Aprilia Tuono 1000 R

Ever since it first appeared on the motorcycling scene, the Tuono has embodied Aprilia’s genius and amazing technical know-how, accumulated through victory after victory in motorcycle racing. The Tuono has come to mean flair and technology more than any other road-going motorcycle.

The fact is that the Tuono is simply unique. Not just another naked, the Tuono is a 1000 cc superbike. Only the fairing has been removed, and the handlebars raised for maximum control. The Tuono has exceeded all expectations. It has proved unbeatable as a road bike, and the Factory version has been invincible on the racetrack, literally dominating the Italian naked racing scene. Not satisfied with success at home, the Tuono has also carried the Aprilia flag on the international racing scene, achieving prestige in epic races like the Isle of Mann Tourist Trophy, to name just one event in which the Tuono has fearlessly taken on production bikes and competition superbikes too. The Tuono is a street fighter with racing in the blood.

The new Tuono 1000 R is refined, powerful, and precise. It holds all the records for this class of motorcycle, and is the unquestioned leader on the twin cylinder scene. To put it simply, the Tuono 1000 R is the bike that all other nakeds have to beat. It is a machine for the demanding motorcyclist, the rider who seeks maximum performance from a naked, on the road and on the track.

With performance beyond the reach of the competition, the Tuono 1000 R is the best naked money can buy, with all the performance of a racing superbike to thrill even the most sophisticated racetrack riders.

The 139 HP engine not only gives you more power to play with, but makes the bike more usable on the road too. Just like the RSV from which it derives, the Tuono 1000 R embodies the concept of “total ridability” that has always characterised Aprilia’s performance motorcycles.

Manically precise ergonomics combine with amazingly easy control to let you establish a perfect feeling with the bike the moment you ride off, and to help you maximise your own potential with the minimum physical and mental effort.

The improvements that Aprilia’s engineers have made will ensure that the Tuono 1000 R continues to set the pace for high performance nakeds.

Let’s look at some of the main changes.
· New V 60 Magnesium Evolution engine
· Dynamic air intake (the only naked with ram air technology)
· Electronic fuel injection system with 57 mm throttle bodies
· 16 bit engine management unit
· Exhaust system with twin silencers and three way catalytic converter with Lambda probe oxygen sensor
· Aluminium alloy perimeter frame
· Double banana aluminium swingarm
· Lighter steering yoke

Once again Aprilia has succeeded in producing an exclusive, refined and unique naked. The latest Tuono 1000 R remains the most sought after of all naked twins, and the perfect synthesis of exclusive components, quality, technology and finish.

Like the RSV, the Tuono has been perfected on the track to satisfy the most demanding and refined motorcyclists. Each individual part has been developed to maximise the performance and riding pleasure of a naked that is already a legend in racing circles.

Engine performance is better than ever. Maximum power is 102 kW (139 HP) at the crank and maximum torque 10.9 kgm at only 8,500 rpm. The Aprilia Tuono 1000 R is therefore among the most powerful of all nakeds.

Styling
The bike’s styling is unmistakably Aprilia, and unmistakably Tuono. The Tuono 1000 R maintains a close family look with the previous model and the RSV 1000 R from which it derives. The new, aggressive nose fairing, with closely mounted twin headlights, has been developed in wind tunnel testing to provide effective protection for the rider and to kill lift at high speeds, ensuring maximum precision and control.

The Tuono 1000 R has been designed with performance and comfort in mind. All parts are styled for stunning looks and maximum functionality. The two lateral spoilers, for example, not only look great but also serve an important aerodynamic purpose. They help keep the bike stable at high speed and keep the wind off the rider’s legs. It is partly thanks to these spoilers that the Tuono 1000 R provides better aerodynamic protection than any other naked.

The design team has also gone to great lengths to ensure that, unlike other nakeds, the Tuono 1000 R benefits from race-tuned engine breathing. The Tuono 1000 R is the only naked with a dynamic air intake located directly under the nose fairing, and a duct to channel ram air through the frame to the airbox. Yet more proof of the Tuono 1000 R’s uncompromising racing soul!

On the Tuono 1000 R, ergonomics is one of the bike’s strong points. The seating position has been carefully designed to give the rider maximum control over the front end. The handlebar risers are lower and the footrests have been moved further back, so that the riding position is sportier and more effective. Despite this, overall comfort has even improved, so that riding is less tiring.

The sleek tail with its integrated direction indicators is similar to that of the RSV but points upwards to enhance the Tuono 1000 R’s dynamic styling. The bike can also be rapidly transformed from dual seat to single by an official Aprilia kit (optional).

The V60 Magnesium Evolution engine
The latest 1000 cc V 60 Magnesium Evolution engine is derived from that of the RSV 1000 R Factory, with only a few minor changes to improve torque and muscle at low revs. The engine has been thoroughly redesigned to maintain its reputation as the best twin cylinder engine in production. So performance is more amazing than ever, with 100% usable power and, of course, that proverbial Aprilia reliability.

Engine breathing has been improved by new, bigger exhaust valves (enlarged from 31 to 33 mm in diameter) and new, larger diameter exhaust header pipes. Thanks to these improvements, the V60 Magnesium Evolution that drives the Tuono 1000 R puts out more power than ever, 139 HP at 9,500 rpm, while also boosting torque to an impressive 10.9 Kgm at 8,500 rpm, a figure that tells you all you need to know about the muscle that Aprilia’s V twin can deliver even at low revs.

The silencers have catalytic converters installed nearer to the collector pipes. This solution has reduced converter activation time by 50% while further reducing the level of exhaust emissions, keeping tem well within the strict limits required for Euro 3 homologation.

Optimised fluid dynamics inside the cylinder heads have been enhanced by improved mapping of the combined ignition and fuel injection systems to achieve higher power throughout the useful rev range.

So let’s have a look at the main characteristics of the new V 60 Magnesium Evolution engine:
· New optimised cylinder heads with bigger valves and one spark plug per cylinder
· 57 mm throttle bodies with one injector per cylinder
· High strength conrods
· Lighter overall weight thanks to the extensive use of magnesium
· Close-ratio gearbox
· Dry sump lubrication with a double trochoid pump, separate oil tank and oil cooler
· Mixed gear and chain valve timing. The drive gears (one for each timing chain) are located inside the crankcase to keep the cylinder heads as compact as possible.
· AVDC (Anti Vibration Double Countershaft).
· Aprilia’s patented PPC (Pneumatic Power Clutch) hydraulically operated, power assisted clutch system for controlling rear wheel bounce under deceleration

The Tuono 1000 R inherits the RSV’s dynamic air intake, locating it just under the headlight cluster, in the centre of the bike where ram air pressure is highest. The Air Runner duct (which also supports the nose fairing and instruments) channels the air to a 10.3 litre airbox, designed to allow the engine to develop its full potential. The Air Runner duct ensures that pressure in the airbox increases with speed, and generates a 3% increase in engine power at maximum speed.

An engine control unit developed in conjunction with Siemens VDO provides integrated engine management. The ECU receives all essential engine parameters in real time from 15 different sensors, processes the data and, again in real time, controls the various actuators that keep the engine functioning perfectly at all times.

The unit’s flash EPROM comes with the mapping for unrestricted racing exhausts ready loaded. Aprilia’s Technical Assistance Service can therefore enable race mapping in next to no time on request.

Frame
Whether you are riding on the road or on the track, the Tuono 1000 R’s chassis brings you the tops in performance and control. Every aspect of the frame, fork and suspensions has been fine tuned for perfect weight distribution. In keeping with Aprilia traditions, the frame is a combination of aluminium-silicon alloy castings and Peraluman 450 pressed parts. This highly sophisticated structure is not only more rigid than the previous version but lighter too. The latest frame weighs under 10 kg (9650 grams) setting an impressive new record for its class. The wheelbase is shorter too, and at 1410 mm – another record for the category – accounts for the Tuono 1000 R’s crisper than even handling and more instinctive ride.

The new double banana swingarm provides a clear passage for the exhaust system and weighs only 4860 grams, well under the 5 kg figure considered by experts to be the reference weight for this component.

Suspension
The fork is a Showa upside down unit, with 43 mm stanchions for a perfect balance between precision on the racetrack and comfort on the road. And to ensure that the ideal setup can be achieved for all styles and conditions, on the road and on the track alike, the fork is fully adjustable in spring preload and in compression and rebound damping. The Sachs monoshock at the rear is likewise adjustable in spring preload and rebound damping.

Braking System
The braking system has undergone a number of major changes. The new Tuono 1000 R is equipped with Brembo Gold radial calipers featuring two separate sintered pads. The two 320 mm floating steel discs feature a narrower braking band to minimise inertia and weight and are fixed in place by Aprilia’s exclusive six spoke flange.

The rear braking system is Brembo Gold too, with a 220 mm stainless steel disc and a caliper with two 32 mm pistons.

The front and rear brakes both use aeronautical metal braided hoses to eliminate the sponginess inevitably associated with conventional brake hoses and to ensure maximum braking precision.

Components
What makes the Aprilia Tuono 1000 R stand out from the competition is the tremendous care and attention that Aprilia has paid to every little detail. The design team have done their very best to ensure that every component on the bike improves its performance and functionality, reduces its weight and enhances its quality and finish.

The following components deserve special mention.
- The dashboard is a mixed (digital-analog) unit. It uses the data received over the CAN line to perform an essential autodiagnostic function for which it incorporates a dedicated memory. The new dashboard control unit performs the same functions as the previous unit (including the 40 lap timer) but is more compact and modern in design and extremely lightweight. User friendliness has improved too, with all functions controlled from two practical push-buttons on the left hand light switch.

The LED backlighting can also be adjusted to three levels of intensity.
· The headlight cluster is derived from that of the RSV, and incorporates four light units for perfect night-time visibility.
· The new tail light cluster features the innovative design and LED lighting of the RSV.
· The ignition key is internally coded, and the ignition block is fitted with an engine immobiliser as standard