2011 Aprilia Tuono V4R APRC Review

I start my first session with the traction control set at level six and then reduce by one for each lap until I’m down at level one. The Aprilia 2011 Tuono V4R is a bit of a shock to the system as it just pulls like an angry bull everywhere and stops as if a freight train suddenly started pulling it in reverse. When I’ve finished my second 20-minute session I’m experiencing arm pump and a threatening cramp in my left leg each time I brake hard. My mechanic made some rear-suspension adjustments which changed the bike a lot and made my hard riding much easier.  With the APRC traction control I can accelerate early from great lean in safety, and even on level one it feels safe despite some nice sliding action out of most corners.

The only place on the Valencia circuit where there’s some room for relaxation is down the straight, but even here the enormous power and the wind pushes you back until it’s time for hard braking whilst shifting down the box.

Later in the day I preferred to short-shift up the quick shifter more to save my arms from the strain, and it hardly felt like I was going any slower. The three lower gears on the Tuono are lower than on the RSV4 R and it can be felt! Due to that great quick shifter I also made my way all the way up to sixth several times down the straight. The slipper clutch is equally good when shifting hard down to second ahead of the fast left-hander at the end of the straight. Then it’s all full throttle and sliding and a little wheelie all over again. 

I have never ridden any naked that feels as stable or as suited to a race track as the Tuono V4R APRC. As soon as the revs climb towards 10K rpm there’s a high-tech, roaring MotoGP-style mighty V4 sound exiting the exhaust. The rev limiter has been set to 12.300 rpm which allows for 800rpm of overrev if needed. You’ll be surprised by how mighty the Tuono midrange is from around 7,000 rpm. The lower gearing in the three lower gears just amplifies the arm-wrenching acceleration. The Tuono’s tall and wide handlebar allows for a relaxing ride on the road, but on the circuit, the V4 engine makes sure you get your arm exercise.