APRILIA TUAREG 660 (2022 - on) Review

Words by Laura Thomson

Retro rallying has seen a huge revival recently, with nostalgia-tinged adventure bikes like the Honda Africa Twin, DR Big and BMW R nine T Urban GS all returning within the past decade.

• Related: Aprilia enter two modified Tuaregs in Africa Eco Race 2024

And just as you thought the 80s were out of icons, Aprilia have joined the party with the reincarnated Tuareg. Named for the indigenous Saharan nomads, the original Tuareg was launched in 1985 and spewed a five-strong family of models that remained in production until 1994.

And now, the desert racer is back, featuring the 659cc parallel twin of the manufacturer’s recently-launched Aprilia RS660 and Aprilia Tuono 660, albeit with tweaked internals for better low and mid-range torque – peak of 51.63lb-ft is achieved at 2000rpm sooner than the RS 660, at 6500rpm.

The latest Tuareg has most in common with the four-stroke single cylinder 600 Wind (produced between 1988 - 1990) and the £11,100 Indaco Tagelmust version we tested features graphics that pay homage to the iconic original colour scheme.In case you’re wondering, a Tagelmust is an indigo-dyed cotton turban-come-veil, traditionally worn by Tuareg Berber men.

It was designed by a team at Piaggio’s Advanced Design Centre in California, led by Miguel Galluzzi, who was also responsible for Moto Guzzi’s incredibly stylish V85TT. But in terms of design, the Tuareg is the opposite, with form very much led by function and apparently no superfluous parts.

Aprilia have neglected to follow fashion with a beak, and instead the Tuareg boasts a muscular forward silhouette, which tapers to a narrow waist and low-profile rear.

The 860mm high seat is deliberately long and narrow and the panels on either side flat – allowing for ultimate manoeuvrability around the bike while stood on the pegs, as well as allowing the rider to get as much foot on the floor as possible.

In the pre-ride press-conference, Aprilia positioned the Tuareg as ever-so-slightly more on the travel side of the adventure/enduro mix. And this is reflected in the design, with the high-resistance steel tube structure featuring a welded rather than bolt-on subframe (a la KTM adventure range), which suggests that it is not intended to be ridden too hard off-road.

However, every other element of the bike lends itself to off-road ability – the long swingarm, 240mm travel Kayaba suspension, with adjustable hydraulic rebound damping and compression, and spring preload at the rear (via a manual knob).

The 43mm diameter upside down forks don’t dive anywhere near as much as other bikes in this segment, which allows you to brake harder when pushing on the road. The standard fit Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres (on 21" and 18" spoked wheels) let the bike down in this respect however and struggled to find grip on the slick roads of Sardinia.

On hard application of the Brembo brakes – double piston calipers on double 300mm discs up front, and a single 260 mm disc and floating, single-piston caliper at the rear – they were prone to skidding. Dual-channel ABS is normally there to intervene, although beware locking both wheels simultaneously.

Off-road, the tyres are happiest in the dry, and clog up quickly through mud. However, they were ideal for the flat and fast gravelly trails we rode on the launch and the Tuareg’s mass-concentrated design made for balanced and composed handling. Peg steering is easy on the 204kg machine and the suspension is consistently well-damped across rough terrain.

The engine, a stressed element of the frame mounted via six anchor points (compared to the three on RS 660 and two on Tuono), has been rotated about 10° to the rear, making the cylinder bank more vertical, thus reducing the yaw movement of the bike and increasing agility on tight turns.

And on road, it’s impressively dynamic and agile, lending itself well to the switchbacks of Sardinia’s coast road and rolling through the bends with aplomb. The steering is immediate and assured, and the lock is wide.

Usually, off-road ability comes at the expense of road comfort, but this isn’t the case with the Tuareg – it’s as capable on road as it is off.

The 660 powertrain was originally derived from the front half of the 1100cc RSV4 powertrain and boasts the same 81mm bore, with a lengthened 63.93mm stroke.

It has already proven its prowess in the RS and Tuono, however this latest iteration has been internally tweaked for more low and mid-range torque, receiving optimised valve lifting, a revised exhaust layout and a newly designed intake system with longer ducts and a filter casing positioned between the headstock and the fuel tank to allow for easy servicing.

A unique ignition advance management algorithm fettles combustion across varying engine heating conditions, optimising powertrain performance and consumption.

These modifications certainly deliver, with peak of 51.63lbft achieved at 2000rpm sooner than the RS 660, at 6500rpm, with 75% available from 3000rpm and 90% from 5500rpm.

Understandably, it comes at the expense of top end power - the Tuareg makes 79bhp at 9250rpm, compared to the RS’ 99bhp at 10,500rpm (however, it still makes 6.5hp more than the Ténéré. A 270-degree firing order lends a V-twin sound to match the feel – a deep gargling rising to a guttural roar.

However, it still feels incredibly sporty and its provenance is undisputable. Despite a slightly snappy ride-by-wire throttle, propulsion is immediate and impressive, thanks in part to a shorter first gear ratio and final drive.

Power climbs linearly to the peak, while torque boasts several sweet spots, the low-down abundance particularly noticeable and helpful while riding off-road.

A mechanically-assisted clutch makes for light lever feel, but the bite point seemed quite far in, which was noticeable when riding off-road with just two fingers on the lever – the other two got in the way as I pulled the lever back to the bar.

Aprilia’s optional up-down quickshifter was fitted across the test fleet, however proved inconsistent – smoother on some, and jolty on others. On one of the bikes neutral was virtually impossible to find with the engine running.

A new, shallower oil sump allows ground clearance to perfectly match the suspension travel. Internal walls keep oil quantity optimised, while a new channel in the semi-crankcase takes lubricant to the sump, preventing stagnation in the gearbox.

That frame will reportedly support loads of up to 210kg, making this a capable middleweight, two-up tourer. Whether it is comfortable remains to be seen, but on first impressions the one-piece seat is more so than that of the Yamaha Ténéré 700. There appears to be slightly more room for a pillion, too.

The broad expanse of plexiglass screen looks a tad odd from the cockpit but offers great protection from the wind. The design leaves a natural gap behind the centre of the screen which could allow for fitment of auxiliary rally lights or navigation tower.

In order to keep weight as low as possible, every component does multiple jobs – the fibreglass enriched technopolymer instrument structure, for example, also supports the screen. The plastic tank cap reduces weight by 200g compared to a metal one, while there are no pillion grab handles.

Build quality certainly seems impressive, and nothing stood out as poor during on our 160km test ride. When another rider dropped the bike off-road, nothing broke, and the only damage was a bent lever and scuffed faring panel (easily replaceable). The comprehensive metal bash plate is certainly worth its weight.

Watch Saffron Wilson's Aprilia Tuareg 660 long-term test round up video here:

Starting at £10,600 for the Acid Gold and Martian Red colourshemes (£11,100 for the Indaco Tagelmust), the Tuareg costs £1000 more than the Yamaha Ténéré 700, which weighs in at £9502 (2021 pricing).

However, the Ténéré 700 shuns electronic aids (with the exception of switchable ABS), in favour of a stripped-back rally style. In terms of physical specification, the two are very similar, with matching suspension and braking capabilities.

Other competitors include the Triumph Tiger 900 (starting from £11,500) or the KTM 890 Adventure (starting from £10,999).

Watch MCN's middleweight adventure bike shootout video here:

While the Ténéré 700 is heralded for its simple, stripped-back nature the Tuareg levels up with a host of electronics, packaged under the APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) name.

Switchable traction control boasts four levels of sensitivity; engine braking is adjustable to three levels and three different engine maps are available to change the engine’s character and power delivery.

All are optimised in the pre-set Urban and Explore riding modes, while Individual and Off-road are user-adjustable. As standard, off-road deactivates ABS at the rear, with the option to switch off the front, too.

It also features the most manageable power delivery, and the ride-by-wire throttle is noticeably less snappy than in the other modes. All can be selected via the left-hand switch controls and five-inch TFT dash.

Behind the vast expanse of screen sits a full LED lighting system including daytime running lights.