Look, I need to get this out of the way up front: this Aprilia Tuono 1000R Factory is a very ugly bike. The proportions are strange, the details are overwrought, there are creases and angles everywhere… Honestly, the only really positive thing you can say about the bodywork on the Aprilia Tuono 1000R is that there is less of it than on the RSV, but that’s definitely damning with faint praise. But before you legions of Aprilia fans whip out your pitchforks and head to Southern California, there are two things you should know. One, it’s been raining here a lot and not only are the canyon roads a mess, the drivers here really don’t know what to do with this kind of weather, so you should wait a month. And two: I genuinely like the Tuono.
2004 Aprilia Tuono 1000R Factory for sale on eBay
When introduced, the RSV had the monumental task of being the other Italian v-twin superbike. Ducati had the heritage and sexy looks, so Aprilia desperately needed to differentiate themselves, and went with hypermodern styling that wasn’t a big hit then, and hasn’t aged all that well. But there was surely nothing at all wrong with the mechanical parts, and both the RSV and the Tuono have long been, along with the “touring” Falco, the affordable, reliable choice for fans of Italian handling and sound.
The aluminum alloy beam frame is gorgeous, with clear links to the RS250 and the compact, 60° Rotax v-twin is a bit more coarse than Ducati’s famous L-twin, but also a little happier to rev, with a distinctive character. Packing 998cc and 127hp, up from 123 in the regular Tuono, the Factory makes plenty of power and the right kind of noises, but the biggest advantage is the twin’s reliability. Low prices and low maintenance make it the budget Italophile’s dream, and the odd looks just mean owners can pretend that they’re much more interested in performance than in something as shallow as appearance…
Handling is impressive as well, with lightweight forged wheels, Öhlins forks and shock, an Öhlins steering damper, radial Brembos, and the usual bits of carbon that will inevitably fade after a few years of occasional exposure to sunlight, be expensive as hell to replace, and probably saves half a pound compared to the stock machine. Interestingly, the RSV didn’t feature a steering damper, but the Tuono had less weight over the front, owing to the lack of a fairing and the raised bars so the result was a more wayward front end.
From the original eBay listing: 2004 Aprilia Tuono 1000R Factory for Sale
Number 63 of 200
Bike comes with track kit. 2 factory Aprilia pipes. One in box. Full carbon body work for track use.
Never tracked bike, 19,500 miles. Never down, never dropped. New tires. Just serviced.
Do not ride this anymore. Have title. Tags just paid. No issues with bike. All Carbon perfect, no scratches, no dents, no nothing. Owned with pride. All stickers removed from street carbon body work. Carbon track kit is hard to find. Some people sell separate. I’m selling as package.
- Ohlins Suspension
- Extensive Carbon Fiber Body Parts
- Carbon Fiber Belly Pan Track – Never Installed
- Carbon Fiber Headlight Track Shroud – Never Installed
- Ti Mufflers 2
- OZ Wheels
- Brembo Monobloc Brakes
- Ohlins Steering Damper
- Sargent Seat
- CRG Levers
- 139hp
- 472lbs wet
- 408lbs dry
- Holds 4.7 gallons of fuel
So the Tuono offered up superbike power, great, but slightly hairy handling, in-your-face styling, and reasonable comfort. Top speed was lower than the RSV, but for 95% of riders 95% of the time, the Tuono was a better choice. Tuonos may not be pretty, but they are pretty impressive machines in every other regard, and those low prices make them a great bang for the buck. Of course, “affordable” is relative and the first generation Tuonos have been more valuable than the RSV for a while. I’m guessing that’s because, at least here in the US, they are much less common and it’s been a while since I saw a really nice one up for sale. Miles aren’t collector-bike-low but the bike is in very nice condition, with some desirable extras.
-tad
The V-Twin Tuono Factory is the single MOST FUN motorcycle that I have EVER owned bar none. It also isn’t the ugliest motorcycle I have ever owned, but definitely in the “bottom” 10, well maybe the bottom 2 or 3 (I did own a Honda 450 Black Bomber back in the early ’70s before they were cool!). I’m not a traction control, wheelie control, abs, electronics, etc. type of guy. Give me a bike that is light, handles great without electronics (thank you Ohlins), has a bulletproof engine with wonderful power and torque curves (lifts the front wheel easily in 1st and 2nd and 3rd if you “try”), has a great riding position with a bit of wind protection. Toss on a tank and/or tail bag and hit the road for a few days or a week (or more) and knock off back to back to back 4-500 mile days on the twistiest roads around. Get rid of that single exhaust though and add double Akra’s for a great exhaust sound! Oh, you want to upgrade a bit, plenty of hot rod goodies out there if you wish. Lot’s of bikes have come and gone from my garage, but my Tuono has stuck around longer than any others. And now that clipons are becoming a thing of the past for me, it’s become even more of a friend, LOL! Put’s a smile on my face every time I ride it! Can’t ask much more from a motorcycle…
Chuck s.
Funny how all those “pretty” parts (somehow) do not come together to make a pretty bike. Still. In almost every respect, they manage to overcome the ugliness by making for a quality ride and (nod to Chuck above) a very fun time indeed… Besides, it only looks ugly to the other guys you’re passing; wearing a huge grin on your face !
My very close friend has one in NZ. He owned a couple of superbike teams and if anyone knows bikes…he does. He swears by this thing, rides the wheels off it every year, tears it down and does it again and again (bear in mind…he likes wrenching so doesn’t have to tear it down but enjoys it). Yeah, maybe it’s not much to look at but I bet its amazing to ride. I still don’t understand why Aprilia’s don’t sell for more, I bought a factory RSV1000 a few months ago and it’s literally perfect to ride…handles amazing, great torque and gorgeous to look at IMO. I’ll sell the Ducati’s before I’ll sell this one!
The last 4 years of the line are much prettier. 2010 went back to black. I’ve always wanted one.
Aprilia definitely cornered the market on the ugliest dash across the entire product line.. i suspect they got it from JC Whitney.
Pretty rare bike here. They made 200 of them (50 to the U.S.) They were built to be raced against the Ducati Monster in a series in Italy. My definition of the Tuono Racing is like dancing with a homely girl who can dance really well. so much so that others clear the floor to watch. Yes, it’s initially odd looking but the more interaction you have with it the better looking it gets. It’s Italian exotica at an affordable price while having top-shelf components front to back. The traction control, launch control and wheelie control is in your right wrist delivered through a mechanical slipper clutch. This is one of the last analog superbikes to serve as a track day weapon, commuter or throw some soft bags on it for a 3,000-mile impulse trip around the western states. This is a Clownish bike that will stir your imagination to do circus tricks in a calm and confident manner.and as you park it and walk away, it will call you back for another ride. It pushes all the right buttons and for me, it’s a buy and hold. If you want pretty, ride on over to the Barber Museum, they have lots of beautiful bikes there…Oh, and they have one of these on display too 🙂
The V-Twin Tuonos/Falcos are great bikes. Very fast, reliable and entertaining but with rap resale value. Despite their efforts and numerous race championships, Aprlia has never taken off in the US. If you took that exact bike,slappaed a Ducati sticker on it she would sell for twice the price.
I own two Aprilias, I love them but selling either would be tough (esp. given their lack of dealer support) I can’t imagine that bike will sell for anywhere NEAR $8500. My guess is it’s a $5500-$6k bike…..
Mark, I agree with everything you’ve said. The price is way optimistic, especially given the miles. $6k is a stretch.
My original plan was to by a first or second gen Tuono factory. Seemed like all the best deals were too far away from me. Went with a Brutalle 1090RR instead. Still, deep inside I’m jonesing for a Tuono,
Tirefriar, yes esp. with close to 20K. I thought it was optimistic when I didn’t see the mileage, LOL. When I bought my 2002 Falco many years ago I was looking for a Tuono, could not find one close by and got the Falco as it is the same bike with a bit different ergonomics. That was 10 years ago and I am still looking. Kicking myself for not buying 2-3 year old leftover new Falco’s around 2011-12 I was seeing on Ebay for very nice prices……
Your Brutale has brawn and beauty, so I’d say they’re really apples and oranges. Maybe swap the Kawi for a Tuono track bike later on? I’d love to get an old RSV Mille to use as a track bike, but I’d need a lot more space to consider a dedicated track machine, even a cheap one…