Of course you could have felt it in your shoes. A year after the launch of the RS 457, Aprilia has launched the Tuono version of the cool A2 supersport. According to the Italians, the Tuono 457 is dedicated to young motorcyclists worldwide, the new reference point in terms of style and technology.
Although unmistakably Tuono, Aprilia says that the design of the Tuono 457 was created from a blank sheet on which Aprilia designers sketched the clean lines and compact shapes of a real naked. Or better said: a blank screen, because nowadays that is also done digitally.
he Tuono 457 is built around the 457cc parallel twin that made its appearance at the end of last year in the RS 457, the showpiece of Aprilia’s technological development. It is a liquid-cooled 270° parallel twin that delivers a maximum power of 35 kW (47.6 hp) at 9,400 rpm and a torque of 43.5 Nm at 6,700 rpm. This latest generation engine is very compact and light, which has contributed to its dry weight being only 159 kg.
Unique to the new Tuono 457 is the aluminum frame, which is unique in this segment where costs are extremely important. The chassis consists of two lateral aluminum beams bolted to the steering head and rear; the engine acts as a load-bearing element, allowing the creation of a compact, light and rigid structure.
According to the Italians, this solution delivers the best power/weight ratio in its category. To allow the chassis to fully express its superior driving characteristics and precision, advanced suspension was chosen. The front fork with 41 mm diameter and 120 mm travel and the rear damper (with 130 mm travel), which supports the asymmetrical steel swingarm, are both adjustable.
The braking system consists of a pair of ByBre calipers (the front of which is radially mounted) working with two steel discs measuring 320 mm at the front and 220 mm at the rear. The braking system is assisted by a Bosch dual-channel ABS system with dual-mapping, available on the front wheel or both wheels. The 17-inch rims are fitted with 110/70 (front) and 150/60 (rear) tires.
The Ride by Wire system has three riding modes that allow the power, torque and traction control to be set to three levels or switched off. That sounds incredibly cool, but during the multi-day circuit test, our man Ron H. felt no difference at all between the three modes and his question about what exactly the differences should be remained unanswered.
The ATC (Aprilia Traction Control) system can be adjusted at any time, regardless of the selected driving mode, even while driving, using the convenient UP and DOWN buttons on the left control panel. But in all honesty: traction control at 35 kW is really the biggest nonsense and is purely and solely a marketing tool at this level, but that’s besides the point.
The equipment of the Tuono 457 also includes an advanced TFT 5” color screen as standard, which is really cool, and the practical, intuitive illuminated controls on the steering wheel. And they are also really handy in the evening.
The Aprilia Tuono 457 is available in two different colors. The Piranha Red color scheme features the classic colors from Aprilia’s history – black and red – which emphasize the sporty character of the Tuono 457. The second graphic version is called Puma Gray and has more subdued colors, gray and white, which give the Tuono 457 a more urban look.
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.