Aprilia Tuono 457 Naked Sports Bike
Aprilia has created another stunning 457, the Tuono 457 naked bike. It is based on the superb RS457 and is, as the name suggests, a stripped-back version. Road Tests and Reviews eagerly took the keys to a Tuono 457 to tackle the twisties of Surrey and West Sussex.
Leaving Newlands Corner on a beautiful Spring morning is glorious, made even better by riding the fabulous Tuono 457 from Aprilia. Unlike the RS457, you sit higher and more upright with less body weight forward and your arms are spread out on straight bars. There are changes to the front and side panels, but the key is that the Aprilia Tuonom 457 keeps the excellent handling, power, and brakes of the RS457.
The Aprilia Tuono 457 has terrific handling and is comfortable tackling the twisties of country A roads and powering along motorways. However, the suspension is relatively stiff, as it is set up for sportier riding and the demands of excellent handling. The Tuono 457 loves to be ridden aggressively, and the suspension allows this; plus, Aprilia has ensured that the pegs are kept away from the road even at full lean angles.
The Aprilia Tuono 457 is light, agile, easy to steer, and can change direction at slow speeds. It is perfect for less experienced and shorter riders, who will feel confident with its agility and ability to plant their feet when required. However, taller riders could feel crammed in with the foot peg position, meaning their knees are in an uncomfortable position.
Fortunately, the Aprilia Tuono 457 has high bars, which add room for the rider to stretch their body upright.
The wide 12.7-litre fuel tank gives the look and feel of a substantial big bike.
Aprilia isolates vibration for the rider with damped bars and rubber mounts.
The Tuono 457 has three riding modes (Eco, Sport, Rain), each with varying levels of Traction Control, plus you can turn it off. You also get ABS (including ‘front only’).
“You can have plenty of track day fun on this naked bike.”
The machine is a breeze to ride, making those transferring from a 125 feel at ease. They won’t find any nasty power delivery issues and will love the throttle response. Once they develop their riding skills, they will enjoy all the power the Aprilia Tuono 457 has, as will more experienced bikers.
The Aprilia Tuono 457 is well constructed, looks superb, and is impressive to ride—all for just over £6000, which is competitive with its rivals in the naked bike sector. The Kawasaki Z500 is £6049, and Honda has its CB500 Hornet, but you can find cheaper machines such as the KTM 390 Duke at £5699, and the CF Moto 450NK is amazingly affordable at £4299.
“Impressive handling and power output”
The Aprilia Tuono 457 has a lovely full-colour TFT dash, backlit switchgear, rider modes, traction control, an adjustable brake lever, ABS, and power maps. It is available in red or grey. Plenty of accessories are available for styling, touring, and performance.
The Aprilia Tuono 457 is an A2 licence machine that offers confidence-inducing riding, plenty of performance for experienced and novice riders, and fantastic handling—all this for £6130.