Tuono Racing

Tuono Racing

If there’s ever a World SuperNaked Championship, here’s your winner

STAFF MEMBERS’ EYES BEGIN TO DART, WEIGHT SHIFTS UNEASILY from one foot to the other, and several nervous ticks manifest.

Saying the word “Tuono” around the office does that, sort of like screaming, “Malt liquor!” on skid row. Everybody knows the party is on, even if it might not be entirely good for them.

Our first taste of Aprilia’s stripped-down Superbike came in the form of the $17,299 Tuono R, the limited-edition (just 50 came to the States) first run. Next came the standard version, basically the same level of fun as the R, but without the premium components (no Öhlins suspension, lower engine tune, plastic bodywork instead of carbon-fiber), but it only cost $11,999.

Now, we have this Tuono, which out Rs the R by adding “-acing,” and an even higher level of componentry, including a more adjustable fork and shock, as well as upgraded radial Brembo brakes at the front.

Like the others before, it’s a fine, fine riding experience, perhaps the most fun you can have on a streetbike. The wheelies are there, the stoppies, the hackers, and with the same comfortable seat and upright riding position. In the Racing’s case, you also get a lightweight slip-on exhaust and track-specific bodywork, including the full-length lower belly pan of the Mille Superbike, as well as a headlight-free mini-fairing, in addition to the normal street equipment.

We rode ours in street trim, except for the pipe, of course, because who turns down more power, even if it’s at the expense of too many decibels?

There is an exuberance to how this engine runs, so willing to go. The way this engine breathes and fills its 67.5mm cylinders at part throttle makes every event seem like a carnival of power. See your corner the throttle and the Racing jumps forward on its 113 er, the rear Pirelli Supercorsa’s contact patch speaking to you about its disposition with the pavement the whole time. In this whole chassis speaks, alive with feedback, which your confidence, and allows you to go faster than you you could, with less effort than seems possible.

Because he’s best at keeping hold of his senses in the die on even the best bikes out there, I’ll defer to our Road Editor for a few more rational impressions.

“It feels really tall at first, but after a little seat time you start riding it and forget the height,” Canet said. “About the only complaints are that the radial front brakes are sensitive and the fork is a little soft, so that if you aren’t really measured in applying the brakes, the front end dives excessively.” He’s right, of course, and the 33-inch seat height makes this bike for many. But you don’t put your feet down ’re passing your buddies or doing wheelso our advice to you is to never stop. One of the other downsides to all this carbonfiber bodywork, is that some of it is definitely “race fit,” which is to say it doesn’t line up as well as it should. One crash at your local track day will take care of that... We know it’s just components-metal, rubber, carbon-fiber-but the is more sum of its this bike is and at ,999 it’s also like a factory But you want to the championship, don't you?

Mark Hoyer