’s. The saddle has been made more comfortable, even with respect to its fairing-clad sister, thanks to the new foam production procedure which prevents the crystallisation phenomenon – and therefore the hardening – of the foam itself. You can still naturally ride two-up by mounting the dedicated saddle portion. Thanks to the 15 mm lower seating position and the new, narrower handlebar, the on board ergonomics of both the Tuono V4 1100 versions change, becoming decidedly more comfortable.
There are few naked bike as sporty and effective as the Tuono V4 1100; its close derivation from the seven times World SBK champion is clear when you look at the beautiful double rail frame made from pressed and cast brushed aluminium elements, a structure that boasts unrivalled balance between torsional stiffness and flexibility; the new 65° V4 engine is set inside it in all of its purity and uniqueness.
In order to make the Tuono V4 1100 more agile on the road, without losing its legendary fierceness on the track, the headstock angle was changed from 25.1° to 24.7° and the trail went from 107.4 mm to 99.7 mm. These sleeker chassis dimensions combine with the 6 mm longer aluminium swingarm, the various suspension setups and the consequent adjustment of the electronic controls, including the wheelie control feature, to obtain a rock solid chassis at high speeds but more agile in direction changes.
Tuono V4 1100 RR is fitted with a high quality suspension: the upside-down Sachs fork with 43 mm stanchions has separate “one by one” hydraulic adjustments in compression and rebound as well as spring preload adjustment on both stanchions. The Sachs shock absorber with built-in piggy back allows the hydraulics to be adjusted in rebound and compression, as well as spring preload adjustment. The new standard calibration on both units is functional to the increased performance of the V4 engine and the revamped chassis dimensions and it also takes into consideration use of the bike on the road without any prejudice to the possibility of personalisation in order to obtain maximum accuracy and precision in true racing style riding.
The more refined Factory version of the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 comes with par excellence standard equipment unique in its category, borrowed from the king of superbike, the Aprilia RSV4 RF. The suspension section is made up of a trio of Öhlins elements (fork, rear shock absorber and steering damper) characterised by ultra fine tuning possibilities and a base setup that has been calibrated to give the rider maximum performance feedback in sport riding.
The braking system on the new Tuono V4 1100 range has a pair of refined Brembo monobloc M432 callipers on the front which mounts pads with the best possible friction coefficient that grip lightweight aluminium flanged discs (for Tuono V4 1100 Factory). The wheel rims are the same for both models: their lightweight quality contributes to a maximum reduction of the gyroscopic effect, all to the advantage of great handling. Tuono V4 1100 Factory is shod with the sportier Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa, with a wider 200/55 on the rear, in any case approved for street use and available for the Tuono V4 RR as well.
The Tuono V4 1100 range has received all the upgrades to the already exceptional aPRC system that was first seen on the RSV4 RR and RSV4 RF.
As everyone knows, aPRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) is the patented control systems package derived directly from the winning technology in the world Superbike championship, the most complete and refined of any on the market, which provides tyre circumference self-calibration features and wheelie control. The third generation of aPRC, standard equipment on the new Tuono V4 1100 units, fully integrates with the fine full Ride-by-Wire multimap electronic management of the revamped V4 engine. As always, the Tuono V4 benefits from a specifically developed calibration, but it has been evolved even further in order to provide maximum thrills on the road and maximum performance on the track.
The Tuono V4 1100 RR and Tuono V4 1100 Factory aPRC includes:
aTC: Aprilia Traction Control, adjustable on the fly (without having to release the throttle) to 8 settings thanks to a practical joystick on the left side of the handlebar, now has even more fine tuned and higher performance operating logic. The percentage of slippage allowed also differs depending on the speed in the turn: the system’s performance is smoother and guarantees high support in long sweepers at high speeds without penalising grip coming out of slow turns;
aWC: Aprilia Wheelie Control, with 3 selectable settings, has been recalibrated to be even more sporty in map 1, whilst still guaranteeing a slight lift in quick acceleration and subsequent smoother descent of the front wheel to the tarmac;
aLC: Aprilia Launch Control, the assisted starting system for use on the track only with 3 settings;
aQS: Aprilia Quick Shift electronic gearbox for ultra-fast shifting without closing the throttle or using the clutch.
In addition to the third generation aPRC, the Tuono V4 1100 range is fitted with the highly advanced Race ABS system, developed in collaboration with Bosch to guarantee maximum safety on the road, without sacrificing any performance on the track. The 9MP system, which weighs in at just 2 kg, uses an actuation strategy called RLM (Rear wheel Lift-up Mitigation) that, as the name suggests, mitigates rear wheel lift in more abrupt braking situations; it can also be disengaged and it is adjustable to three levels easily by accessing the control menu on the instrument cluster.
Level 1: this is dedicated to track use but is also approved for street use. It acts on both wheels to guarantee the best possible performance, even in the most intense braking conditions at any speed. It takes nothing away from the pleasure and performance of “extreme” riding. With this strategy RLM is disabled.
Level 2: this is dedicated to sport riding on the road, acts on both wheels and is combined with the RLM tip over system which engages progressively based on the vehicle speed.
Level 3: this is dedicated to riding on surfaces with poor grip, acts on both wheels and is combined with the RLM tip over system.
Each of the three Race ABS maps can be combined with any one of the three engine maps (Track, Sport, Road) to allow riders with varying experience and skill levels to find the best possible combination.