In mid-2022 Aprilia set the cat amongst the pigeons when it launched the all new Tuareg 660 . Our first impressions were that it was rally bike-styled in nature , light and quick , but also with the comforts riders have come to expect from modern adventure bikes , which all proved to be true . Since then , the mid-sized Adventure market has heated up some more , creating some tricky deliberations for the discerning buyer . Never has this market niche had greater selection . Suzuki has released its excellent DE800 V-Strom . Yamaha has the T7 and Honda has the new 750 Transalp . Of course , KTM ’ s 690 is a model capacity very similar to the Tuareg , but it is a single cylinder and then there ’ s the 890 Adventure ( which is pretty much in a capacity class of its own ). So , where does the Aprilia Tuareg 660 fit in and is it still relevant to buyers who are now spoilt for choice ?
KILOMETRES UNDER THE WHEELS We tested the Tuareg when it was first launched here in NZ , and all of our test riders found unanimous in their praise for the upstart Italian . We ’ ve since spent many kilometres on the Tuareg , in fact , this particular bike is owned by our photographer , Geoff Osborne - who says it is the machine an adventure rider should buy when they want off-road competence , comparative
light weight , on road smoothness and a little sophisticated comfort . There is no other machine that quite hits these marks on the market and the following is why .
DIRT-ORIENTED After decades of racing dirt bikes , it seems to me very obvious the Tuareg 660 has a dirtstyle layout . It has a long flat seat ( reasonably accessible 860mm high ), there are wide , high bars and a slim middle which promote an ergonomic package that feels like a big dirt bike whether sitting or standing . The ergonomics are quite different to most other bikes in the class . There is a decent 240mm of travel from the Kayaba 43mm USD forks and the same again at the rear from the single , rising rate linkagemounted Kayaba shock . The suspension at both ends is fully adjustable . And it is light , coming in just over the 200kg mark at 204kg when the 18-litre fuel tank is full . Dry weight is 187kg . That makes it the lightest twin-cylinder mid-capacity machine . Then there are the creature comforts that are expected from a premium adventure bike ; an effective screen , hand guards , cruise control and a plethora of electronic adjustments . But , make no mistake , the business-like off-road stance remains .
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