Roadster – Test Aprilia Tuono V4R ABS 2014: strong head! – What a hell of a beast!

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2014 Aprilia Tuono V4R ABS review: strong head !

Roadster - Test Aprilia Tuono V4R ABS 2014: strong head! - What a hell of a beast!

Absent from our 2014 maxi-roadsters comparison, the Aprilia Tuono V4R ABS could have stood up to the BMW S1000R, KTM Superduke R, Ducati Monster 1200 and Kawasaki Z1000. Especially in its latest version significantly improved but hardly less exclusive. Test.

What a sacred beast !

Increased engine performance (+2.7 hp and +1.5 Nm of torque), improved saddle comfort, tank capacity increased from 17 to 18.5 liters, new fork and recalibrated suspension settings, configurable ABS and reconfigured electronics: Aprilia Tuono V4R 2014 offers a whole series of developments aimed at consolidating its status as an extreme roadster while channeling its wild nature (read our and our Technical point on page 3). Kind of delicate compromise…

Aesthetically, the Tuono V4R ABS retains the same silhouette inspired by the Super (be) bike, from which it also incorporates the compact 4-cylinder V, the perimeter aluminum frame as well as the APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control), the arsenal of electronic aids developed by Aprilia thanks to its experience gained in motorcycle Grands Prix (read our).

Extremely thin at the level of its rear shell – where passenger handles are elegantly hollowed out covered with polished metal -, the Italian becomes stockier on its front part, always topped by a fork crown with characteristic shapes. Like all Tuono since the first version with V2 Rotax engine, the V4R ABS certainly has a strong head !

With its stretched headlights welcoming lenticular optics, this front face immediately evokes an insect with wide "eyes". The whole is not devoid of inspiration but lacks to our taste of harmony with the rest of the bike, much more fluid – almost sensual – in its design.

Admittedly this observation may seem subjective, but it is based on a general tendency emerging from an improvised "micro sidewalk" in the street: whether they are bikers or not, young or old, few people consulted have issued a positive appreciation for this strange fork crown…

And why the devil did not take off slightly from the instrumentation the very short tinted wind jump, in order to avoid having to dig an inelegant protuberance intended to surround the left edge of the needle tachometer? The protection frankly passable – the wind is hardly deflected above the navel – would have been only improved….

Another unfortunate detail: if the large 999.6 cc mill unashamedly shows off its tight cylinder banks (65 °) and machined casings, some less glamorous elements also protrude from the – very – small outfit put on by this roadster….

Like the mechanism by cables controlling the exhaust valve on the lower right engine, the cooling circuit hoses on its left side and some brightly colored electrical connections.

So many pieces now on display, which were originally designed to be hidden behind the streamlined fairings of the RSV4. Some will love this "gas factory" aspect, others will estimate that an integration effort could have been made with regard to the tariff approaching 14,000 € (13,999 €, exactly)…

More comfortable, really ?

However, all opinions will agree on the general quality of manufacture – the welds of the magnificent swingarm and the polished beams of the frame are above all criticism – and the favorable impression returned by the use of multiple racing peripherals..

Whether it’s its golden anodized fork sleeves, its separate cylinder shock absorber (all fully adjustable), its radial front calipers, the "Aprilia" stamped handlebar trigger guard or even its large brake discs with notched wheels serving to educate its "electronic brain", the Tuono V4 R 2014 does not only flatter the retina of fans of sports maxi-roadsters: it explodes it !

This status of "Streetfighter", the Aprilia assumes it bravely, even in its frankly radical driving position. Tilted forward towards his flat and wide handlebars (measured 81.5 cm), the rider must deal with rear footrests as well as a saddle height (835 mm) excluding the ground support of the two boots at the less than 1.75 m, despite the remarkable narrowness of the V4 between the thighs.

A few kilometers are enough to perceive the insufficiency of the improvements made by Aprilia in terms of seating comfort: the Tuono V4R saddle is still as welcoming as a piece of wood, despite the installation by Piaggio France of a "comfort" model. optional with gel inserts (109 €). MNC sends its sincere encouragement to future owners !

Devoid of storage space (at best, three sheets of carefully folded A4 paper fit under the passenger seat) and clutch lever gap adjustment, the Tuono V4R also skips a fuel gauge. A lack that is difficult to understand insofar as the dashboard – otherwise quite readable – is literally overflowing with information, not all really useful…

Thus, if the presence of a clock, two trips, a gear indicator engaged, engine temperature and fuel consumption is appreciable, that of a stopwatch and a reminder of the maximum speed reached is already more questionable (see the complete list in our Technical sheet on the last page) … In addition, some features are not easy to master, such as those relating to the settings of the anti-wheeling, assistance to departure, ABS or backlight.

Penalized in built-up areas by its inefficient mirrors, its dry selection and its long gear ratios (in first at 50 km / h, the V4 runs at 4500 rpm, at 8000 turns of the switch!), The Tuono V4R also heats up quickly. The heat released by the engine goes up along the thighs, because it is propagated by the beams of the frame.

Its soft and precise clutch, its configurable ABS and its front axle all the more lively as it takes advantage of the lever arm generated by the wide handlebars constitute, on the other hand, precious allies in the traffic jams. But that’s not enough to eclipse this feeling that the Aprilia feels cramped in the city … literally, since it takes 6.50m (measured) to turn around !

Although high, this turning diameter remains however in the "acceptable" average of the genre, especially against some of its closest rivals: 6.99 m measured for the BMW S1000R, 6.68 m for the Ducati Monster 1200 and 6.46 m for the Kawasaki Z1000. Only the KTM 1290 Superduke R remains below the 6 meter mark with a respectable 5.76 m (read our).

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