Aprilia Tuareg 660 test

Aprilia Tuareg 660 vs. Yamaha Tenere 700?

659 cc, 80 hp, 70 Nm, 18-litre tank, 240 mm travel, 187 kg dry, 204 with fuel.

This makes it a willing rival to the Yamaha Tenere 700. It's very similar in size, but also in features. Luckily I had the Tenere recently, so I have a good basis for comparison.

Maybe I said it was the Toyota Corolla of enduro bikes, because it's good enough and well balanced. It's no coincidence that since its launch in 2019, so many people have chosen the Tenere as their faithful companion. It's an affordable, reliable bike. A sensible choice if you don't like surprises.

Then, in 2022, after a hiatus of almost 20 years, Aprilia will revive the Tuareg. According to the stats, the new Tuareg is slightly better than the Tenere in every way - I assume it's not a coincidence that they've done it that way.

3 centimetres longer travel, 2 litres bigger fuel tank, 6 hp and 2 Nm of torque more power, and a bit lighter too.

Sounds more than good.

But what is the Aprilia Tuareg 660 like in real life?

I confess that I have only just looked at this data. I don't like to be judged on the basis of technical data in a motorcycle test.

Because this engine will typically be one where it doesn't matter.

You sit on it, you go, you grin, you enjoy.

Then, when you get home, you turn around at the gate and go for another ride, just don't get off.

Because that's the engine.

„It's a weak, 80-horsepower, mid-range enduro, and it's also a shitty Italian.”

It's so shit that I almost bought it if I hadn't come to my senses a little under the spell of its effects.

But in recent months I have ridden much more reliable bikes, much better equipped and much more powerful.

Who is the Aprilia Tuareg 660 for?

Ideally, everyone should choose a motorcycle that suits their body shape. From this point of view, for me, a medium sized, taller but filigree motorcycle is ideal. For example, the Tenere 700 is just that.

I liked it, but excuse the expression, but after a KTM it is bland and uninspiring. It lacked the chunkiness, the lightness, the good weight distribution and a good clutch.

Of course I can give up the hydraulic clutch, but at least it should have a slipper clutch. Once you get used to it, it's hard to let go because it affects the engine dynamics so much when you're driving.

And now everything I missed in Tenere, I got in Aprilia.

Chassis, clutch and driving experience

It's reasonably sprightly at low revs, has a slip clutch and a large chassis clearance.

And the centre of gravity is so low, I don't know why it feels so light. And then I watched the way the tank was neatly tucked under the seat.

The front end feels light, it tilts with almost no effort and you can turn it almost at right angles.

I'm more used to bigger bikes these days, and at first I was literally oversteering. It takes a lot less effort to get the machine into a good tight arc.

All these little things and the sensible design all help to make the Tuareg a pleasure to drive. So far, it's the handiest of the range.

Is it a good choice for beginners?

I would also recommend it for beginners, because it doesn't require so much concentration to drive.

The engine literally goes where you look and there are no aggressive reactions. Braking is super easy and the throttle is dynamic.

Seating comfort and ergonomics

And finally a factory seat that's good as it is.

I don't slide forward or backwards, it's tight enough, but comfortable enough. Unfortunately, the factory seat has been a critical negative on almost every bike. Not with this one.

Disadvantages of the Aprilia Tuareg 660

Of course, there is a downside to everything, so I will also write down my negative observations.

Wind protection and noise

Wind protection is like having it, but rather not having it. Unfortunately, because of my height, on most similar bikes it would be quiet for me just when I have my neck tucked in.

So the difference of 10 centimetres in wind noise is heaven and earth. And the average man is exactly 10 centimetres shorter than me. That's how I was.

Display and brightness adjustment

The display uses a light sensor to automatically switch between black and white background modes for night and day conditions.

However, the brightness cannot be automated. On the plus side, it can be set to very bright, it really does light up well, but at night it's blinding even on a black background, and you have to stop to turn the brightness down to 1 because the system settings menu is not available on the fly.

Flameout after cold start

I brought the engine in fresh after the thousandth service and it stalled on first start at locked throttle. It repeated this a few times after that.

My observation was that it was only when the engine was cold immediately after starting, and on the 3rd or 4th day it was no longer present. I don't know if something got messed up in the process, or if I just didn't take my hand off the gas and that's why. 😃

It's probably small and tunable, but as an observation I'll write it down.

Vibrations on the move

The engine also has a characteristic tiny vibration that is hard to miss.

However, this is not the disturbing type of vibration. It didn't numb anything, even though I was on a long trip with it.

Absence of quick coupler

It doesn't come with a gearbox as standard, only at extra cost.

I don't know what Aprilia is saving on this, because it wasn't on the Stelvio either, and it's so basic these days, even on a standard Suzuki V-Strom.

Cruise control, traction control and handling

But there is cruise control as standard. That's a plus if you're touring, and with a bike like this you obviously will be.

And then you can go off-road, and you can adjust the sensitivity of the traction control as you would the cruise control.

A single button that does everything and is multifunctional. They didn't need a spaceship of function buttons. Genius.

How usable is it with two people and hiking gear?

At the same time, with two people, in a basic configuration, like my bike, it is not ideal.

Don't look for a proper grab rail in the back. But I saw a Tuareg 660 on display in the Aprilia showroom that was boxed all the way around. That way, the passenger can have a proper nest.

Fortunately, they don't come in these big boxes. At first I thought that a litter box was not suitable for a bike of this kind, but with these it's still very presentable.

Sophistication and premium details

Otherwise, the engine is very correctly engineered. You can see that attention has been paid to quality.

All the elements are beautifully crafted, from the chassis to the side panels. Not to mention the tail light. The way it follows the line of the tubular frame and extends out to extend the tail boom.

Moreover, it is not tucked under the caudal peduncle, but continues to run on top as an integral part of it. Ah, very sophisticated and premium.

The front light is no less elaborate.

But we could go on with the tubeless rims on the outside, or the sophisticated interior layout under the seat. You'd think, out of sight, out of mind. Yet it's so clean and tidy, with not a stray cable to be found.

Absolute top shelf design. I'd definitely put it among the most demanding of today's bikes, where they're unfortunately going for cheap.

Aprilia Tuareg 660 price and value for money

And then we come to the price.

The engine is not much more expensive than a Tenere, but it is somewhat better in every way.

The design of the Tenere is also very sophisticated, but this has been made even more so, with a much more comfortable ride.

How is it on the motorway and at high speed?

Perhaps the downside here is that the power runs out relatively quickly.

That said, you can still drive it at highway speeds well above the speed limit, but it takes time to work up to that speed. That's the downside of 80 horsepower.

At the same time, it holds itself very steady at high speeds. It does this despite being a touring enduro built specifically for off-road capabilities, with good long travel.

How good is the Aprilia Tuareg 660 off-road?

So luckily they didn't go overboard with the pricing, but the engine overall gives you a lot more. And it's very good off-road, especially the Rally version.

Reliability: Aprilia vs Yamaha

So obviously it has its flaws. Obviously it could be better, and obviously by the law of averages an Aprilia is not going to be as technically concrete-proof as a Yamaha.

But the thing is, all the little things I've listed make it such an enjoyable, likeable, lovable bike that I never thought it would be.

I for one would dare to do it.

This great Italian anti-engine is a Hungarian habit anyway. It is much more popular in Austria. As I toyed with the idea of buying one of these as a successor, and looked at the Austrian offer, I realised that there are four times as many Aprilia's on the market there, even though it's a slightly smaller country.

Conclusion: is the Aprilia Tuareg 660 worth it for me after the KTM 690 Enduro?

The engine is missing, by the way, since I don't have it. I've fallen a little in love with it. Damn...

However, it would be about the same as my KTM, and since I want a bigger one not instead of it, but in addition to it, to expand the usability with new capabilities, I shouldn't buy such a bike.

But you still have to. If I didn't have my KTM, I would definitely buy this one instead!

A voice inside me whispers, and I try to suppress these feelings. 😃

With this bike, literally every metre is a pleasure.

It would be nice if Aprilia would release a bigger model like this, say 900cc, and I've been blindsolded. ❤️🖤❤️

Thanks for the test bike and photos

For the experiences with the bike, thanks to Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi - Importer Motorcenter.

Be sure to go and try it out. Just beware: this bike will be hard to leave behind and you'll have insomnia until you get it home.

Photos by Eszter Tokár