First impressions:- Aprilia Tuono 1100 Factory

 

Please note: read the following report knowing that it is my (sb1250's) personal experience and a completely biased report coz I'm still so excited about my new purchase!
My choice of manufacturer, model, and colour might not be to everyone's taste, so boo hoo..... I love it!!
Why didn't I buy a BMW S1000? I didn't like the finish, the exhaust, and the list if elec problems. The GSXF1000? A 10 year old engine with bland styling, and it was always due out "soon". The Z1000? Just didn't do it for me! 

Now the only changes I've done to the bike since it left the dealer was adjust the levers! The Tuono is almost a perfect fit for me. I felt "at home" as soon as I threw a leg over! Seat is fairly firm, but not uncomfortable for my derrière. Just for comparison, I thought the standard seat on the Bandit was pretty comfy!! The Tuono seat is firmer, and slightly wider. 
The bars aren't flat, but raised to a position that doesn't push too much weight thru my wrists. 
My legs aren't cramped with the foot peg position, and the gear lever isn't hard to access. I say this coz the Bandits gear lever was always difficult to squeeze my winter alpine star boot under. The clutch is light and the throttle is fly by wire. The switch gear isn't for the ham fisted!! It's more of a delicate touch to use the indicator. I still find myself pushing the indicator button hard expecting a click, or clunk to let me know the indicators have cancelled. Using the high beam switch took a few goes to get comfy with. It's a" flick up" with yer pointy finger!! The actual high beam shines from the centre lamp only, low beam lights up the 2 outside lamps with a DRL in the lower part of the centre beam. All the lights work like .....errr......proper lights, not a tea candle! The horn in no Stebel, but is louder than shouting.

The instrument panel has 2 displays, one conventional road type, and one for full on race track use. It took me 2 days to work out the clock and trip computer from the inch n a half thick instruction manual. All the functions are available from the left switch gear. There's a mode switch and + n - buttons which can be adjusted/selected on the fly. You can adjust the amount of ABS and or traction control while still moving. There's also launch control, and wheelie control......but they're set to girlie mode at the moment. Oh, the Tuono has a slipper clutch, and a quick shifter. The quick shifter works best over 5k, and is intoxicating! Keep the throttle open (constant or accelerating), and just up shift without any clutch. Sounds similar to the VW Golfs or the Audis. 

Now THAT engine! Holy sh1t!! On start up there's an explosion.....literally! I'm worried the neighbours are going to get pretty pissed at my early morning start ups. The engine, a V4 60 degree 1100, sounds like a pissed off VFR800. It's the loudest standard exhaust I've ever heard. A sticker informs me that at 5500rpms, the noise is going to register 107dba's!! For me it's the best of both configurations. It's not as smooth as an inline 4, but still has a "revy" twin feel. 

Ive never had a full ohlins suspension setup (including strg damper) before, and my "Factory" comes with it......standard. The base Tuono RR has a Sachs setup, and from what I've read, are pretty good anyway. Wow, this thing likes to go around corners. Unbelievably confidence inspiring. I'm going to get the ohlins setup for my weight after it's first service.
Tyres are sticky Pirelli Super corsas, and the rear is a 200. Reckon they might get 4000kms if I'm lucky, and get swapped out for Michelins RP4's.

There's a pillion seat, but it's removable/replaceable with the tail piece. The seat isn't going to win any comfort competitions, but my lovely wife reckons an hour trip into the hills to get a coffee will be no problem. There's virtually no room under the pillion seat/duck tail area, so finding a suitable place for a puncture repair kit or another pro-oiler, is going to be a challenge. 

The fit and finish is fantastic. It's not very often I find myself just staring at a motorcycle, but this Tuono is captivating. The attention to detail...wow. From the welds, to module placement, to the exhaust, panel gaps, instrument fonts, the lines on the body, the brembo mono blocks, cable shields, design of the fuel filler cap......, those wheels...., that rear hugger, ......mmmmm....oh, wooops, sorry, I've been rambling.....I'll shut up now.

I`m still really jealous...........

I rode the v4 1000 when they first came out, and its still etched on my memory like yesterday.

I was the same with the indicator switch, its a bit weird that thing!

Like you say, its not as smooth as an in line, but who cares.

After reading reviews about the 1100, its supposed to be smoother than the 1000.  I could have lived with the 1000 no worries.

They`ve made the 1100 into a far better bike by all reports, and my next trip to the big smoke, will have me swinging on by for a test blast.

The only thing that may/would put me off the bike is the noise. I`m not saying its bad. I love the sound, but as you say, the neighbours may soon hate you. 
But hey...its no where near as loud as those American things that annoy the crap out of me.

Well done mate. Happy riding!!

Great report, thanks for sharing 

Nice write up. 
Super jealous.  
You've done what everyone on here wishes they could. Had a dream. Made it happen. Good on you.YOLO. 
Please tell me that you are now saving your pennies to do a SuperBike school and ride your girl where she was made to excell.

Great stuff SB.  Some more pics please. From different angles. And tell us how she rides.  Sounds like you're in love.

That's a very nice bike.
More pics would be great

What's YOLO?

reddog wrote:What's YOLO?

It's important to keep up with the lingo, RD, after all, you only live once.

reddog wrote:What's YOLO?

This site is handy for any future references you may want........just type in the word or phrase  

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Yolo

You only live once?





Good write up, great to see your new ride has realy stirred up your passion for riding

Chook wrote:You only live once?

Except if you're Hindu...............

I'm tempted to get one of these. I want the factory, but don't like the flashy paint job, wish you could get the rr with ohlins ... See what happens Saturday when I check them out in the flesh

For those that asked........

 
  

 

There's more pics, but photobucket is having a hissy fit for some reason!

 

 

 

Oooh I'd love to hear what she sounds like with that needle hovering around 15. 

sb1250: I test rode one on Sat, but its display failed (worry on a bike with 25km on the odo), and the throttle/driveline snatch was bad... Dealer thought it might have been in track mode, but we couldn't tell.  Can you confirm this ?

Well B-T-J, I can't confirm much. The dash has 2 displays, a road display, and a track display. The bike has 3 modes .......
Race - less engine braking
Sport - most engine braking
Track - engine braking greater than R

Each one of those has it's own levels of traction control, wheelie control, and ABS.
Throttle response is different for each mode as well.
The dealer should know the product, and how it all works. 
I don't know about the "blank" display.....doesn't sound good!

The RR's are the same as the Factory, except for the ohlins and body work/graphics......oh, and the price!

Sounds like your test ride wasn't that pleasant/exciting??!?

Unfortunately I could only ride in an urban environment, so I couldn't judge a lot. The dead display, snatchy throttle/deiveline lash and there was a lot of clutch noise at idle too unless you pulled the clutch in.

I rode the 1000 afterwards and felt a lot more comfortable on it, not sure why, but it didn't have a snatchy throttle, and didn't have a noisy clutch like the 1100 did for some reason.

Having said that, for my abilities, I may look at picking up a runout model if the price is right. I have decided that a tuono is definitely my next bike. The handling and flickability were amazing... And that engine, probably one of the best noises I've ever heard.

I had test ridden an s1000r, and if it had a v4, I would buy it, but I already have a reliable bike (bandit), so can afford to have another Italian bike.

Dealer said they can't keep up demand of the factories and the factory may end up converting rr's to factory models ...

Still have my other bike to sell, so I'll ponder this one in the meantime I think :p