At the end of June, 2021, Aprilia marketing manager Cristian Romeo Barelli told Italy’s Motociclismo magazine that the Tuareg would finally be released as a 2022 model. He also said that we could even expect to see it sometime in 2021. Evidently, adventure riders everywhere must have been very good indeed, because Aprilia finally unveiled its new middleweight adventure bike at the tail-end of July.
When we first saw Tuareg spy shots in January, 2021, they gave away a few crucial details. The 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel setup was on full display, as well as the skid plate and upswept exhaust. Knowing it would be based around the same 660 twin that powers the RS 660 and the Tuono 660 helped paint a fuller picture, but it still wasn’t the whole story.
On July 31, 2021, Aprilia didn’t only drop the cover on the new Tuareg 660 so we could all admire its aesthetics. The House of Noale also shared some key specs that anyone getting excited about this new middleweight adventure contender will want to know. Let’s dive in.
The beating heart is, of course, that 660cc twin. It produces a claimed 80 horsepower, as well as 51.63 foot-pounds of torque. Aprilia doesn’t specify from which point it draws those measurements, just for the sake of clarity. Those 21-inch front and 18-inch rear cross-spoked wheels can run tubeless tires, which some riders may prefer.
Let’s talk suspension. Aprilia says the travel is 240mm at both ends, which is nearly 9.5 inches. Both front and rear suspension are also adjustable, although Aprilia doesn’t specify if they’re semi- or fully adjustable. There’s a 43mm upside-down fork up front. Dry weight given is 187 kilograms, which is just over 412 pounds. Brembo brakes will bring Tuareg riders to a stop.
Fuel capacity is a relatively modest 18 liters, or about 4.75 gallons. That’s slightly less than the nearly 5.3-gallon tank on the KTM 890 Adventure, and slightly more than the 4.2-gallon tank found on the Yamaha Ténéré 700. While no pricing information on the Tuareg 660 is available just yet, most expectations are that it will fall somewhere between those two bikes, which makes that fuel capacity comparison seem slightly poetic. The aftermarket already has extended-range fuel tank solutions for the T7, and there’s no reason to expect the same won’t happen for the Tuareg 660 if riders clamor for it.
More Aprilia:
The Tuareg 660 wouldn’t be an Aprilia without a raft of electronics to set it apart from the competition. It will have a color TFT display up front, “detachable” ABS (that’s what Aprilia calls it, and we’re not clear what they mean), APRC, and four riding modes. The teaser also gives us a peek at Brembo brake calipers, LED lighting, and grippy metal footpegs that look made for standing.
We also have to talk about that simple, elegant blue, red, white, and gray livery that harks back to historic liveries of Tuaregs past. The font choice for the “Tuareg” decal on the tank and the “660” on the front fender is also both epic and appropriate. A tiny “aprilia” graces the rear half of the saddle, in the usual lowercase font we’re used to seeing on all modern Aprilia models.
It’s certainly a handsome bike, and looks absolutely ready to go explore some new terrain. Pricing and availability information haven’t been released as of yet, but consider our curiosity piqued.
Source: Aprilia