2017 Aprilia RSV4 and Tuono Review at RideNow Chandler / Euro
Here is our verdict on the 2017 Aprilia RSV4/Tuono duo right up front – they solve nothing. As in, neither motorcycle does anything to solve the eternal existential debate between want and need, between logic and emotion. In reality, there is almost nothing about a 200+ horsepower, nearly $23,000 motorcycle that is even remotely logical.
The Italians are masters of creating dream machines that dismiss pesky logic and plunge right for the heart of emotion.
In the case of the new offerings from Aprilia, that emotional appeal is the two-wheeled equivalent of a sunset gondola ride through Venice while sipping a fine Chianti and singing “Speak Softly, Love”. Mamma mia, how we want one!
Aprilia’s championship winning superbike, the RSV4, comes in two flavors for 2017 – the base RR and top-tier RF. The differences between the two are relatively minor: the RF rides on lightweight forged aluminum alloy wheels, gets stickier tires, is held aloft by premium Ohlins suspension, and wears gorgeous “Superpole” graphics.
Outside of that, they are the same. At the heart of both bikes is Aprilia’s beastly 65-degree V4 which pumps out 201 horsepower and 84.8 pound-feet of torque.
Power remains the same as last year, but Aprilia breathed on the engine and gave it lighter pistons, new valve springs, improved connecting rods, and updated electronics. The result is a slightly higher redline and crushing mid- to top-end power.
Other mechanical updates for 2017 include a quickshifter that handles up and downshifts, and 330 millimeter Brembo M50 front brakes, 10mm larger than last year’s bike.
The price of entry? The RR runs $16,999 while the RF is a not-unsubstantial $22,999. Are lighter wheels, different suspension, and those admittedly glorious graphics really worth an extra $6,000 for the RF? For mere mortals, likely not. For wealthy track rats, though? Hell yes.
Also refreshed for 2017 is the Tuono, Aprilia’s RSV4-based naked streetbike. While it may be less aggressive than its performance-first superbike sibling, it is still a wildly capable and desirable machine.
It gets all the mechanical goodies from the RSV4, just with no fairings, upright bars, and a more relaxed riding position. In Tuono guise, the same V4 engine makes 175 horsepower and slightly more torque at 89 pound-feet.
The Tuono dressed in RR trim is a dollar under $15,000, and the Factory will set you back $17,499.
The real headliner for 2017 on both the RSV4 and Tuono is the upgraded electronics suite – fourth-generation APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control), fully ride-by-wire throttle, three different engine mappings, eight-level traction control, ABS, wheelie control, launch control, and cruise control.
Nearly all systems are customizable and can be changed on the fly.
Were the heavens to part and the angels to sing and we had to choose between the RSV4 and the Tuono, the struggle would be so real. In the end, we might have to go with the Tuono but what do we know...
Both bikes are absolute weapons with exhaust notes that sound like the furtive lovechild of a MotoGP bike and a volcano, but it is the Tuono’s seamless blend of power, comfort, and versatility that wins the day. We will take our Tuono in RF trim with a full tank of premium, please and thank you.
