Aprilia made its debut in the Africa Eco Race at the beginning of this year, and immediately won the 15th edition with the Italian Rally Raid rider Jacopo Cerutti on the Aprilia Tuareg. Reason for the Italians to put a Tuareg Rally on the market for the 2025 model year.
The Aprilia Tuareg Rally has been developed based on the valuable experience that Aprilia Racing has gained in developing the Tuareg rally engine, in technical collaboration with GCorse of the Guareschi brothers. This engine built on the excellent off-road capabilities of the standard Tuareg and quickly became the new standard for twin-cylinder adventure bikes.
He won the 2023 Italian Motorsport Championship with Jacopo Cerutti – who retained the title this year – before stunning everyone on his debut in the desert dunes, dominating the Africa Eco Race from the first stage to the legendary finish at Dakar’s Lac Rose.
Jacopo Cerutti, an official Aprilia Racing rider, also contributed to the development of the Tuareg Rally. “It was fascinating to be involved in the development of a production model like the new Tuareg Rally,” said the driver from Como. “The aim was to make it as similar as possible to the bike we won the Africa Eco Race with, and I can say we succeeded! The Tuareg was already an excellent starting point for hassle-free off-road riding, but with With the Rally version we have gone one step further.”
“With the right tires you can easily drive it over the desert dunes. My experience has been particularly useful in providing feedback on the electronics, which has led to a new engine mapping that delivers faster and more decisive throttle response, and in adjustments to the chassis, with a fork that provides better support and a shock absorber that better absorbs potholes at speed, improving the overall stability of the motorcycle.”
The Tuareg Rally’s distinct off-road character is immediately apparent, with its high mudguard and a new, thicker aluminum skid plate, designed with a more protective shape and a deliberately rugged finish for better mechanical shock resistance. Additional protections include sturdy handguards with metal cores.
A new chain guide is also standard and ensures greater safety even in the most extreme off-road conditions. To improve off-road control, special attention has been paid to rider ergonomics, with a saddle that is 20mm higher to make the transition between sitting and standing easier and higher handlebars with a newly designed shape for better handling.
The heavy spoke wheels with narrow Ergal rims are fitted with profile tires with inner tubes, while the Kayaba suspension – with an impressive 240 mm travel – remains the same as the standard model, but now features springs with a linear spring rate K instead of a progressive one. spring constant. While this comes at some cost to comfort, it significantly improves the off-road riding feel and gives the rider more control over rough terrain.
The stiffer suspension also reduces static deflection, making the Tuareg Rally longer and increasing actual suspension travel. The stand has a support foot with an enlarged surface, so that the motorcycle leans less when parking. The Tuareg Rally (and the entire new Tuareg 2025 range) has its own specifically developed engine mapping for fast and responsive throttle response. This allows the rider to more easily overcome obstacles with a twist of the throttle on the most challenging off-road sections – a crucial advantage when riding off-road.
The Tuareg Rally features a special SC Project exhaust system, complete with a full titanium silencer and featuring an aggressive racing style end cap with a generous 60mm exhaust. The wheel construction and exhaust system contribute to reducing the total weight of the Aprilia Tuareg Rally from 204 kg to 199 kg in running order.
The Aprilia Tuareg Rally comes in the unmistakable color scheme of the Rally race replica and closely resembles the design of the victorious Tuareg that crossed the legendary Dakar finish line. Visually, the Tuareg Rally stands out with its sporty gold anodized forks, rims and handlebars.
The updates for the Aprilia Tuareg are not limited to the debut of the Rally version; all models benefit from new styling and technical features introduced to comply with Euro 5+ regulations. To improve overall efficiency, the 660 parallel twin now features 52mm throttle bodies, up from 48mm previously. In addition, the new alternator reduces the mass inertia, allowing the twin to accelerate faster.
While the Tuareg still retains its distinctive appearance, including the iconic horizontally mounted triple headlamp, the functional design has been revised, particularly around the headlamp cluster, which now features a slimmer superstructure without the lower lip. The Aprilia Tuareg is also available in two new colours, both with a red painted frame. Tornado Green and Hailstorm White.
The extensive range of original accessories for the Aprilia Tuareg has been further expanded. Tuareg Rally-specific items, such as heavy-duty wire wheels, a reinforced skid plate and a chain guide, are now available as accessories for the standard Tuareg. The extensive catalog also includes a TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) sensor. The comfort saddle – available in three different heights (standard, 2 cm higher and 2 cm lower) – is now equipped with heating elements and can be easily controlled via the handlebars when the Aprilia MIA multimedia platform accessory is installed.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.