Aprilia’s new Tuareg 660 prototype looks very promising, and the feedback from the factory riders is positive. The bike is based on the technical platform of the stock model, which has been doing well in the Italian Motorally Championship. In collaboration with Gcorse, Aprilia Racing has worked its magic on the Tuareg, making it a beastly machine for the desert.
They focused on the chassis in the initial stages, introducing a new modular frame and tweaking the geometries to ensure stability at high speeds and better suspension travel. Over the next few months, they’ll work on engine development and adding an auxiliary tank.
Aprilia Tuareg 660
The competition version of the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is decked out with Öhlins by Andreani suspension, a titanium SC Project exhaust, and a specific Sprint Filter air filter. Metzeler also jumped on board, as they’re keen on the adventure world of twin-cylinder bikes and chose Aprilia to develop products for future rally raids.
Recently, Aprilia Racing and GCorse took part in the fifth and sixth trials of the Italian Motorally Championship in Umbertide. Jacopo Cerutti and Francesco Montanari, riding the factory Aprilia Tuareg 660 machines, proved themselves as top contenders in the G-1000 class, reserved for multi-cylinder bikes over 600ccs.
Here are some of the key specs of the Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally Prototype:
- Engine: 660cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, DOHC
- Power: 80 hp @ 9,250 rpm
- Torque: 70 Nm @ 6,500 rpm
- Transmission: 6-speed
- Frame: Modular aluminum alloy
- Suspension: Öhlins by Andreani, fully adjustable
- Brakes: Brembo, dual 320mm discs with radial calipers
- Wheels: 21-inch front, 18-inch rear
- Tires: Metzeler Karoo 3
- Weight: 200 kg (440 lbs)
The Tuareg 660 Rally Prototype is based on the Aprilia Tuareg 660, but it has been heavily modified for off-road racing. The engine has been tuned for more low-end torque, the suspension has been upgraded, and the brakes have been beefed up. The bike also features several off-road-specific components, such as a larger fuel tank, a skid plate, and a rally-style fairing.
Here’s what the riders had to say about the bike:
- Jacopo Cerutti: “”The sensations in the saddle of the first Tuareg prototype for the desert were immediately positive! Given the next development steps, there is still much work to do, but we are confident because the chassis architecture starting base is outstanding. After the tests in Sardinia, we returned to racing in Umbertide, bringing home results and allowing us to arrive at the final round of the championship-leading standings. We’ll be in the mix, which should leave us satisfied and proud. The only disappointment was Saturday. I had struggled a bit in the first special, but in the second, which was cancelled due to inclement weather, I managed to close the gap, and I would have been able to take a win that would have benefited us. I started Sunday on the attack. Two short special trials were planned for the rally, and I knew there would be a minimum margin for error. It was a question of seconds against Botturi, and, in the end, despite a mistake in the second special trial, I managed to snatch it. The feeling with the bike and the Metzeler tyres was optimum, especially at the rear, the tyre held up well despite the power, and I could always count on plenty of traction.”.”
- Francesco Montanari: “The first test with the Tuareg for African races was fantastic. You can feel the improvements on the chassis architecture level immediately, and they let you force the pace more easily. We are headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, I didn’t ride well on the first day of the Umbertide Motorally. I made various mistakes in navigation, was late in reading the notes, and consequently lost ground. On the second day, things went better. Knowing that we would tackle short and fast unique trials, I tried to ride more smoothly, and it went well in the end, with a good placement on the podium that let me arrive at the final round in third place overall.
Conclusion.
The Aprilia Tuareg 660 is a competent machine. It’s still in the development stages, but it has the potential to be a very successful rally bike. We’ll have to wait and see how it performs in the upcoming races, but I’m sure it will be a force to be reckoned with.
