2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660 Review: When Less Is More

Aprilia's Tuareg 660 middleweight hits the adventure-bike sweet spot

In 1969, the irrepressible Ivano Beggio inherited the modest bicycle and scooter manufacturing firm his father founded after WWII and immediately set to work implementing his bold vision for its future. The following year, Aprilia released its first dirtbike, the Scarabeo 50, a single-cylinder 50cc enduro, soon followed by a 125cc version. Beggio subscribed to the philosophy that winning races on Sunday, would yield dealership sales on Monday and, by the late 70s, factory Aprilia's were taking podiums at domestic and international motocross events, while their road-going cousins successfully competed at the Grand Prix.

The grueling Paris-Dakar Rally ran its first race in 1979 and soon became the established proving ground for enduro motorcycles, garnering global attention for the winners and their machines. The BMW R80 G/S, Honda Africa Twin, and Cagiva Elefant are all legends born of the Paris-Dakar, and Beggio was eager for Aprilia to enter its own desert contender. A podium at the Paris-Dakar would elude the first Tuareg, although the new 125cc, Rotax engined thumper, released in 1985, still proved itself a winner at the dealerships. Aprilia would eventually come close at the 2010 Dakar with the RXV 450 Tuareg Rally, winning stages and taking third place overall.

RELATED: Aprilia Tuareg 660 Takes The Adventure Fight To Yamaha

The latest rendition of Aprilia's desert nomad has different aspirations. No longer chasing glory in the Pro Rally Raids, the new Tuareg 660 has the lucrative middleweight adventure market in its sights. This once sleepy corner of the motorcycling world had long been the domain of two very different machines, Kawasaki's dependable old campaigner, the KLR650, and BMW's formidable F 800 GS.

But as more of us took to motorcycles as a means of exploration the demand for lighter adventure bikes, less apt to scare the pants off us in the dirt, grew exponentially. The middleweight adventure class has exploded in recent years, and a raft of new models, including the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally, Yamaha Ténéré 700, and KTM 890 Adventure, provide plenty of options to consider. It may be late to the party, but Aprilia's Tuareg 660 has made quite the entrance, winning plaudits from all corners, and is a bike we’ve been eager to test.

RELATED: Top 10 Adventure Bikes Under 800cc

The Tuareg inherits Aprilia's new lightweight, compact, 270-degree, 652 cc, parallel-twin engine, which has garnered widespread acclaim in the Tuono 660 and derived from the forward bank of pistons powering the sublime RSV4. It shares the V4's cylinders, heads, pistons, combustion chamber, and ducts. The relatively large bore (81mm) and short stroke (64mm) combine in a re-tuned version of the 660 engine to endow the Tuareg with notable performance.

A peak horsepower of 80 arrives at 9,250 RPM and an impressive torque curve, which tops out at 51.6pound-feet at a readily accessible 6,500 RPM, casting shade on its closest rival, Yamaha's popular T7. Thanks to redesigned intake and exhaust systems, optimized valve operation, and 43mm throttle bodies, Aprilia claims 75 percent of the Tuareg's torque is available from 3,000 RPM. A promising recipe for tackling the dirt without compromising on-road performance.

RELATED: Top 10 Touring Bikes for Beginners

Designed to withstand the travails of off-road riding, the Tuareg's tubular steel chassis differs from its street-going cousin in that it no longer uses the engine as a load-bearing member. The welded-in subframe compromises the potential for replacement in favor of increased strength and enables the Tuareg to offer a substantial 463-pound load capacity.

Adding to its globetrotting credentials, a 4.8-gallon gas tank, combined with a claimed consumption of 59 MPG, provides a range of over 280 miles. The Tuareg also gets slightly shorter gearing and a longer aluminum dual swingarm for improved off-road traction and slow-speed control, although the wheelbase is still a nimble 60 inches. The Tuareg does inherit the Tuono's slipper-clutch, with a quickshifter as an optional extra.

The new Tuareg benefits from Kayaba, fully-adjustable suspension, with a 43mm USD fork up front and monoshock at the back providing a class-leading 9.5 inches of travel that, combined with the ubiquitous 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel combo, provide exceptional off-road capability. The aluminum spoked rims are compatible with tubeless tires, and Pirelli's dual-sport Scorpion Rally STRs are standard equipment.

Brembo brakes include twin, dual-piston calipers biting on 300mm discs up front, and a single dual-piston caliper and 260 mm disc at the rear. High, wide bars are ideal for off-road and urban riding, and bar guards are standard equipment. The Tuareg's tall windscreen provides effective protection from the wind, although we never got to test it in the rain.

RELATED: 2023 KTM Adventure 890 Wants You To Leave Your Comfort Zone

The Tuareg's stripped-down, functional appearance belies a surprising level of electronic refinement. Aprilia has been developing its APRC suite of electronics for over a decade since introducing ride-by-wire technology to MotoGP in 2002. Although the Tuareg doesn't get an IMU sensor, it does offer a full suite of passive rider modes and aids.

Three pre-programmed rider modes include; Urban, calibrated for everyday street riding; Explore, with sportier throttle response for the open road; and Off-Road, which dials down traction control and engine braking, and disables the rear ABS. The fourth mode, Individual, allows riders to customize their settings, including four levels of traction control (or none), three levels of engine braking, and three different engine maps to manage throttle response. Completely disabling ABS, front and back, is also possible.

The Tuareg's 5.0-inch color TFT display works well in all light conditions, and both menu and controls are intuitive. The instrument cluster on the left bar facilitates menu navigation, the cruise-control system, and on-the-fly adjustment to traction control. The right bar is for selecting rider modes.

The optional Aprilia MIA infotainment system provides the Tuareg with smartphone connectivity and when combined with compatible helmet communications, handlebar-controlled telephone, and entertainment operation, it makes for a compelling package. Adding to the electronics package are all-around LED lights and a swanky daytime running light.

RELATED: Top 10 Adventure Bikes Under 800cc

Another product of Miguel Galuzzi's design team, working out of Piaggio's Advanced Design Center in Pasadena, California, the Tuareg 660's functional yet stylish aesthetics won compliments everywhere I rode it. At first glance, the massive suspension and slim chassis have all the hallmarks of a 450 enduro, and, climbing aboard the Tuareg for the first time, you have to wonder how Aprilia managed to squeeze a 652cc engine into such a small space. Equally impressive is its weight, a claimed 449 pounds wet, yet, it still somehow manages to feel lighter than that.

The Tuareg is tall, with a seat height of just under 34 inches, but surprisingly accessible for a bike with so much ground clearance (9.5 inches), and the slim seat and fuel tank will help shorter riders get their feet on the ground. Relaxed ergonomics provide an upright body position and a comfortable reach to the high, wide handlebar. Although the narrow seat is comfortable at first and facilitates excellent maneuverability standing or seated, on longer hauls, it will have you taking a break before you empty the fuel tank.

On-road, the Tuareg is surprisingly well-mannered for a bike with all the characteristics of a giant dirtbike. Although tuned for low-end grunt, the 660 engine remains fantastically sporty, and coupled with its stiff chassis and precise front-end feel, it's a bike that inspires confidence. High pegs allow you to take all the liberties you dare with those Scorpion Rally tires, and riding the twisty backcountry roads is a blast.

Even when set to the spongiest settings, fork dive is not as evident as its specifications would suggest, and power delivery is immediate without being snappy. Aprilia knows how to make a bike handle and cornering on the Tuareg is a delight, with quick, precise steering, on par with many a street bike.

Off-road, with the applicable rider mode selected, the Tuareg feels equally at home. Although I dialed down the spring rates, the suspension is still relatively stiff but well-damped. The Tuareg's lightweight body is easily steered with the pegs, and the excellent standing position allows for an easy reach to the bars, providing space to move around (even for a tall guy like me).

Riding fast gravel tracks is an absolute joy. Throttle response is less snappy than many fly-by-wire systems, with a progressive feel, especially welcome on the one technical section I rode, which did require a lot of clutch slipping. Although the clutch lever operation is light, even with two fingers, I would have liked a shorter second gear.

RELATED: The 2023 Zero DSR/X Is The First American Electric Adventure Tourer

Designed to take us far beyond the pavement, the adventure class of motorcycles necessarily compromises the performance and geometry ideal for on-road riding with that of off-road. The big liter-class machines that first set the bar for adventure bikes have become progressively bigger and more complex and, while extremely capable on the highway, they soon become a handful on the trails, where the real adventure begins.

The middleweights are increasingly popular with riders looking for genuine off-road capability without making the highway miles too much of an endurance. In this respect, Aprilia has hit the sweet spot. By squeezing so much performance from its diminutive parallel twin, combined with a well-sorted chassis, endless suspension travel, and sublime handling in any terrain, the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is greater than the sum of its parts.

The 2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660 has three color schemes, Martian Red (our test bike) and Acid Gold (yellow), with an MSRP of $11,999, and Indaco Tagelmust (blue, red, and white) with an MSRP of $12,599.

Guy started riding motorcycles aged 21 and bought a Kawasaki ZX-6R the day after passing his road test. He was a sportbike enthusiast for many years until, in 2010, the Long Way Round television series inspired him to organize an adventure moto-tour. Since then, he has traveled thousands of miles across the US, Chile, Argentina, Canada, and the UK on various adventure bikes. He attended adventure bike school with the BMW Performance Academy, completed enduro training with Off-Road Skills in the UK, and recently brushed up his sportbike skills at the renowned California Superbike School. He spent a year in amateur endurance car racing and has attended Skip Barber and Dirtfish driving schools. Guy has previously been the Road Test Editor at Rider Magazine, and his stories were also published in Adventure Bike Rider, ADVMoto, and DRIVETRIBE. In 2020, Guy was one of three winners of Moto Guzzi's "Spirit of the Eagle Rideaway" competition.