This thing gnaws on twisties! Where the non-factory danced through the twisties like an excited jackrussel, all springs, leaps and squirts, the Factory puts the rider in control with predictable suspension under brakes, on turn in and exit. It doesn’t play around with twisties, it lets the rider do that!

At 1,562,000 yen, it’s 143,000 yen more than the Tuono 660. Is it worth it? From a distance, it doesn’t bling its value out to everyone but it is a looker up close and of course it still has that sound!

Less lairy and a little more menacing, the looks mirror the deeper chassis quality.

That red-winged single seat is exclusive to the Factory and the pillion seat comes with the bike too if needed. Almost worth a photo was the dry carbon rear fender plate hanger thingy too, almost.. It’s got to be the waifest thing I’ve seen on a showroom bike.

It’s a bike a rider really could grow with. The confidence it gives reminded me that varying lines and refining old good habits is an endless journey and that it’s a willing partner. The responsiveness may be a little intimidating at first but the confidence it gives, as you meld, is righteous. Most of that is due to the suspension upgrades. The forks and shock are better sprung and now fully adjustable, adding compression adjustment.

From the get go the taughtness is evident, not annoyingly so but it speaks to you more. The front end doesn’t wander mid corner or shimmy when pushed. Ripping the throttle open, it doesn’t squat and rear up like its non-factory adorned donor. That’s a bit more important as it’s got a 5hp bump up top along with the front cog losing a tooth making the throttle more responsive and its push more lively. And just for sugar on top, a lithium battery has dropped the weight, it’s 2kg lighter overall at 181kg.

The non-factory could join the comical fray above between Kintaro and his bear and all involved would love it! But the Factory is a bit more serious and a lot more effective at decimating chicken strips. The suspension is a big part of that while the Pirelli Diablo Rossa Corsa 2 join the conversation and the smooth shifting standard quicksfifter and blipper, a paid option on the non-factory, keep gear changes from tarnishing the chassis polish.

Those Pirellis warmed up fast in the cold morning conditions while the quickshifter-blipper kept that fine chassis smooth and unsettled. The blipper did miss a couple of shifts at lower revs when riding casually so not dangerous and it was probably my casual-soft foot touch not sending the shift home. Check the vid below for an example.

Thankfully not fully tested but ABS lights did flash on the dash a few times without any choppy intervention, the IMU backed cornering ABS added to Aprilia’s APRC electronic aid suite did add to the confidence inspiring chassis. It may well be more noticable on a 200hp+ machine but here, it was all smooth and well controlled, especially the un-planned testing on a sandy corner.

But is it comfy for an all day ride? Just like the non-factory, ergonomically, yes it is. The suspension is tauter and less forgiving meaning that the goat tracks are tedious. But every nice piece of road is like a reset button urging you to just keep on seeking the corners to round the rubber while shuffling the body all over the bike and reviving blood starved butt cheeks.

Of course a few night rides were taken and surprises were discovered. Automatic headlights! They turn on and off in the dark and light. First noticed that one in a long tunnel.

So, it usually runs on just the stylish twin-arrow driving lights in daylight and then illuminates the twin headlights in the dark.

Next surprise was cornering lights which had me scratching my head for a while as something was going on but it wasn’t as effective as other solutions I’ve experienced. Maybe it’s the angle but it didn’t really flood through the tighter corners. Good to see a manufacturer utilizing the IMU for this helpful safety feature though.

Up front showing there’s no more chasing the pack through the tight stuff!

If you’ve read this far, you know it has ticked a lot of boxes for me and that I’m recommending it. What didn’t I like about it though?

The Aprilia MIA smartphone integration system wasn’t available for testing. It’s a costly option and has a navigation mirroring function which unfortunately doesn’t work in Japan, presumably as it isn’t a Zenrin maps based system.

Then there’s the lack of storage both in and on the bike. So it’s really a day tripper rather than a touring steed.

That’s all that disappointed.

The bike was a hoot and a definite match for twisty riding in Japan. A bit harsh maybe for those who prefer cruising over twisty conquering but it sure did shine in the hunt for the best bike for THE twisty machine for Japan. A benchmark for sure. Give it a ride and after one day of adrenalin rushing on this, if your riding fix isn’t satiated, you’re going to need something stronger than bike therapy.

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This ride review tied in with the Gaijinriders’ Shinenkai at Ocean Vibes Club in Shirahama, Shizuoka which meant riding in Izu. Great, plenty of twisties there. Was a good opportunity for the Gaijinriders who wanted to test ride the bike around Shirahama too. If you missed it, keep your eyes peeled for for further test riding opportunities in the future. I’ll be sure to announce them when/if I hear of them.

Thanks again to PIAGGIO Aprilia Japan for the opportunity once again

It’s a great looking machine. No clown shoes or compromises on this one. Just that great induction growl and ‘let’s rip!’ enthusiasm of the non-factory with a tamed and enticingly communicative chassis .